Events - Don't Squeeze the Bees

Photo: These young Howard County residents are learning what the inside of a beehive looks like. Bees build comb like this to raise their young and store honey and pollen. (click to enlarge)

The Howard County Conservancy in Mount Pleasant celebrated Earth Day on Saturday April 24th and we greatly appreciated the opportunity to participate at this event. Although the activities were scheduled to start at 9:00 am, eager visitor's began to arrive at our table starting at 8:45 am to look at the honey bees we had brought with us in an observation hive. As we shared information about the honey bees, visitors enjoyed tasting honey sticks and picked up stickers. By 12 noon an estimated 50 people had come by our table to learn more about honey bees and how the zoning law affects the beekeepers.

We thank the Howard County Conservancy for enabling us to join them at this event and for the opportunity to meet so many wonderful supporters

Howard County Beekeepers at the White House Egg Roll 2010
Report from a young Howard County beekeeper at the event
Monday, April 5, 2010

Photo: The author shows kids attending the White House Easter Egg Roll a frame of comb from a real beehive. (click to enlarge)

On Monday April 5th, I was one of about eight beekeepers to attend the annual White House Easter Egg Roll... Here was a chance to promote honeybees and all the good they do, to thousands of people. I think it's estimated that there were 30,000 people who attended the Easter Egg Roll this year. We were there to face the crowds, and there were lots of keen and eager kids attending the event.

Informing the public about honeybees was really good for me, as a teen. I realized that I can make a difference in how people appreciate bees. People, especially the next generation, have to make the connection between their food supply and these lovely little pollinators. It was a wonderful experience, and a privilege.

Howard County Beekeeper Visit Brookside Gardens in Wheaton to Learn about Planting a Garden To Attract Pollinators
Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Photo: This honey bee is collecting pollen from a crocus blossom in early spring. This photo was taken in Howard County in the Spring of 2009. (click to enlarge)

Mark Richardson, Adult Programs Manager, at Brookside Gardens gave a wonderful presentation on gardening for pollinators. Mark began his lecture with the importance of pollinators for agriculture and food production, species diversity, and ecosystems support. He distinguished between creating a pollinator garden which simply attracts pollinators and a garden that supports pollinators by providing both a nectar and larval host plant source. Not all plants are created equal, and Mark encouraged us all to read Dr. Doug Tallamy's book, Bringing Nature Home, How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens. Those of us who attended Mark's lecture were challenged to consider the habitat value of the plants and gardening practices we incorporate into our gardens.

Brookside Gardens is a 50-acre public display garden open to the public. Those who wish to learn more about butterflies may also enjoy visiting "Wings of Fancy," a live butterfly exhibit running May through September at Brookside Gardens. Exhibit information is available at: http://www.montgomeryparks.org/brookside/wings_of_fancy.shtm.