Did you know bees pollinate approximately 130 agricultural crops in the United States including fruit, fiber, nuts, and vegetables? Almost 75% of crops depend on animal pollination and these crops are five times more valuable than those that do not. Beehives can hold about 80,000 bees between the queen, the workers (female bees), and the drones (male bees).
Everyone can help bees in some way. Whether that is growing plants bees love or telling your friends about the importance of bees, we all can play a part in saving the bees.
Some Beneficial Plants for Bees
- Honeysuckle
- Alyssum
- Bee balm
- Zinnias
- Lavender
- Daisies
- Asters
- Sunflowers
- Salvia
- Verbena
Bees can’t see red and are attracted to purple, blue, white, and yellow. Planting a mix of different flower shapes and sizes will attract different bee species in your area.
Pesticide Safety
The decline in bees is partly due to the use of pesticides by humans.
Using pesticides safely means:
- Knowing what type of insects you are targeting. Allow our team to help identify your garden bugs to find the best treatment while keeping your bees safe from harm.
- Never apply pesticides to flowering plants. Remove the flowers before spraying.
- Do not spray where bees are actively foraging.
- Apply insecticides at dusk when bees are no longer foraging for the day.
- Do not spray pesticides when it is windy.
- Only treat affected areas.
Look for a bee advisory box on labels. This is a picture of a honeybee in a red diamond. It will let you know how to safely use the pesticide around bees. Keep in mind, a label may not say if it is safe or not for bees.
Bee Rescue
If you have an unwanted beehive around, contact our friend Dave Pearce at Local Buzz Bees. Call 248-302-7797 for an estimate of a safe removal.