Bees and how we can look after them.

As we come into the full swing of Spring, the constant yet subtle buzz of our pollinator friends is a great reminder that we need to think carefully about them.

As we all know, Bees are a fundamental resource for our world. From pollinating our fruits to keep us fed, to our forests that supply our clean air. They also create the elixir of life, Honey.

Let's start with attracting our mates to enjoy our garden. What is it that attracts them? The main answer here is a safe foraging area with lots of resources. Having a year-round flowering garden, using some of our amazing native plants will be a good start to inviting them in.

Supplying them with a generous feed of other plants that flower at a similar time to your fruits will naturally attract more bees. for most fruit trees that are flowering in early spring, look to Leptospermum, Grevillea Philotheca and Banksia species.

Another thing to keep in mind would be fruit nets. This won't be an issue for most fruit trees as nets are applied once fruit is maturing. However, for fruits such as cucumbers, zucchinis and pumpkins, they can wield off unwanted intruders coming for a feed. The main thing to consider for these applications is that the spacing in the net allows the bees access to the plant. No Bees = no fruit!

Now, let's talk about the don'ts. Whilst Spring usually means a ton of unwanted pests, let be considerate in how we approach this. A lot of herbicides and pesticides used, especially commercially, are very harmful to our friends. This means that it is not recommended for use on plants and trees that are in flower.

I currently have a plum tree that gets heavily infected by Aphids on new shoots, so right now is their feasting time. It is also in full blossom. Pesticides like White Oil or Pyrethrum will harm the bees so that out of the question. So, what can I do? Do I just live with it? Short answer is no; you can still do something. Soapy water in a sprayer will not harm our bees however will be detrimental to the exoskeleton of Aphids, slowly breaking it down and removing the pest. Although not as effective as conventional pesticides, it will help reduce pest populations without off-target harm to bees.

My opinion on bees.

They rock! We have such an awesome and diverse environment here on Phillip Island and it's a massive shout of to the Bees for that! I've been closely watching our native Blue Banded Bees making their way through my garden this afternoon in awe. They are such a placid pollinator and I'm grateful for the bumper fruit crop I'll get this year. Buzz on!

Native Blue Banded Bee getting his fix from this blooming Nectarine.

Philotheca myoporoides giving a stunning show and a good feed for this lucky guy.