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Bees and us

The bees and us

The first World Bee Day of the United Nations took place on May 20, 2018. This should draw attention to the role of bees in our ecosystem and the importance of pollination. In addition, it is intended to warn of the death of bees, the cause of which is still not fully scientifically clarified. But the fact is that more and more bee species are threatened with extinction.

In this post we would like to dedicate ourselves to this very topical and important topic and give you tips on how you can become active yourself and counteract the death of bees.

Bees are responsible for a third of our food

And that affects us all, because the bees are not just producers of the delicious honey that we smear on bread in the morning. Because of the pollination they are responsible for far more food than you might think. Not only fruits like apples, strawberries and cherries and vegetables like zucchini and cucumber, even gummy bears and coffee would not exist without the bees. For us humans, they are now the third most important livestock after cattle and pigs. It is impossible to imagine what would happen if it suddenly no longer existed.

Reasons for the bee deaths

It is not entirely scientifically clear how bees die. Conventional agriculture is cited as one of the causes, with its monocultures on the one hand and the use of pesticides on the other hand making bees more susceptible to disease. Because, like us humans, bees need a varied and balanced diet in order to be healthy and resistant to diseases. The use of pesticides, on the other hand, affects their lifespan as it negatively affects the bees' nervous system.

Climate change is also seen as one of the reasons why there are fewer bees every year. Early flowering times, warmer and longer winters and unpredictable temperature changes are very exhausting for the bees and make them more susceptible to infections. It is above all the varroa mite infestation that is dangerous for the bees. It can attack entire bee colonies and massively weaken or even wipe them out. The varroa mite is now held responsible as the main cause of bee deaths. Fighting them is one of the greatest challenges in science.

Plant a bee-friendly garden or balcony

But you can also become active yourself and counteract the death of bees. For example, by planting a bee-friendly garden (or balcony). While honey bees are relatively unspecialized, wild bees are more demanding and only pollinate selected plants. The bee-friendly flowers include, for example, sunflowers, lavender and bluebells, but also herbs such as sage, thyme and rosemary. You will find a detailed list with over 100 bee-friendly plants for the garden and balcony here.

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Take on a bee sponsorship

If you don't have a balcony or garden, you can sponsor bees for little money. There are now some providers of bee sponsorships that can also be given away. With the sponsorship you actively support bee protection and usually receive at least one jar of honey from your very own bee colony. Find out if there are providers in your area and become a bee sponsor yourself. Or give away a sponsorship - that's a great and meaningful gift idea, we think.

Support sustainable agriculture

After all, by purchasing certified organic products, you automatically support sustainable agriculture that does not use pesticides. This is not only good for you and your health, but also for the bees in the long term.

Lisa helped set up the Good Travel Blog and will write for us as a freelance author in the future. She is passionate about traveling and dancing around the world with a small ecological footprint.

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