Be Well - June 2021

Be Well

The Common Market’s Wellness Newsletter

Power to the Pollinators!

GROWING YOUR POLLINATOR GARDEN BEE-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS

Money-saving coupon inside!

JUNE 2021

gardening for pollinators Though they’re often seen as ‘pests’, bees and other pollinators are crucial to our food supply.

In fact, 80% of our crops are pollinated by honey bees alone! In recent years, however, Colony Collapse Syndrome has had a huge impact on hive health, causing beekeepers to lose roughly 30% of their hives each year. First detected in 2006, Colony Collapse Syndrome’s cause is suspected to be a combination of monocropping (growing a single crop year after year on the same land), pesticide and fungicide use, increased levels of parasitic mites in hives, and a decrease in bee immune health. Here are a few ways you can help pollinators (including bumble bees, carpenter bees, flies, butterflies, and moths) thrive!

plant native plants

Plant native flowers such as Joe Pye weed, blazing star, cardinal flower, bee balm, black eyed susan, milk weed, and black cohosh.

Some common garden plants and flowers are also a great way to attract native pollinators. Lavender, thyme and oregano flowers attract all types of bees, and butterflies love zinnias and sunflowers.

These plants are also important to the larval stages of certain insects such as butterflies. For example, milk weed is an important food source for Monarch butterfly caterpillars.

bee boxes

Build and put up bee boxes to provide shelter for non aggressive bee species such as carpenter bees.

stop the spray

Minimize or eliminate the use of pesticides and herbicides in your home garden.

tolerate a little mess

Leave dead snags and leaf litter, keep areas bare for ground nesting insects, and leave some weeds that provide food for pollinators. source: https://www.pollinator.org/pollinator.org/assets/generalFiles/CentralAppalachianrx7FINAL_170624_124216_1.pdf

what is bee pollen?

Bee pollen is a ball of pollen made by young bees when they land on a flower. It’s a mixture of pollen, saliva, and nectar or honey. It is said to relieve inflammation, boost liver health, and may work as an antioxidant.

Products to Look For We support companies that do valuable work on combating Colony Collapse Syndrome and other threats to bee health.

hays apiary host defense

Host Defense has been partnering with the University of Washington and the Washington Beekeepers Association since 2014 to research ways to combat Colony Collapse Syndrome. They began researching the use of mycelium extracts of certain mushrooms to help boost the bees’ immune system in order to help them combat the viruses that may contribute to Colony Collapse Syndrome. Their research has shown positive results so far.

Read more at fungi.com/pages/bees.

Host Defense Immunity Teas

Host Defense supplements

hays apiary bee pollen

Hays Apiary, located in Smithsburg, Maryland is a member of the National Honey Board which has allocated 5% of their revenue each year to bee health research.

Read more at honey.com/bees-sustainability/ bee-health.

beekeeper’s naturals

Beekeeper Naturals has partnered with the University of California Davis’ honey bee research facility to help fund their research.

Read more at beekeepernaturals.com/pages/ bee-cause.

beekeeper’s naturals supplements

y.s. eco bee farms bee pollen

Good for these products:

10% OFF Host Defense, Y.S. Eco Bee Farm, Beekeeper Naturals, and Hays Apiary products Coupon valid 6/1/2021 - 4/30/2021.

Coupon must be present to receive discount.

Not to be combined with any other offer or discount.

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