Helping Declining Bee Populations

Ken Muir stocks many plants popular with bees. Unless action is taken to slow the decline of honeybees and other pollinators, many fruits and vegetables may disappear from our food supply.

Since the 1980s, a rising tide of ailments has assaulted the honeybee, including the varroa mite and other deadly viruses. Because of the dramatic and rapid losses of the last five years, experts are convinced that something new has been at work within the hives. Therefore a concept was developed called Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD.

However, no clues have been found as to the exact cause of the disorder and CCD may not exist as a separate illness. Many experts speak of a “perfect storm” of impacts that are the real reason for the decline. Too many impacts threatening the bees wellbeing at once, and they are unable to survive.

Principal among these threats is the varroa mite and the intensity of agriculture including the use of chemicals. There are also concerns that bees are being deprived of nutrition as urbanisation removes their natural pastures.

It is in this respect that we can all help.

Bees either focus on gathering nectar or gathering pollen depending on demand. Bees gathering nectar may accomplish pollination, but bees gathering pollen are more efficient pollinators. It is estimated that one third of the human food supply depends on insect pollination, most of which is accomplished by bees.

Native pollinators include bumblebees and solitary bees which can survive in refuges in wild areas and in bee nest boxes. Pesticide use remains a concern and also the loss of the flower-rich habitat on which they depend for food.

We hope you will be able to provide some growing space to cultivate forage for bees. With this in mind we have listed below some important plants and with a little planning it is possible to provide forage for a whole season to help save the bees.