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Help the

bees

Bees Bees are four-winged, flower-feeding insects. All bees eat only pollen and nectar from flowers and plants. In the UK, there are 3 types of bee, solitary bees, bumblebees and honeybees. Honeybees and bumblebees are the most common. They are social bees and live in colonies. Solitary bees make their own small family nests.

Honeybees

There is just one species of honeybee in the UK. Honeybees live as a large family (colony) in a large cavity or man-made hive. The bees secrete wax and build parallel combs made up of hexagonal beeswax cells. Honeybees collect nectar pollen, water and

propolis. Propolis is a resinous substance obtained from trees which has antiseptic properties.

Bumblebees

Bumblebees live together in social families or colonies and store food in wax pots. When winter comes bumblebee colonies die, leaving young queens in hibernation ready to start new colonies in the spring. There are 2 types of bumblebee Bombus Bumblebees of which there are 9 different

species in the UK and Psithyrus Bumblebees (cuckoo bees)

Solitary bees

Most bees in the world are solitary bees. In the UK there are about 270 different species. The bees have a short lifespan, living as adults for only about 6 to 8 weeks. Solitary bees have no sting because they do not store honey and their nest is only open for short intervals of time. Solitary bees tend to be specific to

particular flowers so, as soon as that flower's season ends, the solitary bee dies as its food supply is cut off.

Bees and the economy Globally there are more honey bees than other types of bee and pollinating insects, so it is the world’s most important pollinator of food crops. It is estimated that one third of the food that we consume each day relies on pollination by bees. Bees are beneficial insects because they produce honey and pollinate crops both flowering and commercial. Even if a crop is not directly pollinated by a honey bee, the crop still benefits indirectly from being in an environment in which honey bees are working, due to the increased biodiversity in the area which stimulates the crop.

In addition to pollination, bees produce wax for candles beeswax which is used in cleaning and beauty products and Royal Jelly.

Why are bees disappearing? Bees are in danger of disappearing from our environment. Flower-rich grasslands in England have declined by 97% over 60 years and farming practices continue to disturb the natural habitats and forage of solitary and bumblebees at a rate which gives them little chance for re-establishment. The honeybee is under attack from the varroa mite and it is only the treatment and care provided by beekeepers that is keeping colonies alive. Most wild honeybee colonies have died out as a result of this disease. Changing weather patterns have prevented bees from foraging for food and have affected the time of year that forage plants appear. Insecticides used to kill agricultural pests may harm bees if these are applied incorrectly or without care.

What to do to help the bees Have a bee-friendly garden Gardens are an important environment for honey bees to forage in. Grow plants in sunny, sheltered places as these are more likely to be visited by bees. Grow low-growing plants, such as annuals and herbaceous plants, in large clumps are these are more attractive to bees. Plant native plants such as honeysuckle, wild roses, lavender, foxgloves, hollyhocks, clematis and hydrangeas. Plant fruit, vegetables and herbs as these also attract foraging honey bees looking for a food source. Allow a patch of grass to grow long to provide bees with shelter from the rain. Provide water for bees to drink – this can be as simple as a shallow edged dish of water. Add some pebbles to help the bees climb out.

Find a place in your garden for a bee hotel. Get advice on bee nests from the insect charity Buglife or Wild About Gardens

Become a bee keeper At the moment we only produce around 15% of the honey that we consume here in the UK and it is estimated that we would need around 2.5 million hives in the UK to meet our current demand.

Buy:-

local honey and not only support your local bee

keepers but also enjoy a unique and deliciously flavoured product. It also reduces food miles. bee-friendly food where possible. Organic farmland creates a healthy environment for honey bees and

improves the quality of the food crops that they pollinate.

Join a campaign! There are lots of organisations now campaigning to protect bees for example:- The Co-op has launched Plan Bee - a 10-point plan to protect bees http://www.co-operative.coop/ethicsinaction/takeaction/planbee/ Save Our Bees is a campaign website launched by the British Science Association, British Bee Keepers Association and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust: http://www.saveourbees.org.uk/ The Soil Association is running a Save the Honeybee campaign, calling for a ban on neonicotinoid pesticides: http://www.soilassociation.org/

Want to know more? Here are a few useful websites:- British Beekeepers Association http://www.britishbee.org.uk/ and their Adopt a beehive website www.adoptabeehive.co.uk Buglife http://www.buglife.org.uk/ Bumblebee Conservation Trust http://www.bumblebeeconservation.org.uk/ Wild about gardens http://www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk/index.aspx

Beekeeping news and honey bee care advice for beginner beekeepers and veteran apiarists from the Daily Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/beekeeping/