06/23/2023
There has been a lot of talk over the last few years about the honey bee population. Here is the buzzzzz on Honey Bees from a local Apiarist, Bethly Douglas-Snyder:
🐝Honey Bees are an important part of our ecosystem. Honey Bees pollinate plants throughout the growing season, including a wide range of crops like pumpkins, apples, avocados, cucumbers, melons, pears, and many more. While honeybees are gathering nectar they are also fertilizing flowering plants.
Things we can do to help our pollinators are simple. Planting native pollinator friendly flowers is a great start! Leaving clover in the yard as well as dandelions is also very helpful. If you must spray, spray at night, when the bees and the butterflies are tucked in for the evening and won’t come in contact with the toxic chemicals. Pollinators need to drink water just like we do. Setting out a shallow water filled dish including pebbles for them to land on, gives them a source when conditions are dry.
Although flying insects can distress some people, honeybees are very docile. Their only mission outside of the hive is to collect resources for their colony. When they are busy collecting pollen, nectar and water, they typically do not go after humans. The only time honey bees can turn aggressive is if their hive is threatened. Because they can only sting once and then they die, they really prefer to not sting you! Stay calm and let them carry on their duties.🐝
~ Bethly is the proprietor of Harmony Ridge Apiary. She has about 50 bee colonies that she collects honey from to sell and also works in the area to help relocate colonies as needed. For more information about Harmony Ridge Apiary, please visit their page:
https://www.facebook.com/harmonyridgeapiary
Photo from Harmony Ridge Apiary page
