The die-off of America's honeybee colonies, which are disappearing in droves because of parasites, pesticides, poor nutrition and disease, leave beekeepers scrambling to salvage the vital insects.
The task of solving the honeybee problem, experts say, isn't isolated to beekeepers. A few changes to home patios and gardens can lend honeybees a much-needed assist.
Last year, a third of the nation's honeybee colonies died, which is low considering the bigger decreases of the last decade. This doesn't necessarily mean fewer bees. Beekeepers can salvage a dead colony, but it comes with labor and production costs.
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When colonies die, beekeepers are forced to charge farmers more for pollinating their crops, said Dennis vanEngelsdorp, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland. In turn, this could lead to a drop-off in fruits and nuts reliant on pollination.
Bees pollinate one out of every three bites of American food and $15 billion worth of crops annually.
Margaret Lombard, CEO of the National Honey Board, said dwindling colony counts make work harder for beekeepers. She encourages people to buy honey and donate to local organizations supporting them.
But planting specific flowers and herbs to create a bee-friendly yard could be your best option.
Plant pollinator-friendly flowers
Honey bees help transfer pollen from plant to plant for reproduction. Planting a bee-friendly garden of "pollinator-friendly" flowers and herbs for bees to forage can be a game-changer.
The Honey Board recommends plants native to your area. The board recommends the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation to find which plants may work best.
For example, in the Northeast, pussy willows and wild geraniums are good options. In the Southeast, look for narrowleaf sunflowers and pasture roses. Entomologist Emily Kuhns of Scotts Miracle-Gro said the best pollinators can be found by talking to someone at a local nursery.
"You want to have a variety of flowering plants that bloom throughout the growing season," she said. "This will provide a regular and diverse source of nectar and nutrients for pollinators. Native plants are the best to use because they evolved alongside our native pollinators — they were made for each other."
Choose a sunny, not-so-breezy area
Plant your flowers and herbs in a place with enough sun to allow pollinators to grow, but also windless enough to not blow away the delicate-winged pollinators.
Set out water
Bees have to drink too.
The Honey Board suggests setting out a "bee bath" in the form of a plate of water . A shallow container with marbles or rocks for bees to land would also work.
Another option is a small bird bath or a decorative rock with spots where rainwater can collect. "Bees spend a lot of time gathering pollen and nectar from flowers, but they also need water," Kuhns said. "Bees also use water to regulate their temperature, help with digestion and to dilute stored honey."
Watch the chemicals
Consider the pollinators when using pesticides and insecticides in your garden.
Pulling weeds by hand may work, the Honey Board suggests, and introducing other insects could help fend off pests.
If you do decide to use chemicals, Kuhns said to follow the instructions carefully on the package. People should apply chemicals early in the morning when bees and other pollinators aren't around. Also, Kuhns said to not use chemicals while the plants are flowering and don't spray them in other places where pollinators may land.
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