10 Things To Do To Help Honey Bees

1

Grow pollinator friendly flowers. For starters we could all set aside one square metre of our garden or outdoor space to go wild or grow pollinator friendly plants to encourage bees and other pollinators. Imagine if every household in Worthing did this, it would soon add up. We have 50 packets of Wildflower Seeds to give away Contact us if you’d like a packet!

2

Learn about plants. Not sure what you can plant to attract pollinators? Here’s some helpful tips and advice from the RHS

3

Why not build a bug hotel in your garden and open your very own air bee and bee! Here are a couple of useful links: How to Build a Bug Hotel or Make a solitary bee hotel – video from Ouse and Adur Rivers Trust

4

Take part in and support the Plantlife and National Trust’s Initiative ‘No Mow May’ a great way to get 10 x more bees on your lockdown lawn. What’s not to love about this one!!

5

If you have to use them make sure any pesticides are harmless to bees. You can find out more from the Pesticide Action Network UK.

6

Download our free Bee activity sheets below. Learn more about this fascinating insect so you can show off and share your knowledge with friends and family. We launched this set of resources for families who want to know more about bees.

7

Buy honey and other bee products from your local beekeepers. We’re really looking forward to sharing our third honey harvest with you later this year. Buying local honey keeps food miles down and helps the beekeeper to cover the costs of beekeeping. Local honey complies with all food standards requirements, is not mistreated to give it a long shelf life and has a flavour that reflects local flora.

8

Help protect swarms. Swarming is a natural process when colonies of honeybees can increase their numbers. If you see a swarm contact your local beekeeping association who will contact a local beekeeper who will collect the swarm and take it away. Honeybees in a swarm are usually very gentle and present very little danger. They can be made aggressive if disturbed. Just leave them alone and wait for a competent beekeeper to arrive.

9

Bee friendly – When kept properly, bees are good neighbours, and only sting when provoked. Beekeepers wear protective clothing when they are handling bees. If a bee hovers inquiringly in front of you when unprotected, do not flap your hands. Stay calm and move slowly away, best into the shade of shed or a tree. The bee will soon lose interest.

10

Bee a supporter – Beekeeping is enjoyable, fascinating, interesting and addictive!! We set up the Worthing Honey Collective and Bees and Seas to keep bees in community and make Worthing even more pollinator friendly. We now have two hive sites, a brilliant group of volunteers and are growing our not for profit enterprise slowly and steadily to support more volunteer opportunities. We also offer public talks, school visits and meet the bee opportunities.

If you are interested in supporting our ongoing work please Contact Us.