Honey Bees are tiny fairies with golden gossamer wings. They visit my garden filling the air with their sweet song, brushing lightly against my cheek, communicating with each other through dance among native plants. Fat bumblebees land on tiny basil flowers pulling them into their faces with utter joy.

The tiny stature of bees belies their immense abilities. With brains the size of a sesame seed they have a remarkable capacity to learn and remember things and to make complex calculations on distance traveled and foraging efficiency. Honey bees are a highly organized society, acting with intricate cooperation.

Bees are in serious decline in North America. Their biggest killer is industrial agriculture which uses pesticides and insecticides which kill indiscriminately.

THINGS WE CAN DO TO HELP
• Plant bee-friendly flowers and flowering herbs
• Weeds can be a good thing, dandelions are a big source of food for bees
•Don’t use chemicals and pesticides to treat your lawn or garden
• Buy local, raw honey
• Bees are thirsty, provide them with a water source but make sure there are rocks in the water bowl for them to rest on and prevent drowning