Preserving Bees (and other insects)

 Bees are not merely important for the honey they produce, but for pollination, which matters for crops as well as for gardens. We have known for a long time about the effect of pesticides, The good news is that the amount of pesticides is decreasing. The bad news is that the problem has grown worse, not better. Damian Carrington writes in the Guardian (1 April 2021):

"Modern pesticides have much lower toxicity to people, wild mammals and birds and are applied in lower amounts, but they are even more toxic to invertebrates. The study shows the higher toxicity outweighs the lower volumes, leading to a more deadly overall impact on pollinators and waterborne insects such as dragonflies and mayflies." (SOURCE)

The data comes from a US study from 1992 to 2016. Fewer insects can affect other animals that feed on them. The Eco Committee at St. George's is planning an insect hotel in the garden as one very small step toward helping the insect population.  

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