A Note from SJ Francis: Bees may not technically be an animal, but they also need our voice to keep them safe. For me, that is one and the same. Only recently has the United States become aware of just how very important bees are. They are essential to our survival. without bees to pollinate, many plants would not produce fruit.
Personally, I like bees, more so now as an adult than when I was a child. Down south in Mississippi, red wasps are a plentiful nuisance. Their stings are merciless. I've noticed that bumblebees claim parts of our backyard as their territory and when they do, they keep the wasps away. I consider them my friends. I ensure that we use no chemicals on our property. We keep our bird baths full and we keep small piles of debris for them to nest in. What do you do to keep your yards bee friendly?
From Bee-Friendlier.com: https://www.bee-friendlier.com/learn-more/#Importance-of-Bees
"We depend on bees more than most people realize.
"One in three bites of food1 is made possible by bees and other pollinators . Bees pollinate nearly two-thirds of major U.S. crop species. We can thank bees for coffee, chocolate, tomatoes, cotton and more. Bees are also vital to clover and alfalfa: two crops that feed cattle and other grazing animals. In the United States alone, over one hundred crops need or benefit from bees, which translates to $3 billion of our economy.
"Pollinators are also essential to other animals. Many fruits and seeds need pollinators to grow and survive – plants that feed a quarter of all birds and several mammal species.
Colony Losses
In 2006 beekeepers warned that bees were mysteriously disappearing. Bees that seemed healthy were simply abandoning their hives and never returning.
Why? No one knows the exact cause, though scientists believe there are several factors:
Exposure to pesticides
Hive management practices
Invasive parasitic mites
A new virus
An inadequate food supply
Scientists and researchers all over the country are trying to find solutions, and we can help by:
Planting bee friendlier native wildflowers
Supporting organic agriculture
Avoiding pesticides
Additional Resource such ashttp://www.cascadianfarm.com/programs/save-the-bees/what-cascadian-farm-is-doing
Here's the French point of view on the importance of bees:
Why the BEE FRIENDLY label ?
BEE FRIENDLY, an answer to the bee protection challenge!
88% of the French are aware of the sudden collapse of bees and 81% identify the agricultural practices as the primary cause of this decline. (IPSOS UNAF 2011 Survey).
Identifying bee friendly products, BEE FRIENDLY gives consumers the opportunity to promote agricultural practices and products that are in harmony with the well-being of pollinators.
The colony collapse disorder
All over the world – and even more so in the industrialized countries, bees and pollinators are declining.
Although numerous hypothesis try to explain those phenomena (some far-fetched), beekeepers, as a growing number of scientists around the world, are providing evidence that bees are predominantly weakened by the use of pesticides harmful to pollinators and biodiversity loss arising from the intensification of agriculture
However, bees play a vital role in agriculture and biodiversity through its pollination action. In its pollen and nectar foraging, bee pollination contributes to 80% plant species in the world, producing 84% of the cultivated species in Europe that depends directly on its pollinator role.
Bees are essential, not only to maintain the balance of natural ecosystems but also to ensure yields from our agriculture (orchards, forage, vegetable, flower and seed production, etc) and thus our food resources. A study by INRA in 2008 showed that pollinating insect activity is crucial as pollinating insects and bees in particular are responsible for 35% of our food supply… the turnover induced is estimated to €153 billion per year worldwide. It is now a priority to protect bees!
Bring Back the Pollinators Campaign
Take action today!
It’s easy to Bring Back the Pollinators with these four simple steps:
Flowers provide the nectar and pollen resources that pollinators feed on. Growing the right flowers, shrubs, and trees with overlapping bloom times will support pollinators from spring through fall.
Learn more about how you can help bees.
http://www.certifiedbeefriendly.org/en/
https://www.bee-friendlier.com/learn-more/#Importance-of-Bees
http://www.xerces.org/bringbackthepollinators/
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/pollinators
A home for growing pollinators is essential. You can leave patches of bare ground and brush piles or install nesting blocks, and plant caterpillar host plants.
Pesticides are harmful to pollinators, especially insecticides. Herbicides reduce food sources by removing flowers from the landscape.
Let your friends and neighbors know you’re providing habitat with a pollinator habitat sign. You can also sign the Pollinator Protection Pledge!
http://www.xerces.org/pollinatorprotectionpledge/
“Some secrets should remain that way.”
- Read more at: http://emilysquotes.com/when-i-look-into-the-eyes-of-an-animal-i-do-not-see-an-animal-i-see-a-living-being-i-see-a-friend-i-feel-a-soul/
Thanks for visiting my blog for the animals. It's always great to connect with another animal lover. If you and I don't speak up for them, who will? Be a voice for the animals and put a little joy in your heart while speaking up for them.
Want to help out shelter animals without spending a dime?
Go to www.freekibble.com
Answer a question daily for dogs and cats and kibble is donated to feed them.
Click on www.freekibble.com/litter and help give litter for cats.
Another way to help feed shelter animals without spending a dime is to visit and click the big purple box at:
Until next time….hug your animals. Tell them you love them. If you don’t have a pet, adopt one. Make adoption your first option when seeking a pet. Adopt. Don’t shop. Can’t adopt. Please consider fostering one. The animal will have the taste of home and the shelter will cover the expenses. Can’t foster? Make a donation or volunteer at your local shelter. Please, don’t hunt. Unless you’re starving down in a ditch somewhere, there is no logical reason to do so. Whatever you do, however you do it, please be a voice for the animals large and small. All it takes is one to make a difference, good or bad.
Coins That Count:
Is your coin jar overflowing? Turn that loose change into cash that helps animals by donating to The HSUS at participating Coinstar machines nationwide. Where to go» Find a Kiosk near you...
https://www.coinstar.com/kioskfinder?element=Charity&parmName=HumaneSocietyofUS
https://www.coinstar.com/kioskfinder?element=Charity&parmName=HumaneSocietyofUS
Together, you and I can make a difference in an animal's life. I’m one for the animals. Are you? Thanks for visiting. Stay safe. Be strong. Be happy. Smile. Show compassion. Be nice to one another. Pass it onward. If you like what you see here, please consider signing up to become a follower. Please feel free to share this post with others.
Regards,
S.J. Francis
In Shattered Lies: "Good and bad, it's All About Family." Available now from Black Opal Books and for sale at on-line retailers and independent booksellers. “Some secrets should remain that way.”
“Some secrets should remain that way.”
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And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2017 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one.
"When I look into the eyes of an animal I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I feel a soul." ~ANTHONY DOUGLAS WILLIAMS
- Read more at: http://emilysquotes.com/when-i-look-into-the-eyes-of-an-animal-i-do-not-see-an-animal-i-see-a-living-being-i-see-a-friend-i-feel-a-soul/
`Remember: Animals don't have voices. We must be their voice. Always. Forever. Wherever. whenever. I'm one for the animals. Are you?
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