CELEBRATING WORLD BEE DAY
We celebrate World Bee Day on May 20th across the world. This day aims to recognize the importance of bees and pollinators in the ecosystem. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of beekeeping pioneer Anton Jansa.
Bees play a major role in maintaining balance between humans, plants, animals, and the environment. It is because they increase agricultural production around the world by pollinating. As a result, World Bee Day is celebrated to raise awareness about the threats faced by bees as a result of human activity and to acknowledge the significance of bees in our biodiversity.
Honeybees are used to pollinate many popular crops, including apples, almonds, broccoli, cranberries, squash and melons.
To help you can create a pollinator garden yourself. You might consider getting rid of your lawn. Lawns are meccas for toxic fertilizers, and are water guzzlers. The average lawn requires more than 10,000 gallons of water every single week. Instead, shrink it down. Plant some fruit trees, invest in some perennial hedges, or start a great big wildflower garden, using native plants. You can easily attract bees, birds & butterflies to your yard by diversifying. Just don't be so quick to get the lawn mower out this spring!
A few years ago we made a conscious effort to plant specifics flowers to attract and support bees! Also shallow water areas so they can stop for a little rest and a drink of water!
It’s been a couple years since I’ve seen a bee on my balcony, but I always plant as many bee friendly plants as flowers as I can fit
If the bees all die, humans die. Be mindful when caring for your yard. Put out a bee “bath”. They need water too. Place some small stones or marbles in a shallow dish and put water in it leaving the tops of some of the stones exposed so the bees can rest while they get a drink. You may even get some butterfly visitors.
This makes me think about our urge to get out in the spring and rake our lawns, way too soon. Please wait to give the pollinators time to do their work.