I sometimes get messages from groups asking me to share something they have posted or an event they are hosting that may be of interest to our beekeeping community. Recently I was contacted by Hannah Miller with DIY Gardening because she thought her posting on how gardeners can help bees may be helpful. After taking a look at what she provided, I decided it was worth sharing. Hannah is in the UK but her information — including plants — are familiar to us here in the US as well.

Hannah’s post covers these topics with tons of suggestions under each topic. One of the things I like is she’s advocating for all bees and not just honey bees.

• Why Bees Are So Important
• Why The Bee Population is Declining
• Actionable Steps ANY Gardener Can Take to Protect Bees
  • Step 1: Stop Using Fungicides (use these instead)
  • Step 2: Stop Using Pesticides (try these instead)
  • Step 3: Ditch The Weedkiller (try these instead)
  • Step 4: Bees Love These Plants So Add These To Your Garden
  • Step 5: Provide a Water Source
  • Step 6: Provide Shelter
  • Step 7: What to Do if You See a Bee Swarm in Your Garden
• How to Identify Bees Found in the UK and US