August 23, 2012

Little Things Link Love: Bees

Pollen in Honeycomb with Worker Bees by Linden Photo Design – click image to view more

I’ll be honest and admit that I have a terrible fear of bees.  Whenever I did something bad as a child, I had to hoe our front garden where a hive of burrowing bees lived.  Yes, you read that right: burrowing bees.  There’s nothing scarier than bees crawling out of the ground to fly angrily at you.  However, now that the bees are disappearing, it’s so important that we put away our fears and work hard to keep them in our gardens.  After all, where would we be without honey?

Here are some fun links for all you (new) bee lovers:

  • Did you know that some bees live in bee homes?  You can make your own bee home easily to ensure nicely pollinated plants and a gentle hum around your home.  The National Wildlife Federation shares this easy DIY on How to Build a Bee House so that you can be a bee home builder.
  • Scientists now know that bees communicate information and directions to delicious flowers through dance moves.  Yes, they really are the bees’ knees.  (Sorry, I couldn’t help it.)  Thanks to this Youtube video, you can watch a bee come back from a garden and do a waggle dance for his friends.
  • While I don’t like bees, I LOVE their honey.  It’s nearly the end of summer but that doesn’t mean there isn’t time to get in one last round of homemade ice cream.  This delicious honey-almond ice cream by A Sweet Simple Life doesn’t even require an ice cream maker!
  • If you own a garden and haven’t been seeing many bees this season, you’ll definitely want to check out this Guide to Bee-Friendly Gardens by the Urban Bee Gardens.  They list flowers and plants that the buzzy insects love best and how to conduct ‘safari trips’ with your kids in the garden.
  • If you have the itch to make something spectacular this fall, you are going to love this Bee Keeper’s Quilt Knitting Pattern by Magpie Patterns.  This quilt combines breathtaking patchwork ‘hexipuffs’.  So it’s intricate AND puffy.  How cool is that?

(Oh, and as a side note, it’s fine if you still don’t like hornets or wasps. Those are just plain mean!)

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April 29, 2011

little things link love: ways to bee friendly

Sweet No. 1 - Encaustic beeswax painting by Michelle Pryor Art - click image to view more

It’s called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), and if you haven’t thought much about it before, you should.

At an alarming rate and high number, honeybee colonies around the world are dying off, especially in the large crop areas of the United States. While there are suspicions as to why this is happening (pesticides and viruses play a role), the true culprit has not been confirmed.

What does this mean to you?

Do you like to eat? Honeybees are responsible for gathering pollen and distributing it among crop flowers. Without honeybees, crops are less productive. Without productive crops, food supplies face shortages. With shortages in the food supply… well, you get the picture, I hope. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one in three bites of food that we eat benefits from honeybee pollination. To add to the issue, the growing human population and demand for more food is requiring more work from the bees.

This is not just a farmer’s problem; it is everyone’s problem. Farmer’s aren’t the only ones who can help with a solution, either. There are simple things that you can do to help honeybees thrive and steer the boat in the right direction.

  • Plant flowers that attract honeybees: By building a pesticide-free, bee-friendly garden, you can give the wingers a place to stock up on pollen. Read up on bee-friendly gardens and which flowers work best. Some stores like Whole Foods also sell packets of seeds with flowers specifically for this purpose.
  • Buy local honey: Brands that are shipped in from other countries are often treated to delay crystallization. Buying local not only supports your beekeepers who produce it, but did you know that eating locally-sourced honey reportedly helps alleviate allergies? (Be sure to read up on that topic more before diving in with your spoon, please!) You can scan labels in the store to find out where your honey comes from, and in the U.S., The Honey Locator will show apiaries in your state.
  • HelptheHoneyBees.com: Ice cream maker Häagen-Dazs is leading a charge to make people aware of CCD and its effects. They’ve even created this entire site dedicated to the cause, which is packed with information about how they are, and you can, help. Gooserock Farm has a page of incredible tidbits and Biobees.com has a free printable of 10 things you can do to help the honeybees.
  • Learn: There are myths surrounding honeybees that make them the target of unwarranted attacks by humans. Pesticides in your garden are one of the greatest threats to honeybees at all times. Beeswax candles can help reduce air pollution in your home. These and other tasty nuggets of info are awaiting you on the interwebs. Get concerned and get informed.

What are your favorite honeybee products, recipes, or ways to help the cause?

Filed Under: Link Love, little things Tagged With: , , 9 Comments