Bees
Paul Webb, Energy Expert
Founder of B2B Energy Ltd | Chartered Energy Manager MEI, ESOS Lead Assessor, Energy Expert,Energy Manager, Author of Energy Management Books, Podcaster and an established Energy Manager Trainer.
During my life without actually thinking too much, I have had this affinity of the Bee, I actually was stung by one when I was 2 years of age and I remember the pain so vividly. I actually knelt on it not knowing what it was and the Bee managed to get his sting into me before it was killed I believed. This led to my Dad having to go up in the loft to see where they were all coming from. Well my Dad actually jumped down from the loft within seconds as there was the biggest Bees Nest he had ever seen. Not only was it in the shape of a pillow but it was vibrating immensely. It took a specialist the whole day to get the nest under control and it was removed environmentally to a safer place to become a Beehive.
Since then now Fifty-Four Years later and possibly more Bee accidents and Wasp stings I would like to admit, I have gained an increased appreciation of the Bee. Even in the last month and after speaking with Jenny Bailey, Conservationist, Co-Founder and Author at the Tales from Mother Earth, I have learnt even more, and her inspiration has infused my company B2B Energy Ltd to purchase 10 of her books and distribute them to my local schools and across the world. This is in pursuit to teach our next generation.
I was always aware that the Bee was an important creature in our world but after watching a BBC Programme called “What would happen if bees were extinct” I was totally shocked.
If there were no bees in the world there would probably be no world due to the Bee providing a very high percentage of the global pollination and the world’s population of 7 Billion people would not be sustained. Now we all enjoy a simple glass of wine well there would not be grapes so there is one of many luxuries that would go (not that I am a drinker of wine) but I know how we can take all this for granted.
When I spoke with Jenny I then really began to take this more seriously and I began to understand that our Bees were declining, and after researching this further found that their habitats are eroding, we are replacing areas with crops which do not support the Bee, there is a Bee Mite which lives on the Honey Bee (surprisingly small) known as a destructor weakening the Bee by sucking on its blood. It will kill a colony of Bees. This is just half the story we have pectise issues and of course Global Warming.
Research has shown that the Bee has been extinct before but there was an Ice Age. Due to evolution we see the return of the Bee.
As human beings what can we do to help this decline, can we help it? For me it is like the question of Climate Change we possibly cannot change nature, but we can have a good attempt to slow things down and help the environment we live in. Not everyone will have the appetite for this I am sure even in today’s world when our lifes are now expecting to change , we all do our best to adapt, so does nature.
There are some small things we can do:
· Create a small meadow area in your garden
· Plant some Lavender shrubs
· Install a Bird Bath with pebbles in for the Bees to bath and drink from
· Teach and educate tomorrows generation
Since speaking with Jenny and reading more on this subject, I have created a small tub area with a meadow, I have planted some Lavender in pots and built a ‘Bee Bath’ It makes you feel so much better when you have done the right thing by nature.
If you want to find out more about Bees and making a difference please go to www.talesfrommotherearth.co.uk alternative contact me on www.b2benergy.co.uk
Director - Business Development, Western Region and Hawaii
4 年Paul -- Thanks for you post. I'm a big believer in lavender for its fragrance, beauty and service to bees. George Washington University conducted a study on the decline in bees in 2015. The link follows for those interested in the results. https://gwtoday.gwu.edu/plight-honeybee
Customer Focused, Curious & Passionate Client Relationship Manager. The Prince's Trust Enterprise Award Winner??Growing Business Revenue Organically & With Intent. Truffle Hunter, Solution Provider.
4 年Such a lovely post Paul Webb which resonated with me. Bees ?? and elephants ?? were my favourite animals as a child, until I was repeatedly stung as a youngster by my neighbours bees ?? For some reason they regularly swarmed aggressively from his hives throughout summer and stung anything in their path. Could've been worse i suppose; I could've been trampled by elephants ?? . Fortunately I fell back in love with bees, & my mother loves flowers that bees also love. So I've created a garden for her that's a haven for both her and our furry friends full of leucantheums, echinaceas, various salvias, veronicastrums, rebekias, peonies, clematis, lobella, catnip & nepetas, geraniums, wild poppies, scabiosa, lillies. When its sunny we sit and watch the bees and butterflies floating about happily and it brings us so much joy.
Conservationist, Director at Mysson Property Co Ltd, and Composer for Tales from Mother Earth
4 年Great to read you thoughts and comments about our book. I wrote the music for the cd and had to see life from a bees perspective, in order to create the feel of a bee at work. I too have learned so much about bees and the challenges they face. Every third forkful of food Is Made possible by the work of a bee. Whether a honey bee, or one of the 250 species of solitary bees. We must ignore them at our peril. I have allowed half of my garden to grow wild, more flowers, more bees and definitely less mowing. More time for beer, if you ever needed an incentive? Thanks To b2b for supporting our Work.
Innovation Development Manager at SA Power Networks | Global Shapers Advisory Council | Climate Reality Leader | US IVLP 2023 & Australia DFAT New Colombo Plan 2015 Alumna | IRENA & WEF Summer Davos 2024 Youth Delegate
4 年Ross Heron