Posts
The
extinction of too many bees and other pollinators could have disastrous consequences for our food supply and there is some simple, loving things we can
each do at home, to help stop that from continuing to happen.
The easiest way is to begin by educating others and ourselves. Honey Bee Colony Collapse Disorder ... 57 different pesticides found in poisoned honeybees
One way we can do that is by asking ourselves some questions that might make us stop and think and make new choices, such as:
Why would 'I' really 'need' or want to use poisonous insecticides and weed killers, now that I know it is destroying living creatures who are important when it comes to the cycles of our Eco System and the well being of all of life?
Here are a few more questions that might make you stop and think ... Did you know Dandelions and Clover and some other so-called weeds and wild flowers are a Source of nutritious FREE food.
Did you know our Grandparents us to collect Herbs and Wildflowers for medicinal purposes? They called it Wildcrafting. Big Pharma uses a lot of these resources too and they charge us a lot for the convenience because we've become dependent upon them, due to that knowledge being less common in our present Generation. As of late, people are buying Medicinal Herbs, and we can plant them in our own yards, not just for us but for the Pollinators.
Did you know when you use insecticides in your Home Garden, you also kill beneficial insects, pollinators who are needed to provide us food?
Did you know when you use herbicides, not only do you destroy potential nutritious, wild food, but you destroy the food our Pollinators need also?
Now that you know this, would you like to know of some simple suggestions as to what you can do to be a important part of changing the world into a better place, in your lifetime?
Obviously, for the most part, you can begin by choosing to no longer use Insecticides and Herbicides as your first option ... after you see this can work for you, you can challenge your Friends to be 'Insecticide and Herbicide free', with you by sharing what you've discovered on your new path! (share this blog too please)
It is important to teach our children and friends to respect Bees and other Pollinators and encourage them not to be afraid of them. We can take them to a local Beekeeper as part of an outing this summer. Some of you may decide you can become a BeeKeeping Family, with your own Apiary having done so.
We can support our local Honey Bee Keepers. We need not limit ourselves to simply buying local Honey, (local helps with allergy’s best). Some Bee Keepers (and ‘want-to-be’ Bee Keepers … join a local Bee Keepers Association if you are a ‘want-to-be’) are in need of extra land for additional Hives. They will often share Honey with us in return for the use of a small portion of our property.
Pollinators also like Herbs, to include medicinal, such as Sage, Oregano, Lavender, Purple Cone Flower (echinacea,) Thyme, Yarrow, Hyssop, Bee Balm and Golden Rod. They also like Salvia, Alfalfa, Edible Sunflowers to name a few more. Yellow jackets, wasps and hornets aren’t bees and won’t be attracted by bee-friendly plants, btw.
A small Garden or Meadow of wild flowers is a lovely sight that draws in pollinators.
Create shallow ponds in your yards to supply Pollinators with water. They will also use a shallow bird bath as well.
Natural bees make use of many kinds of Shelter: abandoned animal burrows, dead trees and branches and underground nest tunnels, so keep that in mind when you are pruning or plowing your land for a Garden. If you have extra soil, (having brought in freshly composted), leaving a mound around near a water source as a potential nesting area for some natural bees, will bring you a good feeling.
Insect Hotels come in many sizes and varieties, depending upon who you want to house.
As a side note I'd like to end this Post with this little tidbit, which inspired me to post this today ... A few years back Organic Roof Top Gardens and Roof Top Bee Hives on top of Commercial Buildings and High Rises began as a movement worldwide.
That movement has spread to Home Owners as Los Angeles plans to let homeowners keep BEES on their roofs
Did you know Roof Top Bee Keeping was around back in 1918?
One way we can do that is by asking ourselves some questions that might make us stop and think and make new choices, such as:
Why would 'I' really 'need' or want to use poisonous insecticides and weed killers, now that I know it is destroying living creatures who are important when it comes to the cycles of our Eco System and the well being of all of life?
Here are a few more questions that might make you stop and think ... Did you know Dandelions and Clover and some other so-called weeds and wild flowers are a Source of nutritious FREE food.
