The Slic Stic

Avoid the use of pesticides as much as possible as they are fatal to bees. If this cannot be done, make sure you never spray when plants are in flower or when bees are present. Spray early morning or at sunset.

Creating a Bee Bath is simple! Simply fill a bird bath or a ceramic bowl with clean drinking water, and lay rocks on the bottom ensuring they are large enough to break the water surface so bees can safely tread in the water. Creating a Bee Bath would be especially helpful for bees in New Zealand's hot summers.

Becoming familiar with your local community's surroundings and the biodiversity it is able to foster, both in the form of plants and insects, is pivotal in saving our bees. Research your local community pages or even download plant and animal identifying apps, such as iNaturalist from the app store to find out how you can play your part in creating a sustainable future for our flora and fauna. Bee-coming aware of all the kinds of bees that can be found in your own neighbourhood allows you to better understand them as a species, and what kinds of plants they love.

Use online resources to learn about the best kinds of native plants bees can most effectively use to pollinate. Below are a few examples of some plants you can put into your own backyard that bees would love to have around! Annual flowers: calendula, marigold, sunflowers, poppies, cosmos, hollyhocks, fox gloves, echium, clover, nasturtiums. Perennials: comfrey, dahlias, echinacea, geraniums, aquilegia, gladiolus, lavender. Shrubs: Californian lilac, buddleia, echium. Climbers: honeysuckle, clematis. Fruit and vegetables: blackberry, cucumbers, pumpkin, courgette. Herbs: bee balm, borage, coriander, rosemary, thyme.