THE NEED TO PROTECT BEES

Why?

Because bees are the NUMBER 1 pollinators! Pollination occurs quite naturally through wind, gravity, water and so on, as well from insects such as wasps, bumblebees and butterflies, but bees are the most effective pollinators. They only visit plants of the same species, at the same time, and never return to a flower that has already been foraged.

HOW NECTAR IS HARVESTED

When a bee gathers nectar from a flower, up to 75,000 pollen grains from the stamens (the flower’s male organ) stick to the hairs on its body. When landing on another flower, the bee drops another few grains of pollen on the stigma (the female organ of the flower). This is how plants are fertilized, allowing them to reproduce. By carrying out this ritual, bees contribute to the pollination of 90% of all the plants and trees on the planet. Without bees, there would be no apples, no pears, no plums, no squash, no pumpkins…

AN ENVIRONMENTAL BAROMETER

Bees also acts as an environmental barometers. Through their frequent contact with the air, soil and water, bees can reveal whether or not there is a healthy balance between agriculture and Mother Nature.

PRACTISES THAT HARM BEES

The overuse of pesticides, fungicides, herbicides (as well as a lack of wild plants rich in nectar) contributes towards the decline of bees. The chemical residue from these harmful products weakens the immune system, making bees more susceptible to degenerative diseases such as nosemosis (it attacks the intestine) and contagious bacterial infections such as American and European foulbrood, which are usually fatal.

PARASITES

Parasites also pose serious problems. Varroa is a mite visible to the naked eye that attacks male larvae, worker bees and drones. The Asian hornet is also an aggressive killer of bees. For some years now, the small hive beetle has been laying its eggs in honey to ferment it, rendering it inedible.

PRACTICAL STEPS

that help bees to thrive

  1. Plant melliferous flowers
    (lavender, milkweed, bee balm, liatris, etc.)
  2. Leave wildflowers alone
  3. Do not spray pesticides on the soil
  4. Let dandelions bloom for as long as possible
  5. Build small hives for native bees
  6. Do not destroy honeybee swarms, bumblebee nests or native bees
Small hive for native bees: To ensure that your melliferous and native flowers bloom, place a 1.5-metre tall hive in a sunny spot, sheltered from the wind and close to a source of water. Store the small hive in a shed during the winter months, then move it back outside in early spring.

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