Did you recognise that there are more than 250,000 species of plant that require pollination ? Without bees , we ’d have little to eat and fewer flowers to enjoy .
Many food for thought crops we ’ve come to rely on are pollinated by winding – sweet cornfor example . maize ’s pollen is light and jaunt by zephyr easy to adjoining corn stalks . But many crops and peak create pollen that is heavy and gummy and not well blown by tip . These plant require bees , razz , butterflies , moth , bats , or some other beast or insect to move among the flowers and circulate the pollen .
Bees are important for pollinating plants
Sufficient pollination is essential for works reproduction . Fortunately , bees are an awful force for pollenation . As they fly in and out of bloom , pollen sticks to their body and is situate on neighboring flowers .
Among the food crops that gain from bee pollenation are :
In unretentive , without bees and other pollinators , we would n’t enjoy these wonderful foods .
Why are bees attracted to certain flowers and not others?
For flower gardener , your local bee population and other pollinators are responsible for the bright colored blooms on your heyday every twelvemonth . bee ca n’t see the color red , by the way : they see blue , yellow , and ultraviolet illumination . That ’s why bee - cross-pollinate flowers are mostly white-livered ( sometimes blue ) with ultraviolet nectar guides ( sort of a landing convention ) .
Generally speaking , bees are more attract tonative plants for your area , because they evolve side - by - side with them . Where generous numbers of native plant occur , bees will be more likely to build up nest . bee generally do n’t venture farther than 200 yards from their settlement to tuck ambrosia and this is why it ’s so important that you encourage bees to nest near your home garden .
What is Colony Collapse Disorder?
You ’ve no doubt hear aboutColony Collapse Disorder , which has result in millions , perhaps 1000000000000 of bee disappearing from their habitats . CCD takes place when a absolute majority of worker bees in a colony disappear and leave the queen regnant behind . The understanding for this is changeable and it ’s been reason that a disease because of mites or certain pesticide are at fault . Read more about dependency crash disorder on the EPA internet site .
Build bees a home
Bees are approximately divided into those that build their nests in the earth and those that build them above ground , usually in some kind of wood . Inexpensive contrived nests can be constructed out of newspaper or plastic straw 3/8″ in diam and then paste into a milk carton , or you’re able to drill 3/8″ holes 4″-6″ deep into a city block ofuntreatedwood . These nests should then be attached to something like the side of your shed , a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree automobile trunk , or a pole about 3 feet off the ground and should be protected from pelting and tip . Learn how to build a DIY “ bee condo ” from the Chicago Botanic Garden .
Not every bee stings
By the way , most people ’s veneration of bees is unwarranted . Some do indeed burn , but usually only in ego - defence when you take a swat at them . Bees are our Quaker , and necessary for beautiful flowers and crop production , so do n’t kill them – ask over bees into your organic garden !
