Save the Bees: How You Can Help
Busy buzzing fills bushes and flower meadows during this time of year. The hardworking bees have started their important work and are energetically collecting their nectar. We show you why the work of the bees is so important for our ecosystem and what you can do to protect the endangered insects.
Saving bees step by step
The fruits of hard work: A large part of our food depends on pollination by bees and other insects. Without them, there would be significantly less harvest.
Why the decline of bees concerns us all
For years now, the bee population worldwide has been gradually declining. In some regions, entire bee colonies are dying – regardless of whether the bees are kept by beekeepers or are wild bees. In other regions, it is mainly the wild bee population that is decreasing, while the number of beekeepers is rising.
The exact reasons for this bee die-off, which has now developed into a general insect decline, are not yet fully understood.
What threatens our bees?
The threat to pollinators is most likely due to parasites, pesticides, the loss of nesting opportunities caused by new housing developments, parks, and agricultural land, as well as agricultural monocultures. All these factors contribute to a significant reduction in the diversity and availability of food for insects.
Since a large part of our food – especially in crop and fruit cultivation – depends on pollination by honeybees and other insects, it is all the more important to protect our winged friends and support them in their vital work. So, what can we do to help the bees?
More living space for bees: bee-friendly plants
Create more habitat for bees by planting bee-friendly plants and flowers in your garden or on your balcony. While honeybees are not very picky when foraging, different species of wild bees often specialize in specific food sources. Native flowering and wild plants are especially popular with bees because they often have single, open flowers that allow bees easy access to pollen and nectar.
Cultivated plants, on the other hand, often have so-called double flowers, with many closely packed petals that block access to the valuable food. Bee-friendly plants and flowers are rich in nectar and pollen and have a long flowering period.
But don’t worry, it’s not that complicated. For your own garden or balcony, for example, there are seed bombs or special seed mixes for wildflowers that bees especially like. This quickly creates colorful bee meadows.
You can also help strengthen the bee population with a wild bee nesting aid. You can hang this in your garden or on your balcony to provide wild bees with more living space. When choosing your nesting aid, make sure the wood is not too rough and that the bees’ flight path is always clear so they don’t get injured. A sunny spot protected from rain and wind is best.
Food for bees: What do bees eat?
Wild and honey bees mainly feed on pollen and nectar. Wildflowers are therefore ideal. Of course, not everyone has a garden or a balcony, especially in the city. But even in this case, there are many nice ways you can help the bees.
If weak bees end up on your windowsill, reaching for the honey jar is quick and easy. However, caution is advised here: honey – especially imported honey from the supermarket – can quickly transmit diseases and thus poses a high risk to the bee and its colony. Therefore, avoid feeding weak bees with honey and wash honey jars thoroughly before recycling them.
To nurse weak bees back to health, it’s better to use sugar water. Simply mix warm water with some sugar and drip it in front of the bee or put it in a bee watering dish. Of course, you should be careful here as well. Pathogens spread quickly, and if several bees stop by your provided refreshment, make sure to change it regularly.
Bee drinkers: Take a short break
In densely populated areas or cities, it can sometimes happen that flowers and water sources are scarce for bees. In that case, you can provide bees with water through a bee watering station.
They then use the water to quench their own thirst and the thirst of their young. The valuable liquid also serves to cool the beehive, which can warm up due to the sun and the busy activity inside.
You can of course buy the bee waterer, but you can also easily build it yourself. Since bees cannot swim, it is important that your bee waterer has enough landing spots that allow them to reach the water safely. A shallow container with islands made of natural materials like stones, moss, and sticks works particularly well. And don’t forget: change the water regularly here too to prevent the spread of diseases.
Organic and bee-friendly food products
Whether breakfast or dinner: what ends up on your plate also concerns the bees. By buying as many seasonal foods as possible or opting for organic products from local farmers, you can support the generally more bee-friendly farming practices of these operations and contribute to combating bee decline.
Many plants and foods from conventional, non-organic farming are treated with pesticides. However, these plant protection products are harmful to bees and other pollinating insects. If you want to help the bees, choose foods from organic farming. Organic farmers are not allowed to use conventional pesticides and are therefore generally more bee-friendly than conventional farms.
And what about honey?
If you can't do without honey, try to source it locally and in organic quality. This way, you can support local beekeepers who are subject to higher production standards than those from non-EU countries, and help reduce transportation distances.
Become a hobby beekeeper or bee sponsor
Another advantage of organic farming: monocultures, which limit bees in their food supply and habitat, tend to occur less frequently than in conventional farming.
If the previous steps are not enough for you, you can also help more actively. From your own hobby beekeeping in the garden to sponsoring bees in areas across Germany: many nonprofit associations and organizations are specifically committed to strengthening the bee population again and support all those who want to help with this effort. Surely there are also institutions near you with which you can work together to combat bee decline.
You see, it’s not that hard to help the bees. And with all the important work these winged creatures do for us, it’s easy to give a little back.
