In 2016, Bees were placed on the endangered species list, a first in the U.S., bees pollinate fruits, nuts and vegetables, about 80 percent of our food supply.
Bees, the champion pollinators of the world also feed the ecosystem, which nourishes the plants and all the other animals of the world. Some people claim that Albert Einstein said the human race would be extinct in four or five years once all the bees are gone. http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/01/us/hawaii-bee-species-endangered/index.html
The above Web page also states that in the U.S., a University of California study discovered that more than a 150 different chemical residues were found in bee pollen and habitats across the nation. Pesticides not only effect bees physically, but mentally as well. Pesticides harm a bees reproductive system and also disorients their minds to the point where they can't find their hives or colonies.
It's so easy to create a bee habitat, even have your own hives in your yard to the point where it would be wise to wear a bee keepers outfit. In my case, I went the much simpler route. I purchased flowers that where bee friendly, any local gardening center makes it easy to find out which types of flowers bees are attracted to.
Flowers that bloom successively over the spring, summer, and fall seasons such as coreopsis, Russian sage, or germander provide pollen and nectar for native bees of all seasons according to a March, 2011 article, "How Can You Help The Bees? http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/silence-of-the-bees-how-can-you-help-the-bees/36/Bee
Providing fresh water daily for bees abundant with rocks and twigs lets the bees know the water is for them. Since I started my small bee endeavor last year, I am seeing more and more bees in my yard, so appease the bees. Bees don’t discriminate between weeds and cultivated flowers, so let those dandelions grow. And of course keep your bee garden free of pesticides.
