Gardening for bees

“Where possible, and within reason, adopt a more tolerant attitude to feral bee colonies in buildings, and of hived bee colonies in one’s neighbourhood. If we want bees we need to make space for them.”- Dr David Heaf

Bees play an important role as pollinators of crops and natural vegetation. However, the study shows that over the last decade has seen a concerning decline in numbers of managed honeybees’ and wild colonies. This is due to habitat loss to farming and urbanisation activities. The use of toxic pesticide and climate changes has also contributed. 

 

TO ASSIST CONSERVE OUR BEES 

Avoid using toxic pesticides.

Bees need fresh water.  So, create a little pond or leave a bucket of water in your garden.

Build structures that will invite bees and provide them with a place to nest.

Grow more indigenous plants in your garden, it will help provide a source of nectar and pollen.

 

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING PLANTS FOR YOUR GARDEN

Bees use scent rather than sight to find flowers, therefore choose sweetly to scent and nectar-rich plants. Just like human beings, bees have favourite colours which are violet, purple, blue, white, and yellow, and that is why so many flowering plants use bees as pollinators.