Honey bees feeding from a flower in a garden.

Creating a space where wildlife can live freely is a fantastic use of your garden, and it doesn’t mean you have to let it run ragged during the warmer months. Honey bees play an extremely important part in the pollination cycle, which is why we felt it would be beneficial to outline simple changes we can all make to our gardens to accommodate our stripy visitors.

Say no to pesticides Not using pesticides in your garden is a great way to attract honey bees to your garden. Garden chemicals are still legally allowed to contain neonicotinoids, which harm the integral ‘sat nav’ that honey bees have. Without this ability, they struggle to get back to their hive and often die from exhaustion. By reducing or eliminating entirely the chemical pesticides in your garden, you are allowing the bees that come to feed to continue on their pollination journey.

There are a multitude of natural ingredients that you can use to get rid of unwanted pests that don’t harm honey bees, so be sure to explore those options.

Give them somewhere to nest Solitary honey bees and insects are often left to battle the elements themselves, so it is a good idea to provide somewhere for them to nest. There are many ready made ‘bug hotels’ which you can purchase for your garden, or you can take a look at our guide to building your own. It is a fantastic summer project to entertain the kids during the summer holidays.

Look in the shed It is illegal to buy, sell, or use any pesticides that contain imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam anywhere in the EU. Therefore, if you have old bottles floating around the back of your shed then it is important to check their contents before you use them on your garden. You can cause serious harm without meaning to simply by using an outdated product.

Give them a drink Honey bees need to drink and evaporate water in order to cool down their hives during the summer. They collect water droplets, such as the morning dew on leaves and grass, however they will drown in water bowls. To refresh your honey bees, fill a bowl with glass sea beans, pebbles, or marbles to provide a surface for them to drink from.

By incorporating these steps into your gardening routine, then you can lend a hand to ensuring the continuation of honey bees in our country. If you would like more advice to help you care for your garden, then do not hesitate to get in touch with the team here at Turf Express on 01959 897 605.