Our "Meet the Bees" program has been quite successful so far this year. The highlight s when our guests find the queen as evidenced by the "I found the Queen" stickers we award to those that find her.  Loved to see how it has grown from just us standing there holding the observation hive to a full hands on educational table with a display nuc, some wax that people can touch, and multiple stages of foundationless and foundation frames. We have had some very deep conversations with some folks while some interactions are literally seconds long.

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 One of the main questions we get are "What can I do to help the bees?" Our first answer is stop using pesticides and herbicides. This is the biggest threat to both Honey and Native bees. Certain herbicides are systemic, meaning it goes through the entire plant. So one bee sipping nectar or collecting pollen now is impacted by that herbicide which can cause death or paralysis to all bees that that pollen or nectar is transferred or fed to.   

  Next thing you can do to help is let part or all of your yard go wild.  Find a corner and don't cut the grass there, don't weed it or put anything just let it go.  In very short order you will help allow greater biodiversity to your yard. this can help bring other insects that will create a richer environment for the native bees to want to live in. Native Bees are the true bees that need help.  Honey bees can help spread that message because most native bees cannot be managed the way honey bees are.