Bee Info
Should We Worry About The Decline of the Bees? YES!
Goodness from the hive is the heart of our brand. We are trying to raise awareness about the serious worldwide problem we’re facing: the ongoing decline of the bees. Bees work incredibly hard for us.
Bees pollinate:
- one third of our food
- much of what cows and other animals eat
- coffee, cotton and many other things we all depend on for our daily existence
The decline of the bees is a serious matter that could have dramatic long-term effects on our worldwide food supply, the Earth’s ecosystem, the world’s landscape and the global economy. Honeybees have been inexplicably abandoning their hives en masse. The number of honeybees in the UK has halved in the last 25 years.
- 2010/11- 30% of hives lost in the USA
- 2010/11- 13% loss in the UK
- 2010 - Some bee species are now extinct and others are at just 4% of their previous numbers.
- 2009 – The number of beehives in the US drop by 29%, following similar declines in previous years
If worldwide bee populations continue to decline at the same rate, it has been said that there will be no bees left in the USA by 2035. A number of causes have been suggested including pesticide use, varroa mites, malnutrition and even the theory that radiation waves from mobile phones may be interfering with the bees sense of direction making them unable to find their hives. Scientists are still searching for an answer.
Many of you have probably heard the quote (often attributed to Einstein) “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, man would have only four years to live”. Not sure if this is true but we would sure be in trouble.
Find out more about The Decline of the Bees here:
The Daily Mail: Save the Great British Bee
The Guardian: The Last Flight of the Honey Bee
Colony Collapse Disorder Threatens our Food Supply
What Can I Do To Help?
Buy Bee Products
There’s a lot you can do, starting with the most attractive option: eat more honey! Creating a demand for honey and other products made with bee ingredients like propolis, royal jelly, bee pollen etc will keep the market for bee-related products strong. More people will then be likely to take up beekeeping, which will increase the number of bees.
Sign the Global Bee Petition at Avaaz. Org
Adopt a Beehive
We’re very happy to report that we recently adopted a beehive, and you can read about it here: The Unbeelievable Hive. If you’d like to join the growing number of adoptive bee parents, check out the British Beekeepers Association’s Adopt A Beehive page. The money raised by this programme will fund research into honeybee health and education programmes for beekeepers.
Support BEES for Development
Start Your Own Colony
The British Beekeepers Association estimates that over 90% of the UK’s honeybee population is cared for by 17,000 amateur beekeepers. There’s a load of information out there on how to go about it, but we recommend getting started by searching for a seminar in your area or picking up one of the many how-to guides like A Practical Manual of Beekeeping.
Make Your Garden Bee-Friendly
UC Berkeley has published Urban Bee Gardens, a fantastic guide to turning your garden into a bee paradise. It includes a comprehensive list of the best plants and flowers to attract bees, as well as information about the different species of bees, garden behaviour, stinging: facts v. fears and more.
Spread The Word
A lot of people don’t know about the decline of the bees, and the more people who do know, the better. Tell your friends and family. Post on your blog or your Facebook page. Write your MP to let him or her know that this is an important issue for you. All hope is not lost for the bees. There’s really a lot we can do to help!
Many companies and organizations are taking notice of the crisis and are doing their part to raise awareness:
Rowse Honey – Save the Honey Bee
Dorset Cereals – Save our Honey Bees
Neal’s Yard Remedies – Bee Lovely
