The Rambling Psychotherapist

Don't Step on a Bee Day takes place every year on the 10th July, to raise awareness of the vital importance of bees in our ecosystem, and how we can protect and support them.

How often do you stop to consider the amazing work bees do?

We live in an interdependent world, and the role of the bee is often dramatically overlooked.

Over a third of everything we humans eat depends on the work our native bees do pollinating our plants. Bees are a hugely important part of the planet’s ecosystem, and yet they are still under threat like never before due to many factors, including loss of habitat.

I don't know about you, but as I have travelled on my journey of healing (reconnecting to myself as a part of the greater eco-system), I have become ever more aware of the contributions of other people and beings to my life, and increasingly of the mindset that I would like to return the favour.

So, if this is where you find yourself too, here's a few things you can do to give back:

🐝Make sure your little patch of earth (your garden, your window box, your balcony) has a little bit of plant life in it that the bees can appreciate. Bees need food throughout the whole season, so think about what you are planting and when it will bloom. Turn your little plot into one of the safe havens for these amazing creatures.

🐝 Avoid, wherever possible, using herbicides and pesticides. These chemicals have a devastating effect on our insect population, including bees. Consider companion planting to safeguard the plants you prize the most, and make sure there is habitat to attract the hunters of your most common garden pests.

🐝 Let stems be. About 30% of the world’s bees nest in holes inside trees, logs, or plant stems. Try to provide ample shelter for species like mason and leafcutter bees, whose offspring overwinter in the cavities and emerge the following spring and summer. When your garden dies back, leave dead woody stems alone. You can also leave cut logs outside for species like carpenter bees, which will chew holes within them.

Are there any more tips that you would add? Join me in the comments to share 🔽