Help the Honey Bees! :: Care2 Groups (Environment)

Honey bees and other pollinators are vanishing across the world at alarming rates. We can help save them by informing ourselves and others, stopping the use of pesticides, planting pollinator-friendly gardens and buying organic foods!

Let's Help Our Pollinators!

Although this group focuses on honey bees, feel free to submit tips on helping all pollinators! All of them are vitally important and most of them are in decline! "Nearly 80% of our world's crop plants require pollination. Birds, bees, butterflies, but also beetles, mosquitoes, and even bats transfer pollen between seed plants. This function is vital for plant reproduction." -- The Pollinator Partnership

Tips for Attracting Bees!

http://kcgardens.kansascity.com/node/1437
http://www.shelsgarden.com/birdsnbees.html
http://gardening.about.com/od/attractingwildlife/a/Bee_Plants_2.htm

Good News!

Beelogics To Save Honeybees With New Anti-Viral Medicine--Have a Colony To Share?
http://www.beeologics.com/

Organic Beekeepers Report No Losses While Conventional Operations Report Massive Colony Losses
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5094.cfm

Courses

The Bee Lab offers an Online Public Course: Healthy Bees
http://www.extension.umn.edu/honeybees/components/healthybeesonline.htm

Organic Beekeeping Society - Classes
http://thehealingpath.com/OrganicBeekeeping/OBS/OrganicBeekeepingClasses.shtml

Getting Started

Some of these references are not 100% organic. If you are going to help save bees, go organic with all of your supplements, avoid all pesticides and genetically modified crops.

BeekeepingStarterKit.com--Everything you'll need to know to start BeeKeeping!
http://www.beginner-beekeeping.com/?hop=rjells

Bee Briefs
http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/faculty/Mussen/beebriefs/index.cfm

Pollinator Partnership Useful Resources
http://www.pollinator.org/resources.htm

Hive Mind: Beekeepers Reference --FANTASTIC PORTAL!
http://www.hive-mind.com/bee/

Urban Bee Garden
http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens/general_guidelines.html

Creating a Wild Backyard--Bees
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/wabees.asp
http://www.outdoorplace.org/beekeeping/citybees.htm

Bee shelters and condos
http://www.birdcentral.com/bee_houses_page.htm

Videos

Attract Native Honey Bees to your Garden!
http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/attract-native-bees-to-your-garden-web-only

2008 Organic Beekeeping Conference Recordings
http://www.beeuntoothers.com/2008organicconference.html

Books

Beekeeping For Dummies
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764554190?tag=christopherpe-20

Natural Beekeeping: Organic Approaches to Modern Apiculture
http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Beekeeping-Organic-Approaches-Apiculture/dp/1933392088

Beekeeper Associations

American Beekeeping Federation
http://www.abfnet.org/

International Bee Research Association (IBRA)
http://www.ibra.org.uk/

International Federation of Beekeepers' Association (APIMONDIA)
http://www.apimondia.org/

Join the Pollinator Action Team, Help Bees and Other Pollinators!
http://www.pollinator.org/involved.htm

"Honeybees have been on this earth for about 25 million years and are ideally adapted to their natural environment. Without honeybees the environment would be dramatically diminished."

--Dr Ivor Davis, master beekeeper

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by Laurel W.

Hello to all new members!

1 year ago (40 replies)

Last reply by David : So here we are, mid June evening time and I'm thinking about my bees and checking this site. I've kept bees for 18 years now - started with 1 hive , now have 3 goodun's and 2 'iffey' ones and I'm thinking this year's been the... more»

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by ..

Good Morning/Nite/Hello/Hugs

2 years ago (93 replies)

Last reply by Mi : With human wellbeing so intimately tied... more»

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by Laurel W.

Attracting bees!-- These are some great tips :)

2 years ago (6 replies)

Last reply by Frances : I find sunflowers, Anise Hyssop, lavender, rosemary and thymme popular with bees in our garden in the uk. I've left an upside down terrecotta pot out in a quiet spot for a few months now as I heard sometimes the bees... more»

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by Laurel W.

National Pollinator Week support request!

3 years ago

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by Laurel W.

Teacher resources for K-12 - College

3 years ago

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by Laurel W.

Revive the Victory Garden!

4 years ago

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by Laurel W.

Get pickier about the plants you pick! :)

4 years ago

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by Laurel W.

Green thumbs up: Get to know your garden!

4 years ago

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by Laurel W.

Create a water source for thirsty pollinators

4 years ago (2 replies)

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by Laurel W.

Important Gardener Info-- Birdsafe Windows!

4 years ago (1 reply)

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2010 Honey Bee and Pollinator Conferences

2010 Honey Bee and Pollinator Conferences USA January 5-9, 2010 /American Honey Producers Convention.Radisson Conference CenterFresno, CAFor more information, visit:http://www.americanhoneyproducers.org/Conventions/conventions.htm Januar...

By: Laurel W.

4 years ago

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Buy 100% Organic Food to Save Bees!

Pesticides and Genetically Modified Foods are implicated in deaths of honey bees! If you buy 100% organic you will not be killing them with pesticides or genetic modifications. Read your labels! Remember "Natural" on the label does not mean organi...

By: Laurel W.

4 years ago

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BeeKeeping and Garden Resources

Online courses, beekeeper associations, videos, books, beehouses, and tips to become a beekeeper or just make your garden bee friendly! Tips for Attracting Bees! http://kcgardens.kansascity.com/node/1437http://www.shelsgarden.com/birdsnbees.htmlhttp...

By: Laurel W.

4 years ago

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What are you doing to help the honeybees survive?

Honeybees are disappearing at an alarming rate. Our survival will be directly affected by the honeybee and its ability to live and pollinate.

By: Alex W.

5 years ago

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GARDEN CRITTERS--Butterflies, Bees, etc.

please check out some wonderful pix of bees in my album: Garden Critters. these pix were taken in my garden in Franklin Square, New York (on Long Island). My husband is a master gardener and we have literally thousands of flowers which at...

By: Lynne L.

5 years ago