World Bee Day - Why Are Bees So Important & How Can We Help?
We see bees buzzing around a lot and during the pandemic we have even seen people jokingly refer to them as essential workers. They’re an important creature to our planet but they’re also under threat. With a world without bees becoming more of a possibility, let’s look at why they’re important and what we can do to help them.
Why are bees important?
We typically associate bees with flying around sniffing flowers and also producing honey, but they play a much larger role too. You know how trees are essential for filtering our air? Well bees are just as vital and play a huge role in maintaining our planet! They pollinate both we food we need to survive as well as flowers that wildlife use as habitats. They do so much for us!
Why are bees disappearing?
There are many reasons as to why bees are disappearing, and a lot of the reasons are similar to the threats trees and woodland are facing as well. Climate change has caused extreme weather in recent years, and this is a big contributing factor in the decline of bees. As the weather has been drastically altered, typical bee nesting behaviour has been disrupted. It can also lead to flowers blooming at different times so everything is all out of sync.
In addition to this, many urban developments have had a direct impact on bees also. In a lot of cases, trees have had to be destroyed to make way for buildings. Many might not realise this, but bees like to nest in hollow trees! With not much flowering plants around, the bees not only lose a home but a very important food resource as well.
How you can help bees?
Although things aren’t great for the bees right now, it’s not too late to help save them. There are lots of things that can be found to help prevent extinction but perhaps the easiest one is to fill your garden with bee-friendly flowers. Here are some of our favourites:
- Echinacea - This flower is not only beautifully vibrant, it pumps out a lot of nectar throughout the day. In comparison to other flowers, the echinacea produces as much nectar during the afternoon hours as it does during the morning.
- Dahlias - There’s lots of dahlia varieties to choose from, thousands even! However, the open-centred dahlias are best for feeding the pollinators.
- Achillea - Not only are these known for attracting bees, but lots of other beneficial insects and pollinators as well!
- Sedum - This is commonly referred to as the best late nectar plant. It flowers in September and can do really well for both bees and certain types of butterflies.
Contact Living Windows
If you’re thinking of making your garden more bee-friendly, contact Living Windows today and shop a wide selection of window boxes, planters, and other gardening gear for your home or office. Be sure to ask about booking a garden consultation today.
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