How You Can Help

Here's a list of things that you can do to help the bees, the environment and yourself.

* Plant a garden with local and native flowering plants. Plant a variety of native plants with overlapping bloom times. Bees are particularly attracted to yellow, blue and purple flowers. Some examples are: Russian Sage, Columbine, Daisies, Bee Balm, holly hocks, Sedum , Butterfly Bushes, Asters and Chrysanthemums. Some plants provide nectar, nectar and pollen or just pollen. Nectar is used to make honey and pollen is used to raise baby bees.

* Stop using pesticides and bug sprays. There are many natural methods to control pests in your garden. Many researchers believe pesticides are a contributing to bee deaths. Some insecticides are harmful to bees and wipe out flowers that provide bees with food. Encourage people to relax their standards a little and accept other green plants as "grass", especially clover which is very good for bees.  Try to let that clover grow in your lawn.

* Let the roadside flowers bloom - Let the dandelions and wildflowers grow. Dandelions are one of the first sources of protein pollen available in spring. Bees need this protein source in order to raise their babies, called brood.

The dandelions can be mowed or removed right after the blooms finish or better still, leave them be.  Queen Anne's Lace, Asters and Goldenrods are examples of important wildflowers for bees.  There are many many more which some people think are weeds but they're healthy food for bees.

* Encourage schools and city officials to involve children in creating bee habitats around their schools and parks.

* Petition governments to delay mowing road-side wildflowers until they stop blooming (i.e. later in summer). One of the yummiest flavoured honeys is Goldenrod honey produced from the wildflower goldenrod that blooms late in the season.

* Petition governments to create pesticide-free zones.

* Encourage golf-course operators to leave "wild zones" adjacent to play areas.

Conservation Organizations

• Earth Resource
• HOBOS BeeGroup - Germany

• Candian Wildlife Federation - Pollinators

• On Nature

• Dr David Suzuki Foundation
• 11th Hour Action
• World Wildlife Fund

Gardening for Pollinators

• Kids Gardening Projects
• ​Canadian Wildlife Federation - Wild About Gardening

Wildlife Links

• Salthaven, Mt. Brydges, Ontario
  A non profit organization with a trained wildlife rehabilitator.
• Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Rosseau, Ontario
  A wildlife sanctuary since the 70's, they care for about 1,000 injured and orphaned animals a year.

• Ontario Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Network (OWREN)

Insect Links

• Bug Guide
• ​​Ontario Insects
• What's That Bug?
• Butterfly Watching in Ontario

Bee & Beekeeping Books

• The ABC and Xyz of Bee Culture by by A. I. Root

  Robbing the Bees

• Beekeeping for Dummies by Howland Blackiston

• Honey Plants of North America by John H. Lovell

  Natural Beekeeping by Ross Conrad

• Beekeeping: A Practical Guide by Richard E. Bonney

• The Buzz About Bees by Dr. Jurgen Tautz

Online Groups about Bees & Beekeeping

• ListService - BeeL

  Forum - BeeMaster

• Yahoo - Backyard Beekeeping

• Facebook - Fatbeeman's Group

Magazines (paper and/or online)

• Ontario Bee Journal

• Bee Culture

• American Bee Journal

Places to See in Ontario

• Clovermead Adventure Farm - Aylmer, Ontario
• Butterfly Conservatory /a> - Niagara Falls, Ontario

Videos about Bees

• 60 Minutes - What's Happening to the Bees? (U-Tube)

• Bee Habitat & Colony Collapse Disorder

• Nature: The Silence of the Bees (PBS)