Protect Bees and People Simultaneously: How To Do It

January 10th, 2017

37969185 - bee vectorBee stings aren’t exactly fun, but it’s important to remember that bees play an absolutely vital role in our ecosystem. The EPA recently released a policy outlining a plan to protect bees from dangerous pesticides while still keeping humans safe from enduring bees as dangerous pests.

Why Do Bees Matter?

One simple statistic efficiently sums up the reason we owe bees some appreciation: bees pollinate one sixth of the flowering plant species in the world and about 400 agricultural plants. Consider the implications of that fact. Honeybees and other pollinating bees are responsible for helping to produce almost $20 billion worth of crops annually, and they uphold this duty month after month, year after year. Without the pollination that bees achieve, common foods like cantaloupes, pumpkins, blueberries, apples, watermelons, and many more would no longer be able to grow. Of course, we also rely on bees to produce honey and wax.

The EPA's New Plan

Pesticides, synthetic chemicals that are meant to kill pests like insects, are threatening bees at an alarming rate. Given the value of bees not just to humans but to the environment in general, the EPA has devised a plan to protect bees from dangerous pesticides. According to the release of the Policy to Mitigate the Acute Risk to Bees from Pesticide Products, “acutely toxic pesticides” will be prohibited under certain conditions when bees are believed to be present. Though this policy only applies to managed bee populations, the EPA believes that it will indirectly protect and support native bee populations that thrive in the area.

What About Pest Control At Home?

While keeping bees safe is a top environmental priority, homeowners also want to know that they have a way to protect themselves from unwanted bees as well. Fortunately, there are many constructive pest control methods that can remove bee populations from homes and businesses without harming the bees themselves. These natural methods don’t rely on pesticides but instead utilize knowledge of bee behavior to relocate them somewhere safer. By remaining environmentally conscious, humans and insects can successfully coexist.