BFP PSA

Honey Bee/(Apis Melifera).jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Honey_bee_(Apis_mellifera).jpg

Or...A Bee Friendly Please Public Service Announcement:

Chances are you’ve heard about vanishing honey bee hives in the U.S. and elsewhere.  A seemingly thriving hive suddenly disappears, leaving no trace.  It’s a scary phenomenon because without bees, our food supply is threatened, and thus, so are we.  Which is why, even if you have no intention of ever hosting bee hives on your property, you should know how to support bees in your neighborhood and beyond. 

1.       Be(e) careful with any chemicals you use.  Simply put, weed killers and pesticides harm bees, sometimes directly, often indirectly by disrupting their food sources.  Blame the profit motive for interfering in the conclusive identification of harmful agents, but chemicals that have been implicated in the harming of bee colonies include glyphosate, imidacloprid, and even Spinosad.  

2.       Plant pollinator-friendly plants to give local bees every chance to survive.  Especially in the PNW, nectar and pollen sources can be hard to come by much of the year.

3.       Support chemical-free food production and buy organic when you can.

4.       Eat more honey! The laws of economics tell us that with greater demand, comes greater supply, which, in turn, for honey bees should lead to better protections and survival. 

The future thanks you.