Buzzing around your garden from flower to flower, most of us know bees play an important role in pollinating as well as providing us with honey year-round. While they are often seen as a cute little helper, they play a vital role in keeping many ecosystems alive and are now at serious risk of becoming endangered.   why bees are so important:

  Along with pollinating blooming flowers, bees are responsible for pollinating approximately 80% of all flowering plants. This also means 1/3 of the entire world’s food production is greatly dependent on bees. As our population grows, the need for more food grows too. Effective pollination increases the amount and quality of agricultural produce, providing food to millions of people.   By pollinating blooming plants, bees also provide food to farm animals, wild animals, birds, and insects in addition to aiding in the growth of both tropical and temperate deciduous forests, and woodlands. This helps to protect and maintain the ecosystem and contribute to the biodiversity of the environment for many animals.

  By buying local honey, we are not only supporting small local businesses but also supporting beekeeping practices. Beekeepers play a vital role in maintaining nature’s balance and promoting pollination. And we aren’t the only ones who love honey! Birds, raccoons, possums, and other insects all rely on bees for honey.   why bees are becoming endangered:   Due to an increase in farming, there is also increased use of insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and fertilisers in our environment. This is not only toxic to bees but can also cause bee diseases, which both lead to a decrease in their population.   In order to create more land for farming, there has been a rise in logging and urban encroachment which severely decreases the bees’ access to nectar and pollen resources.   Beekeepers have also experienced increasing costs and bee diseases, decreased honey prices, and reduced access to resources, which has led to a decline in commercial and local beekeeping.  

  We have recently collaborated with the Wheen Bee Foundation in order to help save the bees! For each Dainty Bee product purchased, we will be donating $5 to the Wheen Bee Foundation to help support this wonderful cause.  

  Australia based and not-for-profit, the Wheen Bee Foundation aims to promote awareness and raise funds for research to address national and global threats to bees. They engage with all levels of the government, the apiculture industry, bee-reliant food industries, universities, research organizations, and the community, and fund imperative research towards education initiatives.   Other Ways to Help  

1. Plant flowers that are bee-friendly

Making a small urban garden or filling a small area of your lawn with bee-friendly blooms are a great way to help provide a habitat for bees in areas of sparse greenery.   Try these:   Herbs: basil, lemon balm, and mint Fruits and Veggies: blackberries, strawberries, and rocket Perennials: bottlebrush, dahlias, roses Annuals: clover, poppies, sunflowers Trees: crab apple, cherry plum, sugar gum  

2. Eat organic

Organic food is grown without pesticides, fungicides, and other chemicals that can be harmful to bees. Spending a little more at the grocery store can go a long way in preventing bee endangerment.  

3. Avoid insecticides

Try to limit the use of any chemicals in the garden which don’t specifically state they are non-toxic to bees.  

4. Make a bee hotel

Why not make a home for these little creatures who work so hard to keep our plants alive! They’re easy to make or purchase. Head HERE to read more about how to make your own.