Want to Help Spring Bees Thrive? Start Where You Are.

by Tamara Schmidt, Experiential Herbalist & Nature Therapy Guide

Earth Needs Its Pollinators—Now More Than Ever

Bees Are Still in Trouble — But Here’s What You Can Do About It (Without Becoming a Beekeeper)

You don’t need to keep bees to help bees.

In fact, some of the best support you can offer pollinators starts with how you see your own backyard. That patch of dandelions? Medicine. That slightly scruffy edge of the garden? Home.

Over time, nature connection teaches us not just to notice, but to relate—to pay attention, to listen, to become familiar with who else lives where we do. That familiarity gently untangles fear and opens the door to awe.

In this post, you’ll find 7 practical ways to support pollinators—plus a gentle reminder that this isn’t only about the bees. It’s about building a more reciprocal relationship with the living world.

This Tri-colored Bumblebee (Bombus ternarius) is one of spring’s first pollinators, and Nanking cherry blossoms are one of its earliest food sources.

The State of the Bees in 2025

Over 40% of insect species are declining globally (Source: Biological Conservation, 2024).
North American bumblebee populations have dropped by more than 50% in many regions.
Habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change remain top threats.

But there’s good news: where people take local action, pollinators respond.

Fuzz a’Buzz 🐝✨
Bathed in sunlight and pollen, this busy bee dives deep into a rhododendron’s pink bloom — a perfect spring moment of colour, texture, and purpose.

Why It Matters (To You, To All of Us)

Bees aren’t just adorable—they’re critical.
They pollinate:

75% of the world’s food crops
90% of wild flowering plants
They help keep ecosystems and local gardens alive, buzzing, and beautiful.

Apple Blossom Buzz” 🍎🐝
Amid the blush of spring, a native bee dives into the heart of an apple blossom — a quiet moment that hums with renewal, purpose, and pollen.

What You Can Do — No Hive Required

1. Plant a Patch
Choose native wildflowers, herbs (like thyme, chives, mint), and trees that bloom early and late.

2. Skip the Chemicals
Avoid pesticide sprays—even “natural” ones can harm bees if sprayed while flowers are open.

3. Rethink Beauty
Your lawn doesn’t need to look like a golf course. Many of the “weeds” you might pull—violet, dandelion, plantain, creeping Charlie, red clover, chickweed—are not only herbal medicines, they’re also important food sources for bees. Let your yard be a place that nourishes life, not just appearance.

4. Leave a Little Mess
Some bee species nest in leaf litter, hollow stems, or quiet corners. Mow less. Let part of your yard go a little wild—it’s not neglect; it’s generosity.

5. Spend Time Outside
When you connect with nature regularly, you begin to notice who lives there with you. You become an expert on your local bees, the rhythms of bloom, the quiet presence of life all around. The more time you spend outdoors, the more your relationship with the wild grows—and the less fear you feel. Familiarity breeds connection, not contempt.

6. Support Local Beekeepers & Growers
Buy honey and produce from those who work with nature, not against it.

7. Spread the Buzz
Share this post, tag a friend, or talk about pollinators with a neighbour. Small ripples matter.

Bonus Tip: Offer a Bee-Friendly Water Source
Set out a shallow dish—like a pie plate—filled with fresh water and pebbles, twigs, or pine cones. These provide safe landing spots so bees can sip without risk. Place it in the shade near blooming flowers, and refresh the water daily to keep it clean and inviting. Your local pollinators will thank you!

Spring’s Sweet Work” 🍯🌸
In the quiet hum of early spring, a honeybee moves from plum bloom to plum bloom — stitching life into the season, one flower at a time.

A Thought to End On

“If we have the power to terraform another planet, then we have the power to turn Earth back into Earth.” — Neil deGrasse Tyson

In other words: if we can dream of inhabiting Mars, surely we can learn to take better care of this incredible planet.

Caring for bees isn’t about fixing everything overnight.
It’s about choosing relationship over extraction—life over convenience.
And that’s what I’m here for.

First Foragers” 🌱🐝
Snowdrops don’t just signal the return of spring — they feed the earliest pollinators when little else blooms. Here, in the hush of late winter, the season’s first hum begins.

Explore Pollinator-Inspired Prints

Looking for a gentle reminder of what’s worth protecting?
Check out my Print Collection on Etsy — each image was captured during my nature walks, where bees and blossoms still thrive.