Cannabees: Supporting Their Buzz With Your Buzz

In case you didn’t know, honeybees are one of nature’s most important allies. They’re responsible for one of every three bites of food you eat. Think about that the next time you have the munchies and give a thank you nod. Bees and cannabis have an oddly close relationship, even though they don’t cross paths as much as speculation presents. Of course, cannabis-infused honey is a fabulous delicacy that’s kept the two side-by-side (and is unfailingly delicious). Many also believe that bees who collect pollen from cannabis plants produce hives filled with THC-laced honey. Wouldn’t that be nice? People say a lot of things. We’re here to clear some things up. As legal cannabis growing has increased throughout the world, on the other side of things, the bee population is dwindling at an alarming pace. This doesn’t bode well for bees as well as humans. Remember they play a crucial part in the food we eat. What can we, in the cannabis world, do to have a hand in helping them out aside from using their honey for edibles? Let’s see where bees stand with cannabis and how we can help. Cannabis is definitely not their first choice Sorry growers, bees probably aren’t going to go for your cannabis by the swarm. If they do, they’ll do it if their other options are severely limited. They’re attracted to bright, flowering plants that produce nectar and, as you’re very well aware, cannabis plants are quite green. They also produce no nectar and are wind pollinated, bees having nothing to do with the pollination process. However, the population of bees stands to be bolstered by conscious growing practices. When we say it’s not their first choice, they will still use cannabis for sources of pollen. Make sure your grow area is bee friendly. Have little places with sugar water and regular water where bees can rest and hydrate. Having treats for them will make them more likely to use your plants, so steer totally clear of pesticides. We know bugs are usually a cannabis growth no-no, but bees are doing the earth’s work. Make your cannabis garden a safe place for them. Nope, they can’t get high. A lot of people have speculated that bees who do collect pollen from cannabis plants produce infused honey on their own, but that’s not solidified fact. We do know that bees have no endocannabinoid system (ECS), unlike human beings. This means they don’t have cannabinoid receptors, can’t process THC, and, therefore, can’t get high. Imagine billions of stoned bees buzzing around the planet. Perhaps it was evolutionary intervention moulding them for their important role on earth. Bee conscious. Human beings depend on bees more than cannabis depends on both humans and bees. The common denominator remains that human beings can enact bee-conscious growing practices, regardless of whether they’re growing cannabis or a casual garden. When you’ve got your cannabis plants thriving, build an ecosystem that makes the bees thrive, too