What can we do to save the Bees?

Question

I just watched a scary nature show - it said if the bee population continues to decline at its current rate there will be none by 2035..

on another show I saw.. it said without Bees we cannot survive more than 5 years because some plants are ONLY fertilized by bees, and these are foods we need...or are food that many livestock animals need (eg clover, alfalfa)

Answer 1

Plant flowers that bees need to pollinate.  Use a limited amount of insecticide.  Become a bee keeper.

bb70

Answer 2

Grow plants that attract bees. My neighbor has about 4 or 5 bee hives in his driveway and I am seeing more and more bees coming over to my yard (I have a lot of flowers in my yard). For the uneducated, they can be scary (remember the movie 'My Girl'?). However, bees will attack ONLY if you kill one (the others can detect another bee's death, think they are under attack, and in turn attack you!) ~OR~ you do something to antagonize them. My dad keeps bees and we can walk anywhere near the hives and, even though they fly around your head, they have never once stung anyone. My dad has only been stung maybe twice because he accidentally smashed one or two bees while working on the hive. In my opinion, I'd rather have a whole hive of bees in my yard compared to even a single mosquito flying around me! I love watching the bees in my yard 'do their thing'. I have a bucket under my outside water spigot to catch any leaking water and these bees LOVE to drink from this water! I can use the spigot (with the bee not even 3" from my hand) and the bee seems completely disinterested with my presence. I know I have gone on a REALLY long tangent, but, to answer your question, plant flowers and maybe even keep a small tray of sugar water somewhere which will also help to attract bees.  :)

Answer 3

There is a theory that bee populations are declining because the increased use of electromagnetic devices, like cell phones and satellites, are confusing their natural ability to navigate and find their way back to the hive. I have little idea if this theory is true, but it seems likely, since there haven't been any problems with the bee population until very very recently, and we are using electronic devices now more than at any previous point in history.

I'm not sure if there's anything we can do without understanding exactly why they've been dying, so at the very least we need to spend more time and energy investigating what is causing this problem.

Answer 4

i hate bees i hope they die

Answer 5

omg that is so cute that you actually care. most people don't care at all. good to know there are still compassionate people like you!

(p.s. this might sound sarcastic but i swear it is not) :)

Answer 6

idk. Plant more flowers?

Answer 7

plant more flowers!  have a beehive soemwhere in your garden.

Answer 8

cloning!

Answer 9

for us home gardeners, the best thing we can do is stop using pesticides!!!..... unless you are growing something for a flower show or need a 'perfect' bloom for the state fair, WHO CARES if there's a hole in a rose leaf?.... what's the danged difference if there's a little mildew on the bottom leaves of the bee balm?... it's not gonna kill the plants!!!..... and chasing japanese beetles once they're beetles and not grubs is nearly useless.... using a heavy pesticide just to kill them is DUMB.... easier to flick them off the plant into a bucket of soapy water!!!... and no pesticide to kill the OTHERS , the GOOD BUGS, like our bees and butterflies....

Nature got along just dandy for eons without the use of pesticides.... WE are the ones who just had to have somethign to KILL something else..... why?....cuz of a hole in a LEAF????... sheesh.....

start doing without the poisons and watch as the natural predators come into your garden again to kill off the excess of the bad bugs!!!.... or put on your gloves and go squish a few bad ones.... you will be doing the environment and the BEES a really good turn.....