Op-Ed: Help our Bees

By Blair Bryant

Honey bees are regarded as one of the most important species on the planet, and their value to humanity is priceless.  Sure, they have a painful sting and encourage many of us not to go barefoot outside, but what they give back is way beyond any pain or inconvenience.  Fruits and vegetables can’t yield produce without the help of pollinating insects.  Thankfully, there are ways we can help our little friends survive in their shrinking habitat.

Going completely chemical free is a major step to help bees.  Pesticides and herbicides are harmful to honey bees, bumble bees, and other pollinators.  No matter what some big corporations may claim, these chemicals will indeed hurt our bees.  For example, herbicides increase mortality rates among bees, and they can destroy the honey bees’ navigation abilities.  Bees will not be able to find their way back to their hives and starve to death.  A good weed eater or some good old-fashioned elbow grease can take care of weeds without harming our pollinators.

Another great way to help our pollinator friends is to plant flowers that attract bees and give them the sweet nectar they need.  Lavender, sunflowers, marigolds, and peonies are easy to grow plants that will attract and support bees.  These valuable plants also have the added benefit of being beautiful and improving the looks of lawns and gardens.  It’s also a rewarding feeling to see pollinating insects on the flowers you planted, and flower gardening is a good way to get outside and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air.  Your sofa and cell phone won’t miss you too much.

An old farmer once told me a little trick that can help pollinators as well as fruit and vegetable crops – planting buckwheat!  This ancient plant blooms profusely with pretty little white flowers that will bring in honey bees, bumble bees, butterflies, and other valuable insects.  All blooming fruits and vegetables need pollinators, and having more pollinators in your garden will mean more produce.  Tomatoes and blueberries especially benefit from increased numbers of pollinating insects, and buckwheat will really attract these valuable pollinators.  Thankfully, buckwheat is easy to sow.  Just throw it by the handful on tilled or loosened soil, and a good rain will germinate the seeds.  Soon, white blooms will be everywhere.

In the end, a world without bees is a world without fruits and vegetables.  We can all do our part to help by planting a few seeds and giving up the chemicals.  The rewards of our actions will last for generations.

Blair Bryant is a freelance writer and novelist.