September is National Honey Month, and the National Honey Board is reaffirming its commitment to pollinators by partnering with another honey bee advocacy group, Project Apis m. This week, the two organizations announced that they would invest $10 million over the next three years in a joint effort to improve the health and well-being of America’s bee colonies. This effort will focus on the three primary threats to bee health: Pesticides, habitat destruction and parasites such as the varroa mite.
“Thanks to previous research and funding, we’ve been making progress toward better bee health, however, we still have a long road ahead,” said Danielle Downey, Executive Director of Project Apis m. in her announcement. “We’re pleased to join our partners and the National Honey board to commit to funding vital research to continue to improve bee health.”
There will also be an educational component to the honey bee health initiative.
In a press release, the National Honey Board and Project Apis m. have offered a number of suggestions for ordinary citizens who are interested in protecting honey bees and other pollinators. These include limiting the use of chemical fertilizers, and adding pollinator-friendly plants to gardens. Homeowners can also allow dandelions and other flowering weeds to grow to provide local bees with even more sources of nectar and pollen.
Thanks to this multi-million dollar investment from two major advocacy groups, researchers will have more of the resources they need to help bees recover from years of devastating colony losses. Together, we can all do our part to promote honey bee health and protect pollinator habitats for the future.