Keep Bees Away From Pool

It might not be the first thing you think about when considering pollinator conservation, but your backyard swimming pool could play a surprising role in supporting these vital creatures. If you’re a pool owner, you likely understand the necessity of a pool cover for reasons like safety, water preservation, and maintenance reduction. However, what you might not know is that utilizing a pool cover can also have significant environmental benefits, especially for our precious pollinators.

First, let’s have a brief look at why pollinators are so important.

Why We Need to Save Pollinators

Pollinators, including bees, butterflies, bats, and birds, are essential for a healthy environment. They contribute to biodiversity by helping to fertilize plants, allowing them to produce fruit and seeds. In fact, 75% of the world’s flowering plants and about 35% of the world’s crops depend on these creatures to reproduce.

Unfortunately, pollinators are under threat. Habitat loss, disease, climate change, and exposure to pesticides have all contributed to the decline of many pollinator species. If we don’t take immediate action, the repercussions on our ecosystems and food supply could be devastating.

The Problem with Pools

While swimming pools offer great recreational benefits, they can be dangerous for pollinators. Pollinators are often attracted to pools as a source of water, especially during hot and dry periods. However, they can easily become trapped in the water and drown. They also risk exposure to potentially harmful chemicals used to treat pool water.

Pool Covers: An Unexpected Solution

A straightforward solution that can help mitigate the threat pools pose to pollinators is using a pool cover. There are several ways in which pool covers contribute to the conservation of these important creatures:

1. Reduces Drowning Incidents: By keeping the pool covered when not in use, you can help prevent pollinators from accidentally drowning. It helps to nsure they don’t mistake your pool for a safe water source.
2. Minimizes Chemical Exposure: A pool cover can limit the evaporation of pool chemicals, reducing the possibility of airborne contamination. This reduces the risk of pollinators coming into contact with harmful substances.
3. Conserves Water: Pool covers significantly decrease the amount of water lost to evaporation. By saving water, you indirectly help maintain natural water sources that are safe for pollinators.
4. Promotes Alternative Water Sources: By covering your pool, you encourage pollinators to seek other sources of water, ideally from natural bodies of water and pollinator-friendly water features in your garden.

Taking It One Step Further

While pool covers offer significant benefits for pollinators, there’s even more you can do. Creating a pollinator-friendly garden with a range of native flowering plants can provide food for these creatures. Supplement this with a shallow, pebble-filled water dish, and you’ll offer a safe drinking source too.

Solar pool covers are another excellent consideration, saving energy in addition to protecting pollinators.

So, next time you look out at your backyard pool, consider not only the joy it brings to you and your family but also the potential it has to support our precious pollinators. With a simple addition of a pool cover, you can turn your backyard oasis into a safe environment for these vital creatures. As we make choices that both individually and collectively support pollinators, we can contribute to the broader effort to protect our planet’s biodiversity.