Sep 26, 2014
Many people are aware of the global decline in bee population, although not of the very serious impact on the environment (and even our own survival). Due to colony collapse disorder (CCD), many bees leave their hives only to never come home. While there are many possible causes of the disappearance, from the use of neonicotinoid insecticide to mites, scientists still can’t find one definite main factor. To help honey bees thrive in your own backyard to help bring populations back up, here are 6 simple things you can do: 1. Avoid using commercial pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides. The use of insecticide has contributed to the problem of dying bees (and to health problems in humans and other animals as well). While there is much debate about how much its use affects the bee population, there are still plenty of benefits to enjoy by not using products containing insecticides. Whenever possible, look for organic ways to encourage your garden to flourish. 2. Let your lawn overgrow now and again. Bees love visiting clovers and dandelions. While your lawn may be unsightly for a while, just think about how much good you’ll be doing for any busy bees in your area. Since honey bees travel nearly 5 kilometres from their hives to harvest, you’ll help make their trip to your yard well worth the effort. 3. Plant bee-friendly flowers. If you want to breathe some life into your yard and help honey bees, you can do some landscaping. You don’t even have to do anything too difficult – just buying some pots of flowers for your deck or placing them along...
Aug 25, 2014
Whether you are interested in keeping bees as a hobby or business or you just enjoy the outdoors, it’s essential to recognize the various critters who share your world. When it comes to telling the difference between honey bees and bumblebees, it’s common to see the wrong pictures displayed for both. In fact, even popular media has been known to use the wrong images when sharing reports featuring bees. To help identify bumblebees and honey bees, here are points to look out for: Honey bees Shorter, wasp-like bodies about 2-2.5cm Fuzzy torso, streaked abdomen, and thin wings Live in hives with potentially up to 50,000 individuals Can only sting once since it will result in death (only females can sting) Communicate with other honeybees through “dancing” Have shorter tongues and prefer shallower, open flowers Produces a surplus of honey for the colony The queen can live between 2 to 5 years Overwinters with the queen Bumblebees Fatter, rounder, and fuzzier bodies ranging 2-5cm Yellow, orange and/or black in colouring with thicker, blockier stripes/bands Live in nests with 5 to a few hundred individuals Can sting multiple times if aggravated and will not die (only females are capable of stinging) Do not “dance” to communicate Have longer tongues so can enjoy a wider range of flowers Do not produce a surplus of honey Do not overwinter with their queen (the queen hibernates alone) While coming across either a bumblebee or honey bee may seem scary if you’re up close and personal with the bee, it’s important to remember not to panic. In most cases, if you leave these types of bees alone,...
