5 Ways to Save the Bees

You don’t need a hive in your backyard or a beekeeping suit hanging in your closet to help save bees. You just need to care enough to act. 

Over the years, we have seen plenty of hive numbers rise and fall. Strong colonies wiped out by pesticides, and wild bee populations are disappearing from places where they once thrived in. But people are stepping up. Bees are not optional. They are essential. A third of the food that you eat exists solely because of bee pollination. From almonds to apples, blueberries to broccoli, bees are working super hard behind the scenes every single day. But these tiny bugs are in trouble, and time is not really on their side. 

Here are five real, doable ways you can help save the bees starting today.

Grow Like a Bee’s Life Depends on It

If there is one thing every bee needs, it’s food. Consider nectar and pollen to be their fuel. But thanks to endless concrete, neatly trimmed lawns and fields drenched in chemicals, finding that fuel becomes quite hard for them. So, the fix? Plant and plant smart.

Instead of perfectly manicured grass, go wild. Literally. Native wildflowers, herbs like thyme and lavender, and even dandelions or clover. All these are exceptional food sources for the bees. Different species bloom at different times, so plant for spring, summer and fall. You can think of your garden as a 24/7 diner for pollinators.

Bees LOVE borage flowers (shown above).

Even if all you have is a tiny apartment balcony or window box, make it bloom. Bees are not picky creatures. They are going to visit just about anything with good nectar. Just do not go for hybrid breeds just because they look good. It does not have a scent or any pollen, it’s of no use for the bees. 

Support Brands That Actually Give Back

You vote with your wallet every day. So support companies that aren’t just using “save the bees” as a marketing stunt, but actually doing something about it. 

Take Beezzit. They are not just selling products with a bee slapped on the label. With Beezzit, you are putting real money into change. Through donations to organizations like the Planet Bee Foundation, Beezzit is backing programs that teach kids about pollinators through hands on science and environmental projects.

And when brands start funneling profits into conservation and education instead of just profits, that is when we start to see a massive shift. Choose brands that choose bees.

Kids from a Planet Bee STEM education program.

Ditch the Poison. Full Stop.

You can’t love bees and spray your garden with pesticides. It is like throwing a pool party for fish in a chlorine tank. The worst offenders are neonicotinoids. This is a class of insecticides that mess with the bees’ nervous systems. Even at low levels, these chemicals can easily disorient bees, impair memory and kill entire colonies. 

It is not just pesticides, either. Herbicides and fungicides do damage too, especially when sprayed during blooming seasons. So, here is a rule of thumb to go by: if it ends in -cide, do not buy.

Instead, go organic. Use natural pest control like neem oil, companion planting, or simply accept a few nibbles on your lettuce in exchange for a buzzing, thriving ecosystem.

Give a Place to Crash for the Solitary Bees

Not all bees live in hives. In fact, most of the species like digger bees, mason bees, and others, are solitary. No queen, no honey. Just hardworking pollinators that quietly boost your garden’s productivity. The main problem here? They have got nowhere to live. Solitary bees love to nest in hollow stems, dry grass, and tiny holes in wood, the very things we tend to clean up and throw away. So flip the script and leave some parts of your yard messy. Drill holes in untreated wood or bundle up bamboo to make your own bee hotel. Place it in a dry, sunny spot, about chest height. Then all you have got to do is wait. They will find it.

Leafcutter bee on a bee hotel.

And one more thing: do not paint or varnish. Let it be natural, as bees don’t need fancy finishes. They need safe.

Help a Bee in Need

Here is one last tip for you. If you see a distressed bee, try helping it. If you see a tired bee on the ground, don’t just assume it is dead or dying. It might just be exhausted. 

Mix a spoonful of sugar with a spoon of water and place it near the bee. No honey, just plain white sugar. Give it space and see what happens. Sometimes, all it takes is a bit of sugar and a quiet minute to bring a bee back to life.

Don’t Wait for Someone Else To Do It

Bees don’t need empty promises or trending hashtags. What they need is action. Real, local, hands in the dirt kind of action. And here is the best part: when you help your bees, you help everything. Birds. Plants. People. The entire chain of life gets stronger. So plant that flower, skip that spray and support the brands that make a difference. 

Because if we lose the bees, we lose more than just honey. We lose balance. We lose beauty. And we lose one of the world’s most hardworking species. But we are not there yet. And your next move could keep it that way.

Thinking about becoming a beekeeper?

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• A Review of the Top Online Beekeeping Courses
• How to Become a Beekeeper

Article written by Ben, Beezzit