How to Help Bees and your Plants
1. Don't use chemical pesticides in your garden, orchards, pastures and lawns. When buying plants for your flower beds, do not buy any plants tagged as "treated with neonicotinoids". Neonicotinoids are poisoning and killing bees, causing severe declines in the bee populations. Neonicotinoids are taken up through the plant's vascular system as it grows, as a result, the chemical is expressed in the pollen and nectar of the plant. Bess, butterflies and other pollinators ingest it and die. Some beekeepers frequently lose 75% of more of their bees annually because of this insidious chemical.
2. Put water out for the insects. Typically the pollinators will drink from puddles on the leaves and petals of the plants, but extended drought and drip water systems sometimes results in a lack of water. Bees use lots of water when foraging for pollen and food.
3. Plant bee-attracting plants. Native plants are always high on the list. Also herbs like basil, Echinacea, mints, sage, rosemary, lavender and fennel are always enjoyed. Flowering plants include sunflowers, poppies, yucca, aloes, lantana, and many fruit bearing trees. In short, they will find almost any fragrant flower attractive and many of these plants result in fabulous tasting honey.
4. If you have unwanted bees leaving in a structure or tree, please do not kill them. Contact a bee removal and relocation service and have them relocate the bees to a more suitable location.