Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Select locally grown, organic produce when you can. Agriculture chemicals are dangerous to wildlife, including bees. Pesticides are especially damaging.
Reduce the use of chemicals in your own home and garden. Use natural or organic alternatives whenever possible; for example, use lemon juice for cleaning and compost as a fertilizer.
Buy local honey to support local beekeepers, which in turn helps bees.
Plant flowering plants for bees. Even if you do not have a garden, you can grow such plants in pots on a balcony or in a window box. Some good choices are honeysuckle, marigolds and thistles. Flowering fruit trees also provide nectar for bees. If you have the space, create a small hay meadow with a variety of wildflowers.
Install bumblebee boxes. These are available from garden supply stores or you can make your own. Upturned clay plant pots filled with dry grass are perfect for some species. Other species prefer nesting sites on trees. A small bird house partly filled with dry grass clippings works well.
Mix garden soil with water in a dish to form a thick mud. Place the dish in a quiet corner of your garden. Mason bees need mud for their nests.
Join a local conservation group and volunteer for practical projects that preserve or restore natural habitats. Bees are an integral part of the ecosystem and conserving their natural habitat helps them.