It’s Time to Save our Bees
The humble bee has become extremely popular during 2021. Following years of declining bee populations in the UK and beyond, the plight of our bees has suddenly come to the forefront of our society, as publicity from initiatives such as the Big Bee Challenge on Radio Two this summer swept across the nation. Across the country, people young and old have been finding ways to help save our bee population which is facing ever increasing threats.
Why are Bees so Important?
Bees are recognised as a beautiful flying insect with characteristic contrasting stripes of vibrant yellow and black. Most of us savour the sweet taste of the honey they produce but haven’t necessarily been aware of how vital their role is to our very existence. Bees are of great importance as they are one of the main contributors to the ecosystems which they live in and pollinators of crops we rely on for food. Whilst there are other pollinators such as bats or birds and even reliance on the wind, it’s the sheer scale of pollination activity that makes our bees so special.
Why are our Bees Under Threat?
For decades bees have gradually been disappearing as threats mount up against their plight:
- Felling of woodlands and clearance of land containing wild flowers has led to fewer places for bees to call home. Whilst building new homes and creating jobs in the economy is important, vast swathes of green belt land have been lost in recent years. Unfortunately, redundant land is rarely put back into woodland which provides the perfect natural habitat for bees.
- Climate change has caused irregularities in seasonal timing when flowers bloom and often their nesting behaviour appears to change
- New invasive species such as Asian Hornets mean bees have new predators. This year Asian Hornets have been spotted just south of the UK. They prey on native bees, decapitating them outside their nests. Climate change makes the emergence of new predators more likely as milder winters mean foreign species of insect are able to survive our coldest period of the year.
- Pesticides used on plants for killing pests also harm other insects such as our bees
- Parasites and diseases
How can we Help to Save our Bees?
Thankfully it’s not too late to save our bees and there is plenty we can do to help them. Planting flowering plants that attract bees in your garden is a great way to add colour, sound and scents right outside your door whilst encouraging bees to come in to feed. Meanwhile bee hotels are becoming readily available to hang up in the garden providing sheltered resting places for bees when they need it. Refraining from using pesticides in your garden will allow natural ecosystems to flourish and prevent unintended harm to the local bee population. On a bigger scale, purchasing organic food from the shops can help to send a message to big producers that products free from pesticides are a preferred option encouraging them to take action on the use of pesticides in our food chain.
The Bee Range at Sublime Housewares
Like many retail businesses we’ve sourced a range of products this year which bee enthusiasts are sure to love. Starting out with beautiful gifts incorporating bee designs such as flower jugs, mugs, oil burners and key rings we have expanded our range with further bee products that provide other benefits and carry a serious message. For example, our popular yellow ‘Save the Bees’ shopping bag is made from jute, a material which is 100% biodegradable, a fair trade product and carries a vital message to help save these precious insects. Meanwhile bee and daisy lunch bags have not only been a popular back to work or school essential but are produced using 40% recycled plastic bottles making them much more friendly to the environment than previous cool bags. Alongside these there is a great range of bamboo travel cups and lunch boxes which make a great alternative to more traditional designs made predominantly from hard plastic. But it doesn’t stop here… having researched further the needs of bees and the keenness of our customers to support them we’ll soon be adding a greater range of practical products to help us take care of them – from bee hotels to bees wax wrap and plantable gift cards you will find them all added to our new website shortly.
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