Did you know our Grandparents us to collect Herbs and Wildflowers for medicinal purposes? They called it Wildcrafting. Big Pharma uses a lot of these resources too and they charge us a lot for the convenience because we've become dependent upon them, due to that knowledge being less common in our present Generation. As of late, people are buying Medicinal Herbs, and we can plant them in our own yards, not just for us but for the Pollinators.
Did you know when you use insecticides in your Home Garden, you also kill beneficial insects, pollinators who are needed to provide us food?
Obviously, for the most part, you can begin by choosing to no longer use Insecticides and Herbicides as your first option ... after you see this can work for you, you can challenge your Friends to be 'Insecticide and Herbicide free', with you by sharing what you've discovered on your new path! (share this blog too please)
If you have too many predatory insects eating up your
veggies, a possible solution is, you could bring in additional Beneficial
Insects like Lady Bugs, Praying Mantis and Mason Bees. You can plant Companion
Plants nearby to draw them in. You can Plant more than you need for the sake of
the local Wildlife and the Eco System, as well. Sometimes Humanity forgets we
share this Planet with other Creatures.
It is important to teach our children and friends to respect Bees and other Pollinators and encourage them not to be afraid of them. We can take them to a local Beekeeper as part of an outing this summer. Some of you may decide you can become a BeeKeeping Family, with your own Apiary having done so.
We can support our local Honey Bee Keepers. We need not limit ourselves to simply buying local Honey, (local helps with allergy’s best). Some Bee Keepers (and ‘want-to-be’ Bee Keepers … join a local Bee Keepers Association if you are a ‘want-to-be’) are in need of extra land for additional Hives. They will often share Honey with us in return for the use of a small portion of our property.
We can plant our Gardens with 'organic' heirloom plants that
benefit them ... Bee Friendly Plants are important to have scattered about in
every Community, (Bee's will travel a 10 mile radius per day), but they are
important for other Pollinators as well. Attracting-pollinators, plants that encourage bees butterflies and birds to visit
Bees prefer flowers that are blue, purple or yellow. They
love Clover and it enriches our soil and is an excellent ground cover. They enjoy buttercups too ... a field of buttercups is a remarkable sight, would you agree? I have fond memories of the joy buttercups brought us over the years, I bet you do too!
Pollinators also like Herbs, to include medicinal, such as Sage, Oregano, Lavender, Purple Cone Flower (echinacea,) Thyme, Yarrow, Hyssop, Bee Balm and Golden Rod. They also like Salvia, Alfalfa, Edible Sunflowers to name a few more. Yellow jackets, wasps and hornets aren’t bees and won’t be attracted by bee-friendly plants, btw.
A small Garden or Meadow of wild flowers is a lovely sight that draws in pollinators.
Flowering Trees, especially Fruit Trees are an excellent
choice. Pollinator - Plants - People, A Partnership for Life
Allow a few leafy vegetables in your home garden to
"bolt," (go to seed) Seeding plants are a bee's best chance to stock
up on food before winter comes. Plants will bolt in the late fall as well. If you want to harvest some of your own seeds, there will usually be more than enough to share.
Create shallow ponds in your yards to supply Pollinators with water. They will also use a shallow bird bath as well.
Create a habitat for Bees, (besides the Hive Boxes for Honey
Bees). Mason Bees are good to have around, so create a Do it yourself Insect Habitats from found material for them (and other Pollinators) so
they do not bore into yours.
Natural bees make use of many kinds of Shelter: abandoned animal burrows, dead trees and branches and underground nest tunnels, so keep that in mind when you are pruning or plowing your land for a Garden. If you have extra soil, (having brought in freshly composted), leaving a mound around near a water source as a potential nesting area for some natural bees, will bring you a good feeling.
Insect Hotels come in many sizes and varieties, depending upon who you want to house.
As a side note I'd like to end this Post with this little tidbit, which inspired me to post this today ... A few years back Organic Roof Top Gardens and Roof Top Bee Hives on top of Commercial Buildings and High Rises began as a movement worldwide.
That movement has spread to Home Owners as Los Angeles plans to let homeowners keep BEES on their roofs
Did you know Roof Top Bee Keeping was around back in 1918?
Do you have other suggestions or links or perspectives you would like to add? If so, please add them in the
comment below or in the Add Links Here section on the Column to the left.
enJOY!
enJOY!
