Your Every Third Bite
Think of the last meal you had. Did you have Uber Eats to thank or your last night self who thought ahead to make enough for leftovers?
Whether you dine in or out, you have a very specific group of busy workers for every third bite: honey bees.
These yellow and black fur balls are instrumental in the farming industry with approximately a third of our food coming from the pollination of this one species of bee. We would like to say that this will prevent you from swatting them away the next time they show up at your picnic, but we all know the instinct is hard to repress.
No matter, honey bees deserve high praise for providing us with yummy food- especially honey which the average American eats 1.5 pounds of each year.
Can you bee-lieve this?
Lack of bee real estate: If you thought finding a new home was hard in this market, try being a bee! With urban development and intensive farming expanding there has been notable loss and fragmentation of prime pollination habitats. If there are fewer and fewer flowers to pollinate and foliage to nest in, it makes their work even harder.
Unwanted friends: Bees are popular in the insect community to their detriment. Unwanted pests like mites and parasites can infect bees and their homes. This is a major problem beekeepers keep an eye out for. Unfortunately, due to factors like misinformation, lack of awareness and/or greed some beekeepers are unable to address these unwanted friends.
Wifi: Yep. This is not to guilt you for reading this online, but to be aware of our everyday actions. Honey bees are sensitive to the magnetic field and wifi can disrupt their sense of orientation.
4. You already know this one: Climate change. It is a phenomenon we are all aware of and when it comes to bees, it’s easy to put two to two together. From the altered weather patterns to the pollution that toxifies our natural environment, honey bees are directly impacted.
Let’s get down to bees-ness!
How can you help out these pollinating powerhouses? We’re so glad you asked.
Flower power: Go outside and get your hands dirty to plant flowers so honey bees have more real estate to pollinate. You could do this at home either in your garden or on your apartment balcony with this guide for the easiest and prettiest flowers. You could also join a community initiative for gardening among neighbours.
Weeds & Grass: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and to bees; weeds and grass are gorgeous! Let them grow amongst native plants and you will have happy bees as well as butterflies!
Use cayenne instead: Replace pesticides with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. If you have pets, ensure they don’t get it in their eyes (just like regular pesticides) but otherwise it is not toxic to pets.
Buy local: Local, organic produce does not use pesticides. Even better, you’d be supporting farmers who are actively supporting the protection of bee colonies. Plus, it’s bound to taste delicious!
5. Mindfulness: As with any tip for supporting the well-being of our natural environment, being mindful of the domino effect of our actions is paramount. Whether it’s cleaning up after a picnic to not attract bees to a crowd of people (who will inevitably swat the poor bees away) or voting in community decisions to grow your home sustainably.
All in all, whether you’re team honey bees or if you simply love good food there are many ways to integrate little steps toward protecting our beloved honey bees.
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