Bees Need Your Help! 10 Things You Can Do

For Bee Aware Month we have put together a list of practical steps you can take to help the bees! These cute little pollinators play a key role in what we eat and, needless to say, our plates would be pretty bleak without them. 

Here are some top tips for helping out our cute little pollinators at a time they need it most!

1. Plant bee friendly flowers in your garden (find NZ bee bombs here).
2. If you see a swarm of bees, or have a hive in your garden, contact Bees Up Top (if you’re in Auckland), or your local council.
3. Buy local honey.
4. Always wash out honey jars and dispose of them properly. If it is honey from overseas, bees can be attracted to eat it, pick up harmful bacteria, and risk contaminating their hives.
5. If a bee approaches, stay calm and move away. No swatting, flapping, or screaming!
6. Learn more about bees and spread the knowledge.
7. Spray your gardens with safe sprays, or don’t spray them at all.
8. Fill a saucepan or tray of water, and place twigs and stones in the water for bees to sit, drink, and rest.
9. If you find a drowsy bee, offer it water and sugar (ratio: 1 spoon of sugar, to 2 spoons of water). Don’t offer it honey, as the honey could contain viruses.
10. Support local, organic farmers when you buy your vegetables and fruit. This encourages farms that don’t use pesticides, which kill our bees.

The Importance Of Urban Beekeeping

We know what you’re thinking: why would urban cities be a good place for bees to live? Our friends at Bees Up Top have explained why: 

1. The nasty pesticides used in rural areas for commercial farming, are not good for bees.
2. Flowers in our gardens create a sweet sanctuary.
3. We plant a diverse array of flowers in our gardens, and bees thrive off the diversity.
4. Bees have security in controlled hives, and don’t have to fend for themselves amongst extremities.

Bees are the unrecognised heroes of our world, and we think they deserve a bunch of respect. This September, let’s celebrate our bees and make steps to revive their population.

What are you going to do for Bee Aware Month this September?

Related Posts

• Bee Aware Month: What it is and WHY it's Important