• Honeybees are not threathened. In some areas of the world they are also non-native and can outcompete native pollinators.
• The survival problem for wild bees is manifold: their flowery habitats are dissappearing due to construction, monoculture and factory farming, unmaintained forestation, desertification, the use of pesticides, climate change (many types have weather dependent life cycles), modern garden landscaping trends (gravel, plain grass, deco reeds, exotic species; u know the type), loss of nesting/hibernation sites, etc. Plenty of problems!
• Pollinators are important for biodiversity and crop pollination but they are also important for other species(many hooverflies depend on solitary bees for their parasitic nesting habits, some spider hunting wasp have a population check function etc.
• Pollinators include solitary bees, bumble bees, wasp, hooverflies, butterflies amongst others.
• Wild bees are very important for pollination because many of them just transport the pollen by dunking in it instead of keeping it in ‘baskets’ to their legs thus ´losing´ more pollen during flight=more pollination. That is partially why many of these species are at least part furry.
• Native plants are important cuz they can be crazy specialized. Not only are native plants easier to recognize for them but it ensures that the nectar is accessible. Some species even relay on only one type of plant/flower. Gardens full of exotic, inaccessible flowerw are useless. Many flowers do not always mean more pollinators.
• The biggest pesticide threath is neonicotinoids. They are banned on open-air plants Europe for this reason (but not in glass houses!). I believe it has similar effects like ´nerve gas´ for bees though I am not a chemisist. Their biggest producer is Bayer I believe and they are constantly trying to proof that it is not true and that the EU should lift its ban. Fuck them. I dont know about restrictions in other parts of the world.
• Solitary bees are non-territorial and don´t have hives. Wasps and bees are not your enemy.
• Some wild bees and wasp nest in holes like reed or bamboo tubes. These have to be dry, stable and in a warm, sunny spot. You can make a ´hotel´ or buy one. Some recs: the tubes have to be splinter free so they wont tear the fragile wings, the nest should be absorbant like bamboo, wood or cardboard tubes, no pvc or glass pipes or sth it will stay wet and breed fungi, no wire with pinecones or woodblocks or whatever. Useless for pollinators and other insects prefer natural hide-outs, a small roof protects the entrances from wind and rain. Many bees like to shelter in unfinished nests during bad weather so some cover is appreciated. They have to be deep enough. The fertilized female eggs are put deeper in the back cuz it takes longer to emerge than the unfertilzed males. Otherwise the males would need to gnaw through the females. Many sold hotels are only very shallow so only males bees will emerge from those. At least 16 cm preferably 20 cm deep. Dont make a giant one. 1 parasite or mite infestation could wipe out an entire generation, it is better to have several smaller ones. While bees dont mind reusing tubes, it is better to replace/clean every 1-2 years to protect against pests. Might make a seperate post on this.
• Other bees nest in dry spots on the grounds eg bumble bees. There also exist some buyable ´bumble bees nest´ but you need a ´dry´ spot. I have no experience with those because of the wet clay soil here but you can read up on them!
• My local mason bees predict the weather better than the news. If they get into their tubes, it will turn bad soon!
• Bees are friends! Native plants are low maintenance! Enjoy!

Will rescuing Buster from Randall Tier

• the normalization of jealousy as an indicator of love
• the idea that a sufficiently intense love is enough to overcome any practical incompatibilities
• the idea that you should meet your partner’s every need, and if you don’t, you’re either inadequate or they’re too needy
• the idea that a sufficiently intense love should cause you to cease to be attracted to anyone else
• the idea that commitment is synonymous with exclusivity
• the idea that marriage and children are the only valid teleological justifications for being committed to a relationship
• the idea that your insecurities are always your partner’s responsibility to tip-toe around and never your responsibility to work on
• the idea that your value to a partner is directly proportional to the amount of time and energy they spend on you, and it is in zero-sum competition with everything else they value in life
• the idea that being of value to a partner should always make up a large chunk of how you value yourself