Go Outside: The Life of a Busy Bee

It looks as though spring has sprung in a few corners of Northern California. While we could use a bit more rain, it's really nice to see flowers in bloom again.

I took a nice, long walk the other day and I definitely wasn't the only one admiring the flowers. The bees are back in action as well:

I'm no expert, but this here looks like a honey bee. Honey bees are having a heck of a time surviving what we humans are doing to the planet so I was pretty excited to watch it work. I don't necessarily enjoy insects, but I do respect the role they play in our world.

Just look at her (him?) go:

I don't know about you, but when I see nature in action, I can't help but wonder how we can keep it thriving. Internet searches led me to the always interesting PBS website. I found this old podcast of Nature and its accompanying How to Help the Bees section. This issue of Colony Collapse Disorder is a pretty big problem, but we can all do small things to help. Am I right? Who's with me?

Any of you know more about the issues surrounding honey bees? How are you helping? I'd love to learn more, so feel free to share your tips or stories in the comment section.