051823_Spring Real Estate Directory _DIGITAL EDITION

6 x May 18 — 31, 2023 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
You may have heard the phrase
“save the bees” and seen it printed
on coffee mugs, T-shirts, social media
accounts and endless other avenues
to spread a message. People's
commitments to these tiny creatures
is based on the huge impact bees
have on the environment and the
food industry. As pollinators, bees
are vital components to fertilizing
food crops. In fact, 1 out of every
3 bites we take of food relies on
pollination.
While the bee population has lessened
for decades, the world has seen
an alarming decline in bee populations
throughout the past few years.
In 1973, the first bee species was
listed as endangered — the rusty
patched bumblebee. According to
a study published earlier this year
by Pennsylvania State University,
researchers found that honey bee
colony loss in the U.S. during the
past five years is primarily related
to the presence of parasitic mites,
extreme weather events, nearby
pesticides and challenges with overwintering.
In one year alone, from
HOW TO ...
Attract Bees to Your Garden
Get Your Yard Buzzing!
by Lauren Gonsalves
2019-20, one study reported a 43%
colony loss in honeybees across the
U.S. With the future of bees in such
a precarious position, many wonder
what they can do to help the bees
in their struggle for survival. One
simple thing we can do is make our
homes more welcoming and beneficial
to bees.
Florida is home to more than 300
species of bees. They are drawn to
native plants and wildflowers. Follow
these tips from the Florida Wildflower
Foundation to attract bees to your
garden:
• Choose a sunny area with welldrained
soil to plant flowers and fruit
trees.
• Plant 15 to 25 species of flowers
of different sizes and shapes for diversity.
Be sure to plant ones that bloom
in different seasons, so bees have a
food source throughout the year.
• Plant five to seven of each species
in clusters to increase visibility.
Bees prefer the colors blue, purple,
white and yellow.
• Have nesting sites and open
patches of sand for ground-nesting
bees. Let hollow-stemmed plants remain
during the winter, leave brush
piles and use clumping grasses such
as lovegrass, wiregrass and muhly
grass for nesting sites.
• Avoid using pesticides. If you
must, use nontoxic, organic pesticides
and repellents.
• Add a small water feature such
as a shallow bird bath from which
bees can drink.
Representatives of the Florida
Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services Division of Plant
Industries recommend the following
plants for bees in Florida: butterfly
milkweed, beggarticks, partridge
pea, blue mistflower, Leavenworth’s
tickseed, firewheel, blanket flower,
Plant
flowers of
the same
species
and
color in
bunches
for easy
visibility
to entice
bees,
such as
a vibrant
yellow.
dune sunflower, dotted horsemint,
spotted beebalm, manyflower
beardtongue, narrowleaf silkgrass,
black-eyed Susan, cabbage palm,
tropical sage, anise-scented goldenrod
and Walter’s viburnum. Other
varieties that attract bees include
coral honeysuckle, marigolds, lavender,
purple coneflower, oleander
and various fruit trees.
Before attracting bees to your
yard, make sure it is safe for you
and your family. If someone in your
home is allergic to bees, this may
not be a route you want to choose.
While most native bees are unaggressive
and solitary — not hive
bees — they can sting if threatened
or provoked. ª
Dr. Emilia
Godoy-Rapport
401 Main Street, Suite A,
Windermere, FL 34786
407.909.1097
WWW.WINDERMERESMILE.COM
Nurse Practitioners:
Esther Pelissier, ARPN-BC
Irene Gan, PMHNP
Raykha Crag-Chaderton, PMHNP-BC
Nadine Massillon, ARPN
Therapists:
Michael Kellogg, LMHC, ATR-BC
Randie Morillo, LCSW, ACSW
Amy Singleton, LMHC
Brooke Parker, LMHC
Cristal Daniel, LMHC
Nadine Massillon
Esther Pelissier