Improve forage and nutrition

Plant diverse, bee-friendly forage around apiaries to provide continuous nectar and pollen from early spring through late autumn. Nutritional stress is a major contributing factor to Colony Collapse Disorder, as poorly nourished bees have weakened immune systems and are more susceptible to viruses transmitted by Varroa mites. Focus on native wildflowers, cover crops such as clover and buckwheat, and flowering trees like linden and black locust.

Why It Works

Bees need a varied diet of pollen from multiple plant species to produce the full range of proteins, lipids, and micronutrients required for healthy brood development and adult immune function. Monoculture landscapes create nutritional gaps that leave colonies vulnerable to disease cascades associated with CCD.

Tips

• Stagger plantings to eliminate gaps in bloom: spring bulbs, summer wildflowers, autumn asters
• Avoid treating forage areas with neonicotinoid or systemic pesticides
• Plant in patches of at least 10 square meters to make foraging energy-efficient for bees
• Supplement with pollen patties during dearth periods when natural forage is unavailable