By now I am sure you have learned that bees are essential for our life on this earth. Do support earth day to help these tiny workers help bring food to our table. This year I saw many of my zucchini flowers did not grow into zucchinis; it seems they did not get pollinated.
From April 2016 to April 2017, 33% of US bee colonies died! Between 1947 and 2005, the number of bees in the United States declined from 5.9 million to 2.4 million.
We Need Our Bees for Survival!
What is it About Pollination?
Bees are big pollinators. For many plants to reproduce they need to pollinate. The bees collect nectar and pollen from the flower of a plant, some of this pollen from the flower’s male reproductive organ sticks to the bee’s hairs. Then the bee goes to another flower and some of this pollen is rubbed off onto the flower’s female reproductive organ. Now, fertilization can happen; a fruit, carrying seeds, can develop.
If the bee population keeps declining 1/3 of our food crops will be in danger of disappearing, including foods many of us love, like apples, blueberries, broccoli, and almonds.
Each day, a honeybee colony can pollinate 300 million flowers. This is why our food crops, are so dependent on them.
Do note that Bees are Dying! Monsanto’s Roundup Blamed
“Honeybees are strongly affected by the quality of their environment, including flower diversity, contaminants, and pests. To keep healthy bees, you need a good environment and you need your neighbors to keep healthy bees. Honeybee health is a community matter.” said Nathalie Steinhauer, graduate student, UMD Department of Entomology who leads the data collection efforts for the annual survey.
The study shows honeybees are starving because of Roundup!
Roundup causes them to starve according to a study. Glyphosate is used for weed control and is the main active ingredient in Roundup. Bees forage for nectar in those sprayed areas and bring tainted nectar back to the hive which ends up killing all of them. Glyphosate affects them so they don’t remember how to forage correctly and can’t eat thus dying from starvation.
A beekeeper, Terrence N. Ingram, writing for Mother Earth News, in 2010 speculated that Roundup is a primary cause of the bee colony collapse CD. He said he had seen whole bee colonies collapse soon after near fields were sprayed with Roundup. Whole colonies were found completely dead.
Roundup is very widely used all over the world and it is harming honeybees. Time to save the bees and many other species and BAN Glyphosate & GMOs worldwide Now! Sign the petition
“Send the love. Every little thing needs love.” – Miss August in The Secret Life of Bees
We Need To Act Now To Save Our Bees
Bees are vital for a healthy ecosystem and play an important role in pollinating many of our food crops.
Although there has been some attention from the press about this problem, it’s not enough.
Many people categorize this trend in the same distant way that they think about the loss of some exotic creatures like panda bears. Bees may not be cute like pandas but they are so much more vital for our own life.
Now is the time to learn 10 Ways to Save the Bees
1. Stop using insecticides.
Simple really…just do it.
2. Avoid seeds coated with insecticides.
You may not know it but many seeds are now coated with Clothianidin.
If you would like to learn more about organic gardening, here is an E-Book to get you started: Organic Growing and Gardening E-Book
3. Read labels on garden compost.
Beware of hidden killers. Some garden composts contain Imidacloprid – a deadly insecticide disguised as ‘vine weevil protection’. This can kill bees.
4. Plant Bee-friendly plants.
Buy wildflower seeds from seed merchants, and sow in any spare patch of ground.
“If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live.” – Maurice Maeterlinck, The Life of the Bee
5. Create natural habitat gardens.
Let some space in your garden go wild. It’s a haven for bees and other insects.
6. Become a beekeeper.
Beekeeping is a most enjoyable, fascinating, and interesting hobby and you get to eat your own honey! If this is too much consider offering space in your garden to local beekeepers.
You can become a beekeeper, of sorts, by raising Mason Bees or simply have suitable homes in your yard.
7. Buy local honey.
Support your local beekeepers
8. Make your own ‘Wild bee’ house.
Providing a simple box as a place for bees to set up home is very helpful to the bees without requiring you to look after them. Ideas for such boxes can be found online.
In Canada, you can buy Mason Bee kits which have not only the homes but live Mason Bees as well. Mason Bees are solitary bees that are much more active at pollination than honey bees.
9. Get Active!
Sign petitions and lobby your local MP to help save our bees.
10. Spread the word!
Comment on this post. Share it with others.
Learn More About How You Can Help this Earth:
Every Day Is Earth Day So Let’s Give It Some Love – Did you know that every day is earth day? We ‘get’ to live on this planet called earth which makes every day an Earth Day. But all is not well on our earth as we know it. Let us look into what a few others say about what is happening here.
Earth Day: Health Crisis at the Third Pole – Earth Day is a time to become aware of what is happening here and now. You know when things aren’t right with your health, don’t you? A general feeling of debilitation, low energy levels, catching every bug that comes around, loss of appetite, pain. We, the farmers of the Himalayas, have the same feelings about the mountains we have lived among for generations. They are sick.
Stop The Environment Guilt! Easy Solutions For Earth Day – Earth Day often comes guilt about how YOU affect the environment. You are probably genuine in your desire to make a positive difference, yet it can be overwhelming when the changes you are to make include buying a hybrid car or riding a bike to work. You don’t have to change your whole way of living to make a big impact. I’m going to talk about products for cleaning your home.
Taking Care of The Ocean – What can I say that hasn’t already been said, a thousand times, and a thousand times better? I can only add my voice to the growing litany of those who are struggling to save and protect the Ocean from the ravages of ‘civilization.’ The forces that are hell-bent on destroying the planet seem beyond the reach of reasoned argument, and nearly free of regulation.
Nice Cow – Baaad Cow Effects Is Your Diet Destroying The Environment? 5 Reasons Why the Food on Your Plate is More Important than the Car You Drive.
So easy you can start NOW!
Follow this link to get this e-book: 125 Ways to Go Green and Save Money At The Same Time
Enjoy!
Saving Water for the Environment – Past, Present & Hopefully the Future – It’s so easy to turn on the tap, but imagine if one morning you woke up, turned on the tap and nothing happened. How would your day be different?” Learn 5 Easy Ways to Save Water & the Environment
Discover the 10 Health Benefits of Honey, made by bees is one of the oldest sweeteners on earth. It is a delicious part of any dessert made with it; see some of my favourite recipes at the bottom of this article too.
Here Are Some Delicious Honey Recipes To Try
Honey Syrup – contains the goodness and taste of both honey and molasses. It’s also not so sugary because of the added water.
Orange Honey Syrup – This Orange Honey Syrup is a much healthier syrup than the usual syrups on your pancakes or waffles. It has less honey in it because of the orange juice which makes it delicious. The zing of the orange make is very tasty.
Dandelion Flower Syrup – combining the goodness of honey with another superfood: dandelions. This syrup is a great treat from your weeds and it is so easy to make. See why I am mad about dandelions – and their amazing health benefits.
Peanut Butter Bliss Balls The name says it all! These peanut butter balls are so tasty that everyone likes them. Peanut butter is high in protein and can help with diabetes, weight loss, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Carrot Face Mask The ingredients for this are already in your kitchen. Also called Honey Carrot Face Mask. Give it a try! Easy, inexpensive, and healthy! The ingredients contain natural antiseptics and antioxidants which kill germs and protect the skin from damaging free radicals.
You can also learn how to plan and prepare super healthy meals with my
2-5-30 Healthy Diet Online Courses.
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