Honey Bee Garden

Bees are integral to the preservation of ecological balance and biodiversity in nature. They provide one of the most recognisable ecosystem services, i.e. pollination, which is what makes food production possible. By so doing, they protect and maintain ecosystems as well as animal and plant species, and contribute to genetic and biotic diversity.. Bees also act as indicators of the state of the environment. Their presence, absence, or quantity lets us know when something is happening with the environment and communicates to us that appropriate action is needed. By observing the development and health of bees, it is possible to ascertain changes in the environment and implement the necessary precautionary measures in time.

Plant a Honey Bee Garden

Choose plants that attract bees – Bees love native wildflowers, flowering herbs, berries and many flowering fruits and vegetables.
Group the same plants together – Try to plant at least one square yard of the same plant together to make a perfect bee attractor
Pick plants with long blooming cycles – Or choose plants with successive blooms. This way the bees will keep coming back again and again.
Let your plants flower – Leave the flowers on your plants and deadhead them to allow the honeybees to get the pollen and nectar they need
Provide a fresh water source – A sloping bird bath with stones for bees to stand on, a backyard waterfall, a pool, a dripping hose, almost any shallow water source will do
DO NOT use pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals in your garden – Or anywhere in your yard including your lawn, other gardens and trees.
Appreciate the beauty of weeds– Dandelions, clovers, loosestrife, milkweed, goldenrod and other flowering weeds are very important food sources for bees

Teaching Kids about Bee’s :

Bzzz! Learn all about honey bees in the next pre-reader from National Geographic Kids! Through text features such as a vocabulary tree and a wrap-up activity, kids will be introduced to new words and concepts — helping them expand their understanding of the world.