Growing hemp: Not legal, but a bee pasture
Created: 06/27/2022, 08:00
By: Ines Alms
Hemp is also very attractive to bees, who love the plant's pollen.
However, hemp cultivation is not legal for private individuals.
Hamburg – While hemp isn't intoxicating to bees, it's obviously quite alluring.
Scientists have found that numerous bees fly on hemp.
Since it is easy to grow and does not require pesticides, it could be used in the fight against bee mortality.
At least the cultivation in the home garden is not allowed.
Grow hemp: It is a pasture for bees and protects the animals
The flowers of hemp (Cannabis sativa) attract bees and could save them from extinction.
(Iconic image) © CTK Photo/Imago
As the magazine "GEO" reports, scientists at Cornell University in the US state of New York have recommended using real hemp (Cannabis sativa), also known as cultivated hemp, to combat bee deaths.
According to this, 16 different bee species fly to the hemp as pollinators.
Surprisingly, they are not attracted by the colorful flowers or fragrant nectar, but probably by the pollen of the male plant.
The study also shows that the bees are not interested in the pollen of the female plants - only these contain the active ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which has an intoxicating effect on humans.
The more intensively the plant is used for agriculture, the less attractive it is for beneficial insects.
Instead, the size plays a role: the taller the plant, the more pollen it has and the more attractive it is for the animals and the greater the diversity of bee species.
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Cultivation in Germany: Prohibited for private individuals
Growing hemp requires little pesticides, which can harm bees, and little water.
It would therefore be well suited to stopping bee deaths in Germany as well.
According to the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food, only the cultivation of non-intoxicating industrial hemp is permitted here, but only for farmers, it is a criminal offense for private individuals.
So if you want to attract bees to your garden and maintain biodiversity, you can do it legally, very easily:
If you leave the lawn mower a few times, islands of wildflowers will form that attract the buzz.
Double flowers on the balcony or in the garden are pretty to look at, but the bees can't get the nectar.
Choose plants labeled "bee-friendly," like bluebells, sunflowers, or flowering herbs like lavender.
An insect hotel to buy or build yourself offers nesting aids for wild bees, but only if it is species-appropriate.
Incidentally, wild bees are not the same as honey bees.
The wild bees are particularly affected by the bee deaths, because the honey bees are well supported by the beekeepers.
Nevertheless, they are of course also worth protecting.
