I'm just a beekeeper who has been looking around for wild bees living in my area. Do you know what I have found? Not a lot. Not too many feral bee hives, not to many wildflower fields or even patches of weeds. I can't find a stand of Honey Locust trees to try to get a honey crop. Not too many businesses with dandelions in their grassy patch, or sidewalks with cracks full of flora. So what's a bee to eat? Let alone feed to her 80,000 sisters?
That is why we have started a long term bee habitat at Jak's Bee Farm. We're working with some great guys from the USDA to plant three full seasons of pollinators here on the farm. We started the project back in 2014 and it will be complete in 2017. Its just over one acre of densely planted wildflowers specifically picked for honeybees. We'll be adding acres as we accomplish plan goals. We also have a small organic orchard planted just for the bees.
Bees do best when there is a strong steady flow of nectar. It allows them to create honey. Honey is what the bees eat. It's their source of all nutrition. Pollen helps as well, but is mostly needed to rear brood. As they make new bees each spring they need heavy sources of Pollen. So it is very important to have both at Jak's. Our plan includes Trees, shrubs and wildflowers.
It makes sense for us to be planting for the bees. It makes sense for everyone to consider the bees before grabbing a bottle of spray or chopping down a tree just in case. We need bees to pollinate our crops. Many of the foods we eat like almonds or oranges can only be pollinated by honeybees. So with the impending food shortage in 2030, maybe we could all let a few weeds go.
I'm not saying plant a yard of weeds (my cousin Jared owns a lawn business and really doesn't like dandelions) but maybe let the April ones live a few days longer, or throw some sunflowers in a patch instead of grass seed. Anything that blooms can help. If it doesn't bother you, Dutch Clover, the little white flowers can feed many bees over the course of a growing season.
I'd love to see those fields in front of every Walmart in America covered with Clover instead of Bluegrass. How about all public grounds along highways and access ramps....whooo.....Now we're talking about saving bees! I'd love to know why some people think grass looks better than flowers anyway.
