Ever wonder how you can help save the bees? We’ve partnered with beekeeper and educator Hilary Kearney, also known as Girl Next Door Honey, to share her expertise on how to bee a hero to our important pollinators. Here are a few easy, practical tips to help honey bees thrive from our garden.

As a beekeeper, I’m always advising people on how to best help the bees, but you don’t have to become a beekeeper to make the world a better place for our bee friends. Read on for a handy list of how to support bees in your city.

Grow Bee-friendly Flowers

One the best and most enjoyable ways to support bees is to provide food for them by planting a bee-friendly garden. Bees sustain themselves with the pollen and nectar they collect from flowers. When they have a wealth of flowers available to them, they are healthier and better able to survive. You can help bees by transforming outdoor spaces into flowering bee havens. Even if you don’t have a yard of your own, you may be able to grow potted flowers on a balcony, influence your neighbours to plant for bees!

Plant Native Plants

There are 20,000 different species of bees in the world and while some of them are generalist, like honey bees who visit many different kinds of flowers, others are specialists and will only visit certain kinds of plants. These bees often have relationships with plants native to their habitat so it’s important to include native plants when planting for bees. 

Here are popular flowers in Malaysia you can plant:

Don’t Exterminate

If a swarm of bees land in your garden— don’t call the exterminator, call a beekeeper! Many beekeepers do bee rescues and can safely relocate bees to a new home.

Don’t Use Pesticides

The next time you encounter a pest problem in the garden, reach for a fertilizer instead of a pesticide. Many pest problems are the result of poor soil health. If you strengthen your plants by enriching the soil, you’ll often resolve your pest issue. A pesticide is only a temporary fix and the negative impact it has on bees is too high of a price. When selecting a fertilizer choose an organic option and avoid products that are described as “all-in-one care”, they often contain a pesticide as well as a fertilizer.

Provide Water

All animals need water to survive and bees are no exception. Honey bees also must collect water to cool their hives when the weather turns hot. Their biggest challenge is accessing the water without drowning. You can help by providing a bee-friendly water source. Create landing pads in your fish pond by adding some stones

In conclusion, there are many simple yet effective ways to support and protect bees in Malaysia. By planting bee-friendly flowers, including native plants, avoiding pesticides, and providing a source of water, we can help bees thrive and ensure their crucial role in our ecosystem. Remember, every small action can make a big difference in the fight to save these important pollinators. Stay tuned for more tips and insights from beekeeper and educator Hilary Kearney on how to be a hero to our buzzing friends.