Four ways you can help save the bees

We all know how important bees are for pollination.

But did you know that a third of everything we put into our mouths – fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds – has been pollinated by insects?

Without bees and their tireless efforts in pollinating the very food we eat, our food supply would dwindle drastically.

What can we do to help our fuzzy friends?

Have spring-flowering bee-friendly plants in your garden
 As the little guys wake up, early-flowering varieties give them a much-needed source of nectar and pollen. Hellebores such as the one in the photo are fantastic for this. Plus, they look fantastic in an otherwise barren landscape

Buy local honey
 This is a great way to support local beekeepers who do much to make sure bee populations stay healthy.

Buy or make your own wild bee hotel
 As dead trees and branches are all too often being stripped away, bees are losing their natural habitat. A wild bee hotel is a great way to provide them with a new nesting home.

Check any pesticides are bee friendly
 Or even better, use natural alternatives. We’re sometimes so hung up on perfection, we can’t appreciate the beauty of less-than-perfect blooms. Bee natural, bee friendly should be the motto here.

Helping our bumbling buddies isn’t so hard, is it now?