5 Ultra Simple Ways You Can Help The Bees

One of our most commonly asked questions is “I want to help bees, but I don’t know where to start.”

The answer to that is actually a lot more straightforward than you might think. Many people in urban London don’t have big garden spaces nor the resources to take care of a bee colony, but actually, small actions can help us make a big impact supporting our local bees.

Bees are so vital to human society. It is estimated bees pollinate about 30% of all human crops and 90% of all wild plants. A world without bees would likely mean a world of significantly less crop harvest, equalling to less food to feed people and animals. That’s why every positive action, no matter how small, can make a big difference.

Here’s 10 easy ways you can make a big impact in helping bee populations thrive in your local area:

1. Plant pollinator friendly flowers

If you have access to a garden, terrace, or even a porch, planting bee-friendly flowers can help support your local bees. This helps bees forage and rest when they need it (all that flying can be very tiring!). Great bee-friendly flowers that thrive in the UK are poppies, foxgloves and nasturtiums, among others.

If you have a garden space, you can make it even easier by planting this Pollinator Beebom Seedbom (£4.50) by Kabloom which makes the entire process incredibly simple and are great for those who may lack a green thumb.

2. Source local honey

Most local areas have local beekeepers who, at the end of each beekeeping season (typically end of August or early September, but can vary depending on the area, weather, and other factors), will sell their honey locally via farmers’ markets, local shops and other venues. Some cheap commercial honey brands won’t sell pure honey: they’ll blend in cheap sugars and other sweeteners to lower the cost of production. Additionally, a lot of large honey brands may import their honey from abroad, where there may not be as strict food safety laws and honey may contain traces of heavy metals and other contaminants. (If you’re based in SE London, we may have some honey to share at the end of the season… Keep an eye on this space.)

3. Provide a bee oasis

Bees are like you and me (apologies for the bad rhyme…): they need drinking water too. In the heat of the summer, bees can get dehydrated and providing them a safe water source means they’re less likely to drown in large bodies of water such as swimming pools. When given the choice, bees prefer murky water with safeguards such as rocks.

Almost Off Grid has a great post here with details on how to set up a bee pool in your garden.

4. Choose organic produce

Organic produce is widely available at all major UK supermarkets, and, although typically pricier than non-organic produce, ensures that pesticides are not being used in the growing process of the produce. The knock on effect of this choice is huge. Buying organic supports organic farmers, who in turn farm organic produce which helps provide bees and other pollinators healthy foraging options. The effect of this on local communities is absolutely massive and is incredibly important towards fostering a cleaner and healthier world.

5. Throw out toxic cleaning products

A lot of the day-to-day products we use to clean our homes (such as Dettol and bleach) are highly toxic and can be bad for us, our pets and pollinators. Thankfully, there are lots of great options on the market which are eco-friendly and non-toxic, while still doing the job and cleaning our homes thoroughly. At home, we use all non-toxic cleaners and sprays - what a difference it makes. Some of our favourites include this Ecover Multiaction Surface Cleaner (£2.50 and available at Sainsbury’s, Amazon and more), this refillable cleaning spray from Smol (around £10 with subscription) that also helps you limit your plastic consumption and this floor tincture from Tincture London (£6.99) which totally eliminates the need for bleach, ever again.