Saving The Bee

[poliphilo]

"Dear Craftyailz

Thanks to your help there is renewed hope for the bee"

No, one mustn't laugh. The plight of the bee is a serious matter. They're dying out- most probably because of the neonicotinoid fertilizers the EU (in its wisdom) has just decided not to ban.

What we've done to give the bee renewed hope is plant some phacelia seeds supplied to us- for free- by The Soil Association. Bees love phacelia.

Comments

[zoe-1418.livejournal.com]

Not laughing at all here! We don't know yet whether any bees from our hives have made it over the winter. We're part of a city-wide urban apiary run by this one guy who comes and does all the work -- we just provide the habitat (including planting as much good stuff as we can). But I've heard that loss is about 50% around here so far... Damn neonicotinoids...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I love the idea of an urban apiary. I've not heard of anything like that over here.

[zoe-1418.livejournal.com]

Here's more about it: http://www.madurbanbees.com/about

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Let's hope the idea catches on. Thanks for the link.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Not laughing either. But here in the States, the bees suffering the most are the "migrant workers" whose hives are trucked from monoculture to monoculture. A stressed hive is a vulnerable hive and being trucked around the countryside has got to be stressful.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I don't think that happens over here- what with it being such a small country.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

Good on you.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

We only have a tiny garden- really no more than a front yard and a back yard- but I work to the principle that it's "wild things: for the use of".