September is Bee Aware Month, a great opportunity to think about our wonderful bees as we start getting back into the garden this spring. Just take these simple steps:
Grow Flowers for the Bees
Bees forage on flowers for nectar, which provide carbohydrates, and pollen, for protein. These are important for growth and energy. Well-nourished bees are more capable of fending off disease and parasites. We can help by planting bee-friendly flowers in our gardens. Here's some great planting ideas
It's important that bees have plenty of water to drink as well. Help the bees in your garden this summer by creating some water stations for them. The trick is to create stations that are not too deep and allow the bees to drink water without falling in. Here's some inspiring ideas
Spray Safely
One of the biggest threats to bees is the use of insecticides in home gardens, farms, orchards and market gardens. They are designed to kill good and bad insects, including bees so please avoid them. Please follow these tips for spraying safely
Support Beekeepers
Buy from your local beekeeper honey, beeswax, propolis, bee pollen, and other bee products. New Zealand bees create a wide range of delicious and highest quality honey in the world. By buying honey directly from the beekeeper you know where your honey comes from, how it's collected and processed, and how well the bees are looked after. Make sure you ask questions. Thanks for supporting local beekeepers who care about their bees and the environment! Check out Sweetree's local raw honeys.
