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Unfortunately, the bee population is in decline, and people need to do all they can to help. This doesn't mean becoming a full-time beekeeper! However, we can all do our bit to protect their future.
Why are bees disappearing?
The use of pesticides and herbicides containing chemicals that are harmful to bees has contributed to the decline. Other contributory factors include habitat loss and climate change. Local biodiversity is being negatively impacted by global warming, and bees have been severely hit.
Scientific research shows bees and other pollinators are declining eight times faster than mammals and birds all over the world. The study by researchers at the University of Sydney showed 40% of insect species including bees, beetles and ants were suffering a "dramatic rate" of decline.
UK bee species
In the UK, there are around 270 different types of bees and 20,000 across the world. Many are mistaken for other insects such as hornets, wasps and hoverflies. In Britain, sadly, 13 species of bees are already extinct and 35 more are at risk of extinction.
Honeybees are social insects that live in colonies or hives. They are divided into three main groups: workers, drones and the queen bee. The individual types wouldn't survive without the support of the others.
Each colony has a single queen, whose primary function is reproduction. She can lay up to 1,500 eggs per day at her peak time in spring. One queen can lay up to 250,000 eggs each year and sometimes more than a million during her lifetime.
The drones are male bees whose sole function is to fertilise the queen's eggs. They perform no work in the colony and die after mating.
With an incredibly important role, the workers constitute the majority of bees in the colony. They clean the hive, feed the queen and the brood, build beeswax combs and guard the entrance. They also leave the hive to forage for nectar, pollen and water.
How can we help bees to survive?
The best way to help bees is by gardening to attract and support them. Early spring is a great time to get in the garden and make it more bee friendly - they forage from flowers rich in pollen and nectar. Pollen contains protein and oils, and nectar contains sugar that bees need for energy.
Start by planting pollen and nectar rich plants to attract and feed bees. These can include heather, crocuses, pussy willow, lavender, apple trees, hawthorn, honeysuckle and ivy.
Tools for gardening
Planting up your garden, especially if you're making some major changes, can take plenty of organisation. You'll also need the appropriate tools to do a good job. If you're new to gardening, start by getting basic tools such as a hoe, fork, rake and other hand tools for clearing weeds and planting.
Use plastic boxes for shed storage to keep your equipment organised. Never leave your tools in the garden, as there's more chance they will go rusty. When possible, use airtight containers to stop moisture from getting in.
Feeding tired bees
Did you know you can pep up tired bees by feeding them with sugar and water? A tiny hit of sugar can revive a tired bee and enable it to get back safely to the hive. Mix two teaspoons of sugar into one teaspoon of water. Ideally, use white granulated sugar.
Drip it onto a flower where a tired bee is resting or put it on a plate on the ground if you see a bee crawling around looking lethargic, or not moving at all. The chances are it's resting and after it has indulged in the sugary water, it will hopefully fly off again before nightfall.
Create a bee bath
Make a bee bath in your garden by lining a small, shallow plastic box with rocks. Add a little water, leaving the rocks poking out above surface level as dry islands, acting as "landing pads".
Put it at ground level near plants that bees feed on so they can have a drink. Change the water daily to avoid it becoming stagnant in hot weather.
Beekeeping
If you're serious about saving bees, the next step is beekeeping. As a proven way of helping to boost the bee population, not to mention an interesting hobby; it helps to strengthen the gene pool by putting healthy bees back into the population. Two hives can pollinate a medium-sized garden and help it to thrive.
There are currently around 38,000 beekeepers in the UK, managing about 220,000 hives. Ideally, join a local beekeepers' association first for practical advice and help. Check online to find your nearest group or contact the British Beekeepers' Association.
Do your research. You can't simply go out and buy a hive. Some local associations will lend beginners a hive and bees, and send an experienced beekeeper to monitor your progress for around a year, until you're sure you can make a go of it.
Building a hive
You’ll need to purchase a beekeeping suit, gloves, a hive tool and a smoker to start off with.
In the wild, bees build their own hive, so you're doing their job for them. Basically, you will need stacked boxes in which to hang honeycomb frames. It needs to be easily accessible for honey extraction. This is known as a Langstroth hive and is the most common type.
Very efficient, research has found that honeybees work best with just under 1cm of space between the frames, so the combs should be constructed in a uniform fashion. They must be built so you can draw them out to extract the honey and then place them back in the hive, so the bees don't have to waste energy rebuilding.
Make sure you have containers such as food grade buckets to store the honey and wax collected from the hive. Keep any equipment used for building and tending the hive in the appropriate storage containers to ensure it remains clean and dry.
The beauty of beekeeping is that it's a popular pastime, so finding support is relatively easy. Remember that smaller hives are lighter and easier to work with, so as a beginner, don't be over-ambitious: build up to more hives as your confidence and knowledge grow.