With over 20 years of experience working with bees, Charlie Koenen of Beevangelists strives to “increase pollinator awareness… and the importance of all kinds of pollinator bees,” and help the general public find ways that they can incorporate bee-saving practices into their day-to-day lives. It just so happens that almost all of the ways we can protect bees are also creative forms of wellness that we love here at The Workbench.
Most of us know that bees make honey, but they are also responsible for cross-pollinating plants, which allows new crops to grow, and allows us to eat. Bees are responsible for all of the food on our plates, from fruits and vegetables to nuts, seeds, and berries. Unfortunately, monoculture-style agriculture has decreased the variety of plants available to bees, diminishing their food sources. Coming back to “an older way of thinking, still using modern technology,” Charlie says, will make life a little easier for the bees, and help them help us. Supporting small, local farmers – or even growing your own garden – ensures that the bees have access to a variety of crops. Buying local honey helps to support local beekeepers – and your immune system! Local honey contains tiny doses of pollen from the area, which can help reduce seasonal allergies.
If growing your own food is not possible for you, or sounds too intimidating, native flowering plants also provide great food sources for the bees, especially plants that flower towards the end of summer or beginning of fall. Many flowering plants bloom during spring, even more so in recent years, as summer plants start to bloom earlier and earlier, leaving the bees without a reliable source of food as winter draws nearer. As Charlie explains it, “When the trees are flowering, it’s only for a couple of weeks. And then for the rest of the summer, it’s making an apple or making a plum… when it’s doing that, there’s no food for a bee.”
Indigenous plants that flower during fall can help provide the bees with a food source that allows them to stock up for the winter. Bees have evolved to feed on the blooms native to their area, so native plants are crucial. The important thing, Charlie says, is to purchase the plants from a local nursery, rather than a national chain, as plants that cross state borders are sprayed with a neonicotinoid, which is toxic to bees. A local nursery should also be able to help you pick out the best plants for your growing conditions!
If you don’t have a green thumb and do have a yard, perhaps the easiest thing to do for the bees is to avoid mowing the lawn at the beginning of spring. No-mow May allows the dandelions, clover, and other native wildflowers a chance to bloom, giving the bees a vital food source.
Charlie focuses on educating the public about bees, why they are so important, and how to protect them. But Charlie isn’t the only educator at Beevangelists; bees may be an even better source of learning. “Bees can be our teacher, and the more we can observe and connect to nature, the faster we’ll be able to find the answers we need to make the changes we need to,” Charlie says. Bee colonies have what Charlie calls a “selfless devotion” to the work that they do. With a lifespan of roughly a month, bees don’t live long enough to see the fruits of their labor, instead, they know future generations will benefit from their efforts. Queen bees have the highest rate of genetic recombination of anything on the earth, making bees both more adaptable and more diverse than any other species. From this, Charlie expresses, we can see the power of diversity, resilience, and openness to change.To learn more about Charlie, Beevangelists, and how you can help save the bees, visit Beevangelists’ website.
