Expert shares simple idea to bring more life to your garden: 'This is so beautiful'

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, some bee populations are having a tough time. In fact, some species' populations have collapsed by as much as 80%.

So, when a TikTok video comes along presenting a simple yet effective tool for promoting bee and pollinator activity, it helps to pay attention.

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The scoop

Like all living creatures, pollinators need water. One way to attract bees to your yard, especially if you have a garden, is to provide them with a simple method for slaking their thirst.

Simple Ecology (@simpleecology) emptied a standard planter dish, cleaned it up, added a layer of colored rocks/marbles and shells, filled about a quarter of the dish's depth with water, and set it on an upside-down pot to keep it elevated.

Now, the pollinators have some artificial terrain to land on, relaxing as they access the water. 

"This is so beautiful," one commenter said.

How it's helping

Adding a water source, such as the above dish setup, helps pollinators by providing them with an easy access point. Throughout dry spells, this is a lifeline — especially in arid regions of the country or urban sprawls where access to water is few and far between. 

An artificial water source is also a fantastic contributing feature, especially for those who want to contribute, even if it's a small contribution, to the propagation of pollinator species. 

Crafting habitat features, planting native flowers, planting a garden, or growing your own food are all helpful. Besides, growing your own food saves money on produce, improves the taste, and improves mental health and well-being. 

Roughly 70% of bees are ground-nesters, requiring bare, undisturbed soil. Avoiding heavy mulch, adding a bee hotel, leaving the corners of the yard unmowed, leaving patches of bare earth, and crafting small water holes all help pollinators thrive. 

If you have a lawn, what aspect of it do you value most? The way it looks 🤩 The way my family uses it 👪 It's enjoyable to mow 😎 It's cheap to maintain 💰 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Of course, avoiding pesticides is a big one as well. 

What everyone's saying

The simplest tasks are often the most fulfilling, and helping out pollinators (which are absolutely critical to life on Earth as we know it) goes well beyond the satisfaction of attracting more to your yard. 

One user is ready to get started immediately: "Definitely going to do this although it's September: we still have at least a month of hot and sunny weather ahead in Italy. Thanks for the tip!" 

Another is delighted to see contented bees accessing their new water source: "The best part is watching the little bees do happy wiggles while drinking."

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