One of the best things about the rewilding movement is the benefit it brings to the insect world. Reducing the amount of human intervention and introducing bee-friendly species can make a big difference to the fate of the insects.
Without insects, ecosystems would break down and disappear which could put our civilisation at risk. One of the most obvious and hard-working of those insects is the bee. Bees are pollinators. Without them we may not be able to grow crops and our fruits trees could end up bare. They have a vital role to play in our food supply. But bee populations are being threatened by the over-use of certain pesticides, climate change, intensive farming, loss of biodiversity and pollution.
So what can we do at home to support bees:
- Join a campaign to fight the use of pesticides
- Support campaigns to tackle climate change
- Buy organic produce
And in our gardens or balconies:
- Let the wild flowers grow. Leave the dandelions and lawn clover to populate your lawns
- Grow flowers which are rich in pollen and nectar
- Plant flowers for all seasons to encourage the bees into the garden for a longer period of time
- Make a bee hotel for bees to lay there eggs
- If you find a bee that is struggling or tired, dilute some sugar in warm water in equal parts. Leave it in a spoon near the bees head. The bee will drink up the liquid through its proboscis and be energised before your eyes.
