You can help thank bees and celebrate pollinators with your children this week by making your home and/or yard pollinator-friendly through creating pesticide free habitats and planting native flowers. A green lawn without flowers is like a desert to most pollinators since there is no food, water, or place to rest in sight. Learn more about going pesticide free here and check out some of our favorite kid-friendly pollinator activities from Pollinator.org below!
Some fast facts for kids about bees:
Why are bees important?
Bees are a critical part of natural environments, and they provide a valuable service to humans when they pollinate our fruit and vegetable plants and wildflowers.
Aren’t bees dangerous? Don’t they sting?
Most bees don’t sting, and few species defend their nest (bumblebees are an exception). Bees generally only use their stingers in defense. No need to fear being stung if you move slowly and non aggressively!
What can we do to help bees?
There are several things you can do for bees and other pollinators in your backyard. First, you should never use pesticides since they’re deadly to bees and other insects and wildlife. You can also learn about which plants are native to where you live and start planting them in your yard. Group several “bee” plants together in flowering patches to increase overall attraction of the site to a greater diversity of bees.
You can also make homes for native bees in your yard! Many of the wild bees you may encounter in your backyard garden make their burrow homes in the soil. Some bees create hives in snags (a dead or dying standing tree, often with its branches broken off), or in holes in trees. You can also encourage bee-residents by providing man-made nesting blocks or “Bee Condos.” Learn more.
Learn more by checking out this educational pollinator puzzle and then view this worksheet with more ways you can take action for pollinators.