No bees – no food. It’s that simple.
Approximately 80 per cent of the food we eat yields a crop as a direct result of it being pollinated by bees. Bee numbers are however down by 70 per cent worldwide, and if the bees were to disappear completely there would be major food shortages like never before. Experts studying this situation are of the opinion that the human race wouldn’t last very much longer than four years if the world’s bee population were to collapse in one fell swoop.
Most people are aware of the decline in the bee population worldwide but don’t know what they can do to help the bees. There are a number of things you can do to help them, without being a beekeeper yourself. Johann Marx, a beekeeper from Roodepoort, has decided to organise a local initiative to give ordinary citizens an opportunity to help the bees, first and foremost through education and information. He will give advice and share information wherever it can help the bees. The ‘Sponsor A Hive’ project is however not just one man’s effort. It’s a collective effort worldwide, by everyone who wants to help bees prosper, because if the bees die, so do we.
Internationally, the majority of farmers understand the value of bees pollinating their crops, and they have standing contracts with beekeepers to provide such services. This doesn’t seem to be the case in South Africa, because the biggest problem our beekeepers face is vandalism. Abject poverty and unemployment causes destitute people who don’t have anything to eat to vandalise bee-hives for the honey and sometimes the entire hive for fire-wood. In the process they kill all the bees in such a hive.
So – join the ‘Sponsor-a-Hive’ project by sponsoring a hive. Johann will populate your hive, number it and keep track of it on one of his fixed hive sites. In roughly 36 months you have the option of selling your hive back to the project, or re-investing the ‘honey money’ from your hive into more hives. This will give more swarms more space to increase their numbers quickly and safely. Alternatively, you can make a donation of any amount.
What else can ordinary South Africans do to help the numbers of bees increase?
1. Don’t kill bee swarms around your home or workplace. They can be removed and relocated to a suitable, safe and controlled environment.
2. Make sure that when you contact a “bee remover” to remove a swarm, that they “relocate” the bees instead of just spraying them with insecticide.
3. Some exterminators will not only kill bees on your property, but they will also destroy the area where the bees swarmed in order to prevent them from coming back. If the bees don’t bother you too much, leave the area where they were just as is, and when a new swarm settles there again, you can contribute another swarm to the beekeepers who will look after the bees.
4. Plant bee-friendly plants in your garden. These are varieties that produce good nectar and pollen. Most nurseries will be able to give advice in this regard.
5. Try to plant natural seeds instead of genetically modified seeds. There is strong evidence that genetically modified seeds are contributing to the decline in bee population.
6. Don’t use insecticides in and around your house. There are scores of natural products that one can use to keep pests away. For instance, if you plant khakibos (also known as Stinking Roger or khaki-bush) around your fruit trees and in your veggie garden, you won’t have fruit-flies and other bugs eating your crops.
As soon as this collective effort has enough hives, Johann will start providing pollination services. Some hive-sponsors have already indicated that they want to become more involved and get hands-on with the bees, and some of them are already assisting with bee removals and relocation.
For more details, contact Johann on 076 200 0771.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
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