The havens are designed to be visited. Placed in public parks, these designated bee areas give visitors a chance to contemplate the way bees rely on their surroundings and need a home and food amid the hectic cities and managed places humans have created.
After researching and consulting with scientists about bee habitat, Mellenbruch designed the Haven, a sculptural and classic white four-wall structure with a gable roof that is reminiscent of a home. The artistic structures are made with the bees in mind and allow bees to create their honeycomb from scratch. They are just the right size for a swarm and stand 16 feet high to keep bees at their preferred height. The honey and other products the bees produce are not to be taken from the havens so that visitors and researchers can watch the bees live without human influence.
“With the Haven Project, we are almost building a window into their world – giving them what they need and also creating an interface that allows us to easily monitor them,” Mellenbruch said.
Visit a haven in Kansas City at the 18Broadway Garden, 18th and Broadway St., or at the Kauffman Memorial Garden, 4800 Rockhill Road. Learn more about this project at www.deepecologyproject.com.
4. Protect the swarms
A swarming beehive can cause a stinging fear in a public park or even your backyard. But don’t call an exterminator. Mellenbruch finds it’s not one of those things you can treat by pumping poison. Those who call an exterminator usually end up calling a beekeeper the next year when new bees have claimed the hive as home. If you have a swarm of bees near your home, beekeepers are often happy to come and remove the hive free of charge. However, if a hive is in a soffit or attic, it will require more cost and labor-intensive services that only some beekeepers will undertake. Sometimes it is even best to let it be. If the swarm is safely far enough away from the house, such as high up in a tree, let it flourish. Mellenbruch recommends contacting your county extension office to report a swarm and find a local beekeeper.
5. Use less (or no) pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer
Studies have found chemical residuals in bees that are found in the products used on lawns, outdoor plants and farms. Many believe this contributes to colony collapse.
Misko recommends that if chemicals are applied, use the minimal amount, fast-acting, low-residue, and to avoid applications during full bloom when pollinators are working. It is better to treat at dusk and always follow application safety instructions. Also, it is best to avoid dust pesticides, which linger and can carry the particles back and contaminate the whole hive. Even better, avoid use of these products altogether and supplement your garden with a local, nutrient-rich compost and non-chemical pest and weed controls.
6. Support bee-friendly farmers
Eating local and organic food gets a whole new meaning when thinking about our friends the bees. Saving the bee may mean protecting our global food supply.
“It stands to reason that bee-friendly farmers will also be you-friendly,” Misko says.
Experts concerned about CCD liken the lack of nutrient diversity in monoculture agriculture to a food desert for bees. There just aren’t any flowering plants to provide them food. Many commercial beekeepers have resorted to feeding their honeybees recipes of sugar water, corn syrup and soybean flour. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends (and is helping) farmers plant cover crops like clover in fields or ditches. Partners for Sustainable Pollinators even provides a “Bee Friendly Farming Certification” that farmers, ranchers, business, schools, local governments, nonprofits, gardeners and beekeepers can apply for if they are planning their outdoor space with bees in mind. Search their map for nearby farmers, or consider applying for the affordable certification at www.pfspbees.org.
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My favorite bee-friendly place is Powell Gardens! They have been my inspiration for 20 years not only for plant ideas, but for information on native plantings and organic gardening. Their lawns are chemical-free with clover and dandelions for bees and other pollinators. The Heartland Harvest Garden is organic and has native bee homes placed throughout. They incorporate natural landscapes perfect for insects rather than plants neatly segregated in seas of imported mulch. Powell Gardens is an exceptional example of how gardening should be done!