A walk, the bees, and dandelions

So, it seems spring in finally in force and we took a family walk yesterday around the Brick Reservoir. We found a fantastic and informative sign there whose message we wanted to share. Unfortunately it’s not about acupuncture :( but it is about the health of our wildlife and people in general.

Posted with permission of Brick Utilities/Brick Reservoir

IF YOU SAVE THE DANDELIONS, YOU WILL SAVE THE BEES, AND THE BEES WILL SAVE US. WE CAN’T SURVIVE WITHOUT THEM!

Wildflowers are the most important bee plants in the Northeast. Of these, probably the single most valuable early spring wildflower is the dandelion. If a hive survives the winter, beekeepers know the bees will be safe from starvation if they can stay alive until the dandelions bloom.

Dandelion pollen is moderately nutritious and the nectar is abundant. It doesn’t produce a surplus of honey (I.e. enough nectar to produce honey above and beyond what the bees will use for themselves) but it gives the bees a huge boost in the spring and adds to the health and well being of the hive.

It is very important to remember that not only are honeybees the only produces of honey, but they are also responsible for pollinating over 70% of ALL the fruits and vegetables we humans consume.

So, a very simple, easy way to help honeybees is to refrain from killing the dandelions in your lawn, plus they are actually quite pretty. As a matter of fact, why not go one step further - the next time you see a bald patch on your lawn, think about planting Dutch Clover instead of grass. Bees thrive on various flowers and ‘weeds’ including clover and plantain (from which they collect bee pollen).

Do you really need that perfect, manicured, chemical-laden lawn? Just look at it this way - the wildflowers (dandelions) on your front lawn aren’t from poor lawn maintenance. They are a part of nature there to help the bees, who in turn help us keep our food supplies plentiful.

We wanted to post this message as our family from Healthworks has always believed this. We replaced our grass with a clover mix and found it extremely durable, plus we regularly get compliments on the full green coverage. An added benefit is that there no need for constant mowing as clover establishes a nice 2” height and stops. We usually buy our clover seed from stores like Tractor Supply which sells bags of mixed clover and plantain to hunters as an attractant for deer, though our use has much more positive impact on our local environment. Dutch clover and various mixed clovers can also readily be found on Amazon.

As always, be well, stay well, and head on out for a walk around the reservoir (or your choice of location) for a nice, healthy, relaxing stroll. Oh, and get acupuncture too :)