09/03/2026
our honeybees can often be found foraging alongside native pollinators in our fields & gardens.
much of the discourse surrounding bee populations struggling are centered around honeybees and beekeeping as the solution, when this is far from accurate.
despite record breaking losses over wintering in the last few years, in Canada, managed honeybee populations are the largest they’ve ever been (meaning we have more managed honeybee populations than ever before). yes, honeybees are facing many stressors and yes, as beekeepers we have faced devastating losses year after year and are trying to rethink the wheel a bit.
BUT, the bees who are in imminent danger? our native pollinators. the leaf cutters, bumblebees, mason bees, carpenter bees, swear bees, mining bees, among other pollinators such as butterflies, moths, birds, & more.
destruction of habitat due to development, large scale agriculture, pesticide use, modern lawns & garden management, and lack of forage all contribute to shrinking pollinator populations.
what’s the solution?
- plant native plants 🌱🌸 - native pollinators are not always adapted to forage from introduced plant species. focusing on growing plants native to your region is the simplest way to support native pollinators!
- leave it wild 🌻🐛 - leave your lawn, leave your leaves, rewild your yard, leave some brush or deadfall, all of this brush and debris provides habitat for ground nesting pollinators and beneficial insects
- no sprays, learn about regenerative gardening, how to support beneficial insects, companion planting and biodynamic gardening
- controversial opinion: no beekeeping 🚫. the most common thing we hear from folks is “I want to help save the bees, I want to buy a beehive”. contributing to bee health can be done in so many ways BEFORE purchasing a honeybee colony. honeybees compete with native pollinators for forage and contribute to native pollinators struggling. we have downsized our operation and shifted much of our own focus away from managing honeybees. we emphasize planting for & caring for local bees first. unfortunately the barrier for entry to beekeeping is quite low, contd in comments �
