The plight of the modern honey bee is one that humans are mainly to blame. Saying ‘mainly’ means that the rise of pests and diseases among naturally occurring hives have contributed to the diminishing health of the insect, but these issues are dwarfed by the pollution that people have caused. A study found that daily emissions of gases from vehicles, for example, have harmed the ability of honey bees to recognize the scents of flowers– a skill that is, needless to say, very important in their job. When singular bees are not affected, entire hives go down. Colony collapse disorder (CCD) has largely unknown causes but is characterized by the sudden death of a hive’s healthy workers, and in turn, the death of the entire hive. The lack of resources often have been linked to CCD, so this is where we come in.
Considering the importance of pollination in our agricultural and environmental needs, protecting honey bees should be a priority.
How to Help the Bees
Plant to cater to local pollinators
–Our company is from Omaha, Nebraska, so this information will vary based on region–
For the Midwest, flowers, bushes, and trees are all beneficial to honey bee populations. Flowers like sunflowers, wild indigo, sweet clover, goldenrod, violet, and dandelions are all great for honey bees. Though a few are considered weeds, natural biodiversity is something that should be preserved when it can be. Bushes and trees like dogwoods, chokecherries, redbuds, elderberries, and red maples are also helpful plants for bee pollination.
Don’t swat!
Simple, but important! A foraging honey bee has only one thing on her mind: foraging! The first instinct many people have is to strike a buzzing honey bee that’s coming a little too close, but the danger of a worker bee is small. The stinger of a honey bee is attached to the inside of their abdomen so when they sting anything, the barb pulls their insides out. That’s a bad thing. Because of this, a sting means death for the honey bee. This is why the worker bees are careful to become defensive. They won’t sting or bother us if we don’t outwardly attack them, so swatting is not the best option.
Avoid pesticides
Pesticides and used on farms have negatively impacted both honey bee and other pollinator populations. Few studies have been done over the effects of these pesticides, but declining honey bee populations have been linked to the widespread use of certain insecticides on large-scale farms. For example, insecticides that are meant to kill off pests in fields called neonicotinoids have been known to disrupt the honey bee’s memory, which harms their ability to collect pollen and nectar. An herbicide called dicamba has also been seen as having a hand in the rise of colony collapse disorder, the most recent shift since its registration in 2016 by the EPA.