| Being There for our Busy Bees The other day, a client asked me what our bees do during the winter and where they go. Only some people know this, but despite what the media endeavours to tell us, not ALL bees hibernate for the winter months. The Honey Bee, for instance, does not hibernate. Honeybees mostly stay in the hive during the winter months, but on warmer days during the colder climate, they venture out for toilet breaks or when looking for water. These explorative flights out, which are sometimes referred to as ‘cleansing treks’ because they help the bees maintain the cleanliness of their hive, are a unique behavior of honey bees during winter. Over the last few years, I have seen some bee species still out and about during winter. Admittedly, not so much the more significant bumblebee varieties, but buff-tailed bumblebees [ Bombus terrestris ]out on winter patrols. With our ever-changing seasons, we now see more active nests, which are nests with bees that are still active and not in hibernation, during what was once the colder times of the year. Living where l am now in Sandwich [Kent] or a built-up urban town area compared to when l lived in Kingsdown, which is only some eight miles away, which was more of a rural setting, l see more activity amongst bee species than l ever saw as a teenager growing up in England in the eighties. In the last forty years, one of the most significant changes has been our climate, which has meant more and more species have had to adapt or die off. In recent times, whereas once upon a time, bee varieties were not seen in abundance in the north of the UK today during the winter months, more and more people are seeing active bees in the north and the south of the country. The buff-tailed bumblebee continues to forage during the winter months when able and is usually seen more in urban and built-up areas than in rural settings. It will still feed on winter honeysuckles, viburnums, mahonia, winter rhododendrons, heathers, and snowdrops. The Buff-tailed can still forage when it is snowing and at 0 degrees. We must always remember that our bees are not just busy, but they are also crucial for our ecosystems. They help pollinate our gardens, flowers, vegetables, and fruit. Many people underestimate their importance, but bees are responsible for 35% of the agricultural lands around the world. Their role in pollination is irreplaceable and supports the health of our ecosystems. In the last decade, beekeepers have reported alarming losses within 30-50% of their colonies. This decline in bee numbers is a global crisis that we cannot ignore. The urgency of bee conservation is clear, and we must act now to protect these vital pollinators. |
| I am a big fan of our bees and below are some pointers that will help you help them and continue to work towards and promote healthy biodiversity. We have a duty of care and should provide a helping hand where and when we can. |
| Consider introducing a Bee Hotel to your gardens. If you cannot create your own, purchase one of quality from the marketplace. Poor quality designs cause more injury than provide benefit. So make sure you are buying from a reputable seller. |
| Plant a diverse flower range. Be this in your garden, vertical growers or planters, in containers on your balcony or even in hanging baskets … plant variety is one of the secrets to Bee success. Different bee species have other foraging techniques. The answer to catering to the many species is to offer a beastie feastie banquet. When planting flowers, think of those with a higher nectar or pollen count and can offer these during the year’s seasons. Lavender, Goldenrod, Crocus, Rosemary, Chives, Aster, Foxgloves, Beebalms, Catmint, Salvias, Sunflowers, Rose, Oregano, Basil, Fennel, Zincia, Hyssop, Salvia, Borage, mints, and many others. Did you know that planting trees can also help the bees? It’s true; not only can trees provide a food source, but they can also assist with housing and habitat. Trees include maples, apples, magnolia, blackthorn, black cherry, Acer, horse chestnut, plum, sweet chestnut, hawthorns, alder, dogwood, sourwood and Eastern redbud. Also, look at your growing areas and the ground itself – many bee species live underground – they nest, build and house the young. They overwinter and surface every new spring. So ensure you have some areas ideal for bees – mulch-free, protected and sunny. Another small note: when you come to cutting back your garden in the winter months, try not to cut all the stems down to the ground; instead, consider leaving between 8 and 24″ of old stems. Many bee species will use these dead stems as winter housing. |
| Many people, including gardeners, must remember to offer water to bees and other pollinators [bees, butterflies, wasps, beetles, moths and so on]. A small bowl or even just placing some large above-the-water stones into your bird bath so the bees can perch upon them to drink. You could also provide a large flat saucer with some sugar water, especially in hotter weather. The bees will thank you for it, especially the more tired ones. |
| Stop using pesticides: This should be fine with many gardeners. However, it still should be noted that from an eco-environmental factor, pesticides do not make for environmentally friendly environments. |
| One of the most profound elements of any of this is research and understanding more about how the environment works, how our wildlife lives, thrives and survives, and their struggles. Reading about the species specific to your location is a key step in aiding and supporting the bees and other pollinators. But also get to know about all the pollinator species in the UK – it can be fun for all the family when out and about to see how many species they might see. You can download identification guides. |
| Another way forward to helping our bees is to purchase local and sustainable honey products, and on the other side of that same coin – eating less honey ultimately goes a long way to ensuring that our bee populations thrive. Consider also supporting your local bee organisations or even beekeepers within your community. |
| I hope this helps, and remember, don’t bee their problem bee their solution. |
The Gardener's Curious Journal 
Thank you for sharing your valuable information about bees, Rory. We need to do all we can to help our bees.
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Hi Eugenia, very much so, anything we can do is needed 🙂
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😉
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