Did you know that there are over 20,000 different species of bees, and only a couple of them produce enough honey to share with the world? It's true, and while we are incredibly grateful for honey bees, we are committed to doing our part to take care of the rest of the pollinator species out there. One of the biggest ecological challenges we face today is knowing how we can make a difference as individuals. Fortunately, the world of pollinators is so vast that every single person on the planet has the ability to do some good within the existing framework of their lives.
The Hollow Tree Honey Foundation
For nearly a decade, we have been focused on the health and habitat of pollinator species through educational installations, native bee habitat, and hands-on conservation workshops along Utah's Wasatch Front. At these events, we focus on the roles that pollinator species play in our every day lives while giving people the opportunity to build their own native bee box. Bee boxes are an easy way for individuals to provide habitat for native bee species right in their own yards. Most people are unaware that the vast majority of bees don't share the stereotypical traits of a honey bee. In fact, bees are just as diverse as humans. They come in all sizes, shapes, and colors.
A native bee box can be shared by a dozen different species of bees in the same summer, turning your yard into an educational pollinator observation site. At the same time, it provides valuable refuge for each brood cycle of native bees that make it their home. In addition, native bees are less inclined to sting as they have no stores of honey to defend. So you can rest easy that adding a bee box to your garden or yard will not noticeably increase your chances of being stung.
With our two primary missions being health and habitat, we focus our pollinator health initiative on by working to provide additional food resources for bees. Most people may not be aware, but the top three crops in the US are corn, wheat, and soybeans; all of which are self-pollinating. And while bees can utilize the pollen from corn and soybeans, they are often adversely affected by the use of pesticides and the use of genetically altered seeds designed to combat less desirable insects.
It wasn't always like this. Decades ago, it was a more common agricultural practice to use cover crops like clover to reduce erosion, control weeds, and improve the nitrogen content and overall health of the soil. Consequently, clover was also incredibly beneficial for bees. Today, it is far more common to attempt to solve these problems with fertilizers and pesticides, creating a void where a once-plentiful nectar source used to be. It also allows commercial growers to keep an uninterrupted focus on cash crops that aren't inherently bee friendly.
The answer is as beautiful as it is simple.
Believe it or not, the best thing any of us can do, is plant flowers. Unlike honey bees which can travel up to three miles from the hive each day, native bees have a dramatically smaller range, in some cases just a few hundred meters. That means that some bees might spend their entire lives on a single city block. It's also important to understand that the act of pollinating is a bi-product of feeding on naturally occurring nectar and pollen.
Native bees need the flowers just to survive, it's where they get their food and nutrients to bring about future generations of pollinators, and without them, their numbers will continue to decline. Native bees are also substantially better pollinators than honey bees as they carry pollen all over their bodies. They've also evolved into different shapes and sizes in order to accommodate different flowers.
Working hand-in-hand with the Hollow Tree Honey Foundation, we send out a complimentary wildflower seed mix with every online order. These are premium seed mixes that are native to North America. All we ask is that you put them to good use!
If you are interested in working with the Hollow Tree Honey Foundation, reach out to us via our contact page and let us know. We would love to hear from you.
