This year for earth day, we wanted to focus on the decreasing population of honeybees around the US. After many hours of research, we decided that sunflowers would be a great gift for the honeybees and a fun hobby for our customers! Every order that is placed between April 12th - April 30th will receive a free packet of sunflower seeds. In this blog, we are focusing information as to why the honey bees are dying and what more we can do for them.
Importance of the honey bees
Honey bees produce six hive products - honey, pollen, royal jelly, beeswax, propolis, and venom. These products are collected and used for various nutritional and medicinal purposes. Although these hive products are very important, the most important job of a honey bee is crop pollination. Like all animals that pollinate plants, honey bees are responsible for bringing us one out of three bites of food. These animals travel from plant to plant carrying the collected pollen. This pollen is a crucial component of a plants reproductive system, allowing them to reproduce. Not only do honey bees help plants reproduce, they also bring us countless amounts of fruits, veggies, and nuts. “Honey bees alone are responsible for between 1.2 and 5.4 billion dollars in agriculture productivity.“
What is causing the decrease in population
The biggest cause to the decrease in population is due to habitat loss which means less forage and shelter for bees. This is due to many different reasons including pollution, misuse of chemicals, disease, and changes in the climate.
What can we do to help?
Luckily, there are many different ways you can help the honey bees. Below, we have provided a few different ways.
Plant a Bee Garden - Bees need a place where they can build a home and create a habitat. A lot of space isn’t needed to create a bee garden. The garden can be created in window boxes, flower pots, planters, or any free space in your yard. Creating a space for bees to reproduce and find nutritious food sources will help them.
Reducing Chemicals - Synthetic pesticides, fertilizes, herbicides, and neonicotinoids are harmful to bees. Try replacing synthetic chemicals with organic products and natural solutions or creating a natural compost.
Plant some trees - Tree blossoms provide thousands of pods for the bees to feed from. The leaves and resin provide nesting materials for their habitat.
Create a bee bath - Fill a shallow container or bird feeder with clean water. Arrange some rocks and pebbles inside so they can rest while they refresh their thirst.
Support local beekeepers - Local beekeepers work hard to ensure their bees are happy and healthy. The easiest way to help is to shop locally. There are many different products that you can purchase including soaps, lotions, and beeswax candles. Not only is local honey delicious, it is made from local plants that can help with seasonal allergies!
The decreasing population of the honey bees has been a problem for many years. Shining light on the situation and creating solutions to improve it is a great start. Doing your part in helping the bees creates a better tomorrow!
Every order placed through our Etsy shop between April 12th - April 30th will receive a free packet of dwarf sunflower seeds. These sunflowers are easy to grow and stay small so they can grow anywhere!
Visit our Etsy shop here!
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