Bay of Plenty based Comvita is helping to raise awareness of Bee Aware Month, a nation-wide celebration of bees and their importance to the eco-system.

Nearly 90 per cent of the world's flowering plant species depends on the pollination of plants by bees and other insects.

In this way, bees play a crucial role in sustainable agriculture, plant biodiversity and maintaining the natural balance of precious ecosystems.

Looking after the bee population is vital and the home garden is great place to start. Urban gardens provide a rich habitat for bees due to the diversity of plants that can be grown in our backyards.

The theme for Bee Aware Month 2020 is 'Bee A Hero”.

During September, Kiwis can ‘Bee a Hero' by taking steps at home to help bees.

Comvita Co-founder Alan Bougen says there are many simple things people can do at home to help bees thrive.

'Planting herbaceous flowers as lavender, rosemary, borage and calendula creates a nutrient rich habitat at home for bees. Leaving a shallow dish of water with a few small rocks in it so the bees can rehydrate is another simple thing people can do at home.

'New Zealand is lucky to have a relatively healthy bee population due to our diverse native flora, such as Mānuka, kanuka, rewarewa and kamahi etc., and also the abundance of bee pasture flowers around our agricultural sector. However, our bees are constantly under threat from pesticides and various diseases.”

This Bee Aware Month, Comvita has partnered with BEESUPTOP, a charitable organisation who rescue and re-home bee swarms in urban areas.

Their aim is to increase New Zealand's bee population by supplying healthy, happy hives for urban dwellers to rent, as well as educating Kiwis about the importance of bees to our ecosystem and our economy.

Around 80 per cent of proceeds from renting their beehives goes back into helping to rescue more bees.

'We're really excited to be involved with Bee Aware Month and to be partnering with Comvita to help show Kiwis how they can ‘bee a hero' and protect the bees,” says Jessie Baker, owner of Bees Up Top.

'To show their support Comvita is providing Auckland residents the chance to win a Bees Up Top beehive for a year, and we're also working together to provide useful ‘bee aware' tips specific to our urban environments, to help support our bee population.”

Head to comvita.co.nz/beeaware to find out more about Bee Aware Month, Bees Up Top and the beehive giveaway.

How Kiwis can get involved, 'bee heroes” this Bee Aware month:

• Plant a bee-friendly flower or buy local honey to keep our buzzing community thriving
• Get involved with Comvita's bee-friendly flower hunt on Instagram, take photos of bee-friendly plants on your walks and share on your Instagram story. Encourage your friends and family to do the same
• If you live in an urban area, support organisations like Bees Up Top through donations or subscribe to a beehive
• Share actions you're taking for bees (planting for bees, supporting beekeepers, learning about bees) and share these actions through photos on social media with the hashtag #beeaheroNZ.