Six ways you can befriend the bee population

Bees are fascinating. They communicate. They pollinate. They make sweet, delicious honey. They dance. And they work—hard. Throughout the world, there are about 20,000 species of bees, and honeybees alone contribute about $20 billion to the U.S. crop growing economy annually.

In the spring, staff from the University of Minnesota’s Bee Lab bottle honey and render wax from honeybee colonies for candles. They also prepare for upcoming summer classes on bees and beekeeping, like free beekeeping education for Minnesota Veterans through Bee Veterans Workshops (July 20, Aug. 17, and Sept. 21), and Pollinator Parties for the rest of us (July 24, Lyndale Park Gardens). See the full calendar of bee-vents.

The Bee Lab's mission is to promote the conservation, health, and diversity of bee pollinators through research, education, and hands-on mentorship. But they need our help.

Here are six ways you can help these pollinators survive and thrive

Get to know them. Did you know Minnesota is home to more than 500 species of bees, including 23 species of bumble bees, five of which are considered endangered or vulnerable? “Some are really small,” says Jessica Helgen, program director for the University of Minnesota’s Bee Squad, which educates the public and beekeepers and manages about 250 bee colonies on campus and around the Twin Cities. “There are green metallic sweat bees, bumble bees. Some people just think of honeybees, but once you know more about them, you will start seeing them everywhere.”

Always have something blooming. Helgen says one honeybee colony forages in a two-mile radius. Bumble bees and native bees have a smaller range. That’s why you want to plant flowers and shrubs that bloom during the early, mid-, and late seasons. Helgen says she has a purple aster plant in her yard that’s a magnet for different types of bees. The plant is a late bloomer and attracts honeybees, bumble bees, sweat bees, and other solitary bees. “It’s so fun and happy. It helps you see the diversity of pollinators, even in one urban yard,” she says.

Embrace the mess. Bees love a wild yard. “People want to do something like ‘No Mow May,’” Helgen says, “but think about the idea behind it: We want to allow plants to bloom in May, which is a really important time for many types of bees, as they’re just coming out and need the food to raise their offspring.” But bees need fuel all season, which is why she recommends that you avoid cutting anything that’s blooming. “When they’re finished blooming, cut off the tops and leave the stems. Solitary bees like to hollow them out and nest in them.”

Avoid pesticides. Read the labels and make sure you understand if the pesticide contains an insecticide, and, if it does, which insect it’s targeting. Also look to see if it contains fungicides, which destroy beneficial yeasts and microorganisms in bees’ guts, and if it contains herbicides that kill weedy flowers that provide nectar and pollen.

Buy honey from a local beekeeper. Beekeepers in the United States need to abide by strict standards: honey has to be honey and can’t be adulterated. “Knowing where your honey comes from is a great way to make sure you get quality honey,” Helgen says. And if you buy from local beekeepers, you can try local flavors and provide beekeepers with the resources they need to raise new queens and split colonies when bee populations drop after winter.

Support the Bee Squad and bee research, education, and outreach at the University of Minnesota. Helgen says donor funds are used to support a variety of Bee Squad programs, including education for hobby beekeepers, pollinator outreach at local events, training volunteers to search for bumble bee nests, and demonstrations for youth at University of Minnesota summer camps.

Explore more actions you can take to help bees, from planting pollinator friendly flowers to helping to collect scientific data. 

This story is adapted from M Giving