Bee kind to Bees

Ten easy ways you can help save the bee

1. Plant your garden with bee friendly plants
   Bees are rapidly losing their habitat, you can help by planting flowers in your garden or even just a pot. Bees love to have a snack on one thing at a time so plant out an area with all the same flower. Great varieties include lavender, sage, mint, sunflowers, rosemary, verbena, tomatoes, pumpkin, zucchini, poppies, wisteria..
   
2. Buy local honey
   Support bee keepers that use sustainable,  respectful, natural methods. It’s better for  your health too and might even get rid of your pesky hay-fever.
3. Use organic gardening principles
   The chemicals and pesticides you put on your lawn and garden can damage the bees system. These treatments are especially damaging if applied while the flowers are in bloom as they will get in the pollen and nectar and are taken back to the beehive where they also get into the honey. Pesticides are one of the major culprits in Colony Collapse Disorder.
4. Shout a bee a drink
   Bees are thirsty and now that they will be visiting your garden thanks to your flowers, they’ll appreciate a little bowl of water or a birdbath to wet their whistle.
5. Weeding is no fun and a lawn full of clovers and dandelions is perfect bee habitat
   So go easy on the weeding and fix yourself a green smoothie (Many of the weeds are also edible, check out Adam Grubbs edible weeds guide).
6. Buy organic seed or get it from your local swap meet
   Seeds can be treated with chemicals that make the plant unsafe for bees. Check out localharvest.org.au to find a swap meet in your local area.
7. Drop your local polls a line to tell them to:
   A) Ban the seven most dangerous pesticides. B) Protect pollinator health by preserving wild habitat, and C) Restore ecological agriculture.
8. Bees are pretty chilled – they aren’t out to sting you!
   To avoid getting stung if a bee lands on you, remain calm and stay still. They will probably have a sniff and fly off unless you freak out. Also don’t block their path to the hive or stand outside the opening of one.
9.  If you’ve got space why not host a hive
   Honey doesn’t get any better than straight from the hive and as a bonus you’ll get a bumper crop of veggies. Hive hosting lets you experience what it’s like to keep bees without all the work or having to open a hive.
10. Go forth and pollinate
    Share your bee knowledge with your mates.