Helping people and the planet one small article at a time
I went to check on the bees this morning and noticed the bees were coming in for a landing and some were hitting the box and falling to the ground. The green ants were there waiting and almost all of the bees were getting attacked and dying. Hence, I made this modified falling landing pad, which is held.ip by a brick in the middle and greased on the underside to stop the ants from getting to the pad. Will keep an eye on it and see how it progresses.
I have been doing some research on this question myself as I have found the number differs depending on the source you are looking at.
Most sources I have looked at indicate that a healthy, fertile queen honeybee can lay between 1400-2000 eggs per day. Having said this, I have seen sources indicating that during the warmer months a queen can lay up to 3000 eggs per day, with the number being reduced in the winter.
The reduction in number would make sense when you think about it (especially in the cooler, temperate regions) as pollen availability (and hence food sources) would be reduced or absent. Bees are also insects, meaning they rely on warmth from the surrounding environment to get moving as they are exothermic (‘cold blooded’). This may change though in warmer climates like the tropics where warmer weather persists all year round.
Once an egg is laid it will take approx. three days to hatch into a larvae. It will then develop as larvae for approx. 15 days until it forms into a pupae. Approx. 3 days later it will emerge as a fully grown bee, ready to do its bee thing.
By now most of us have heard about insect biodiversity loss which is happening around the globe. You have probably also heard that bees, one of the most important pollinators, have also been reported as ‘bee’ing (yes – I made a funny) in decline.
With such sad news it is hard to keep the chin the high. But that is why I am writing articles for this blog, in the hope that people will get ideas on the little things they can do to help change the world. And one of the things that we can do is in the garden – and relates to bees (and not just the commonly known honeybee).
Flowers
You can very easily plant plants in your garden that will attract not just bees, but also other pollinators. This provides a valuable food source for bees and is becoming increasingly important in a ever expanding urbanised landscape. The types of plants that should be plant will vary depending on the locality you are in. Do your research into the bees that could be in your local area and research flowering plants accordingly. One suggestion, if I may, is aim on planting a variety of plant species that flower across different seasons. Even if you do your research you may miss species and planting a wide range of species increases your likelihood of planting for those bee species that you may have missed.
Pesticides
Numerous scientific articles have shown the negative effects of pesticides on bees.
Therefore, do not use them. I know, I know. I hear your thoughts (or angry, cursing). “What about those (insert insect that eat’s vegetables/fruit). I can’t grow a decent tomato without a good old pesticide.” True, this will remove those nasty pests that eat your carrots when they are growing but it will also have a negative effect on other populations of insects. The pesticides can even make their way up the food chain to other animals that we may eat (rabbit, cow, chicken). For the good of all, use alternative, environmentally friendly methods to reduce pest insect numbers in your garden.
Bee friendly habitat
Different species of bees will live in different types of habitats (and can be found within the garden). This will be dependant on bee species and the area in which you live. For those just starting out the placing a bee/insect hotel will help increase the biodiversity of bees/insects in your garden. You can make your own or buy (most likely from a local hardware store).
Alternatively you could get creative and make your own hotel.
Old TV turned into an insect motel – Photo credit Marilyn Rogers
You may also want to build or purchase your own native bee hive. This process can be costly and expensive. However, once you have one hive successfully established, you can very easily make more.
In short:
Helping us Prosper 