BEE HAPPY MIX

Sometimes we tend to forget about the smaller things in life that really do make the world go ‘round. Just as wildlife has suffered from increased fragmentation of land through urbanization, so have bees, beetles, & butterflies. Not long ago, beekeepers would ask farmers to set beehives near croplands in exchange for some honey. Now farmers are paying beekeepers to bring in hives for their crops. Hives are trucked all over the nation. A third of U.S. food supply depends on pollinators.

Why the decline in pollinators? Could it be the increased use of pesticides... or light pollution to the night sky? Whatever the reasons, many organizations are offering helpful information and incentives for people to plant pollinator habitats. Pollinators like plants that produce pollen, nectar, habitat, shelter and safety from predators. Pollinators need nectar throughout most of the year, not just in spring. Planting diverse native wildflowers will benefit honey bees & native bees.

Thank you for the encouragement from many of our customers, especially Becky Bender and the Texas Beekeepers Association, along with ongoing efforts from other pollinator resources, such as the Xerces Society.