More about Bees

I already wrote a short post on honeybees a few months ago, but I’ve been reading a lot about them lately, as well as watching videos on their incredible organizational abilities . Once you start reading about bees you can’t avoid coming across something about the phenomenon known as “colony collapse disorder (CCD)” since it is a huge concern right now, as most of you know.

The connection between CCD and the use of pesticides known as neonicotinoids (developed by Bayer) is not confirmed and there are definitely other factors involved, such as loss of natural habitat and monocultural farming practices that turn huge fields into green deserts for bees and other foragers. However, neonicotinoids are systemic pesticides, which means the seeds are treated before planting so the chemicals travel to every part of the plant, including the nectar and pollen.  This means that bees ingest it, even if they pick up the pollen in the air via the hair on their bodies.  There is evidence that, in high enough doses, the chemicals affect the bees’ ability to navigate and/or their memory, which could explain why beekeepers are waking up and finding their hives empty.  Proper testing has never been done in the US or Canada on these chemicals and yet they’re in constant use.  Up to 90% of corn and soybean seeds are being treated with them.  It’s absolutely shocking that the pesticide lobby is so strong and public awareness and outcry is apparently so weak that the EPA has been letting this happen.

There are several things we can do to help the bees. Buy or grow pesticide-free food as much as you can.  Eating organic fruits and vegetables is not only about doing what’s best for your body, but also about supporting those farmers who are trying to do what’s best for the environment, which includes the bees.  I encourage you to opt for local, organic produce (grow your own if you can!) as much as possible.  In the winter, choose locally grown root vegetables more often over greens that have been flown or trucked in from miles away.

What can we do, as gardeners?  In Montreal, pesticides are more or less banned, which makes it easier to go organic.  It’s been many years since I used any pesticides in the Tranquil Garden, out of choice.  I don’t depend on my garden for my food, but if I did, I would put up with some blemishes on my produce for the sake of the bees that do make it into my yard.  The ones that arrive may not be honey bees, but they are still important pollinators.

If you want to welcome bees, butterflies and other pollinators to your garden, here are some ideas:

•  plan it so there is something available to them all season long. Check the flowering schedule so as one flower is dying back, another is getting going.  Check to find out which plants are native to your area and choose those over more exotic ones. It will be easier to maintain them!
• Grass is no use to pollinators, so if all you have is a big expanse of lawn with a few flowers, think about digging out some of that lawn and replacing it with clover (a bee favourite!), or planting a bee-friendly bed.
• Let some weeds grow in amongst the grass! Even dandelions (Gulp! Not my favourite!) are apparently an excellent source of food for the early spring foragers. Also, I’ve noticed bees really like the small, light blue wild asters that pop up annoyingly everywhere, so I’m going to spot them by their foliage next year and not yank them out so they’ll provide food for the bees in the fall, when pickings grow slim.
• Some plants that bees love are bee balm, echinacea, daisies, poenies, especially single varieties, columbine, clover, Joe Pye Weed, sunflowers, etc.  There are non-invasive varieties of milkweed you could plant as well, for the monarch butterflies.

I just heard a disturbing piece of agricultural news: that a lot of the bedding plants, (annuals, vegetables and perennials) are raised from seed treated with neonicotinoids or the soil has been treated with them.  Next time you buy some, ask your vendor whether they sell such plants and express your disapproval! This is one more reason to divide existing plants as much as possible and share them with your friends and neighbours.

Bees are definitely in danger and need every bit of help we can give in order to survive. The more I read about them, the more they fascinate me.  I feel more hopeful about their futures knowing they are incredibly resilient creatures that are programmed not to give up. A queen bee lays up to 1500 eggs daily, so the population can bounce back quickly if given the chance.

Studies show that every third bite of our food is the result of pollination by bees.  Think about that the next time you go to the grocery store.

For more on bees, here is an excellent Ted Talk on the subject.