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    Home » Plants

    Missing Bee Mystery - The Buzz on Vanishing Bees

    May 27, 2018 by Patti Estep 11 Comments

    Find out more about the honey bee crisis. There are several things the average homeowner can do to support all types of bees and other pollinators.

    Find out more about why are bees are vanishing and what we can do to help.

    Have you heard about the missing bees? It seems that honey bees in the United States and Europe have been dying at an alarming rate. A condition called "colony collapse disorder," or CCD has left beekeepers in a lurch.

    What’s Going On?

    It appears that pesticides, disease and weather are to blame according to this Harvard Study.

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    honey bee on flower

    Not Just  Honeybees

    Did you know that there are more than 25,000 species of bees in the world? Most of them are not honey bees or bumblebees but are wild bees or solitary bees that do not colonize in a group. That’s a good thing, but it does not help beekeepers produce honey, or farmers who bring in truck loads of bees every year from beekeepers to help pollinate their crops. Worse yet, some suspect that the wild bees and the bumblebee are also starting to decrease in number. 

    bee on coreopsis flower

    This post contains some affiliate links (that means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, there's no additional cost to you, but I will earn a very small commission.) Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

    Why Is This a Bee Crisis?

    Other than the simple fact that it is sad, maybe even scary to see a major species dying out, we really need these guys. Never mind the fact that no bees equals no honey; we also depend on bees to pollinate so much of our food. So many plants that produce fruit needs bees to pollinate its flowers. And I mean fruit in the plant sense which includes fruits, vegetables and nuts. Lastly, considering that our livestock is fed from these plants they are also affected which in turn affects our supply of meat and dairy.

    Things We Can Do To Help

    Plant Bee Friendly Plants

    Bees enjoy plants that are rich in pollen and nectar. Heirloom and natives that are fragrant and have bright colors are good options to attract the bees. Check out this pretty poster from Etsy. It's a great graphic about how to attract bees to the garden.

    Bees helper poster from Etsy

    Make a Bee Hotel

    Tie a bunch of bamboo or hollow sticks together or drill holes in a block of wood for wild bees to nest in. Find out how you can make one here. You can also buy one online.

    Create a Bee Bath

    Set out a swallow dish with fresh water, or simply place some stones in your birdbath so that the bees have something to stand on while they drink.

    Bee Bath ~ save the bee crisis help

     

     Become a Beekeeper

    Beekeeping is an affordable hobby that doesn't take much more time than vegetable gardening and is so rewarding. Check out this article about a passionate beekeeper here. Here’s a starter kit that has everything you need.

     

    Avoid Pesticides

    Shop at a local nursery if possible and check to see if they use pesticides on their plants.

    So now that you know more about our bee crisis, spread the word. This story would make for a perfect conversation starter at your next get-together.  And dare I say, everyone will think you are "The Bees Knees."

    You May Also Like:

    Rolled Beeswax Candles: A Fresh Natural Handmade Gift

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    5 Garden Trends That Will Quickly Get You Into The Spirit

     

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    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Janet

      May 28, 2018 at 3:17 pm

      I am very alarmed by this. I am still waiting on need to visit my garden this year. I haven't seen honey bees in a couple of years. Last year I only saw bumble bees. This year I have only seen a couple of those. They came out early before a cold snap and were very sluggish.

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        May 29, 2018 at 7:28 am

        It is a concern Janet. I seem to see more bumbles than honey bees too.

        Reply
    2. Karen

      May 28, 2018 at 11:54 am

      I'm probably strange, but even as a child (who did indeed get a few stings) I loved the sound of bees humming in the garden and grasses. Of course I didn't understand just how vital they were to our food supply back then, but now I appreciate - and welcome - them in my own gardens. Thank you for sharing this information. It's something I've read about over the past few years, and understand it's becoming quite a problem. Yet another reason to grow a natural garden! 🙂

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        May 29, 2018 at 7:27 am

        Thanks Karen. I agree hopefully if we all spread the word the we can help with the problem.

        Reply
    3. Lidia

      March 16, 2016 at 4:43 am

      Thanks for the information and the useful suggestions to help. Lidia

      Reply
    4. Jessica @ Independent Travel Cats

      July 04, 2014 at 1:10 pm

      I am allergic to bees but still understand their importance! Hopefully their numbers improve.

      Reply
      • Patti

        July 04, 2014 at 1:40 pm

        My husband is too. We make sure his epi pens are up to date. Thanks for stopping by Jessica.

        Reply
    5. Madaline

      June 30, 2014 at 2:10 am

      Love the idea of the little bee bath and l love the illustration of what to plant ! I don't really like bee's but I ADORE what they do!

      Reply
      • Patti

        June 30, 2014 at 7:15 am

        Hi Madaline,

        I'm sure they get some bees in Rome but so far I'm happy to report that they are kicking here in the Pennsylvania suburbs. Have a great week and thanks for stopping by!

        Reply
    6. [email protected] Trekker

      June 26, 2014 at 10:54 pm

      I am very alarmed by the drop in the number of bees; the loss of pollinators is a huge problem on so many levels. I watch my garden every year to gauge how they are doing.

      Reply
      • Patti

        June 27, 2014 at 6:36 am

        So far we are still seeing a fair number of bees here but it's definitely a concern. Thanks for your comment.

        Reply

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