What would our gardens, parks, and countryside be like without bees to pollinate crops, flowers, shrubs, and trees?
What would our diet be without fruits, vegetables, nuts, and delicious sweet honey? A world without these things would be a lot poorer. And without bees, many of these joys and necessities would disappear.
Benefits of Bees in the Garden and the Environment
Bees play a significant role in agriculture. Without them, fresh produce, among other things, would decline.
1. Pollinators
Millions of crops and plants depend on pollinators like butterflies and bees to reproduce. It is the familiar furry yellow and black insect (the bee) buzzing around the summer picnic that is the most important and efficient pollinator of them all.
It is estimated that without bees, the world would lose a major part of its daily supply [1]. Thankfully, these beneficial insects are very industrious and carry pollen to pollinate plants every day.
It is a mutually beneficial process, with them gathering the nectar from the flowers they visit. The importance continues as worker bees store this nectar to convert it into golden honey.
At the same time, the reproduction of plants provides bees with future sources of nectar. Their furry bodies are also perfect for collecting pollen to transfer between flowers while they gather nectar.
2. Food Source
Bees produce honey, a fact known and exploited by humans for generations. However, it is also an essential carbohydrate or energy source for the bees themselves to survive.
Birds, small animals, and insects also thrive on dipping into the honey. As nectar provides energy for the bees, pollen provides protein and other nutrients, helping the whole hive thrive.
Additionally, though I forbid it, the healthy bees, in turn, are a nutritious snack for birds, dragonflies, and other insects.
3. Biodiversity
Bees are a vital part of our ecosystem. They provide a link in the connecting chains that allow other creatures to survive and plants to proliferate.
The food chain, which ends with the crops and animal products that provide humans with sustenance, is vitally dependent on these flying insects doing their daily work.
Understanding this important factor has led to global concern about the diminishing number of bees. As a result, certain steps have been taken to protect our bees [2].
4. Help Protect the Environment
The multiple benefits of bees help protect the environment.
They provide food and shelter for a host of other creatures. These creatures, in turn, play important roles in the balance of world ecosystems.
Many plants and animals would disappear if it weren’t for the effective work of these pollinators. From terrestrial ecosystems to woodlands, all life in these environments needs the constant daily work of these useful insects to survive.
5. Help Wild Plants Flourish
It isn’t just garden flowers, fruit trees, and vegetables that depend on pollinators, but wild plants too. Wildflowers are part of the natural balance of the environment, and even weeds need to be carefully treated.
Spraying with chemicals can not only kill bees but also upset their natural way of detecting their food sources in gardens, fields, and woodlands.
Some types of bees are particularly drawn to pollinating wildflowers and berry bushes. These help support the lives of many woodland creatures. Trees also need these small pollinators to move pollen from flower to flower.
Common Types of Bees
It is estimated that there are over 20,000 species of bees in the world [3]. The ones we are most familiar with are the noisy bumblebees, mason bees, and honey bees.
Mason Bees
Colonies of mason bees are quite common in some areas. They are excellent pollinators and are more effective at it than bumblebees and honeybees. Moreover, their name came about because of the masonry work they do.
Honey Bees
Honey bees are considered one of the most important pollinators. Their hive is well ordered and divided into teams of workers around the queen and her drones.
In winter, they feed on their own honey for energy. Furthermore, they survive by sticking together closely to stay warm.
Bumble Bees
Bumblebees have a harder time in winter; only the queen hibernates. The rest of the colony dies in the late fall. However, on average, they are active in pollinating crops from spring through fall.
How to Attract Bees to Your Garden
There are a few ways to let them come to your garden. Two avenues are to plant flowers and shrubs that they particularly like and give them water.
Water Sources
Like all living creatures, bees need water. Therefore, some sources, such as a lily pond or birdbath, will draw them to the garden.
Rocks or stones inside these sources will provide landing sites and protect them from drowning.
Flowering Plants
There are as many varieties of flowers and herbs that attract bees. These include mint, bee balm, and oregano. Rosemary and lavender are also favorites of theirs.
Additionally, flowers like asters, zinnias, and daisies attract most bees. Other bee-friendly flowers include poppies and foxgloves.
Also, don’t forget the bright marigolds, which have many garden benefits as well as making a pretty patch of color.
Many shrubs that attract butterflies, like lilac and buddleia, also enhance the borders and bring both types of pollinators to the garden. As a result, if you have a little space, planting a wild meadow will certainly bring in these useful insects.
Where to Buy Seeds
Purchase pollinator variety packs online at SeedsNow or other reputable retailers.
Takeaway
Bees are beneficial to the gardener and important to the environment. Apart from their role in crop production, they also provide profitable business through the sale of products like honey and beeswax.
With dwindling numbers, it is surely important to encourage and protect bees for future generations.
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