ENVIRONMENT

Honeybee hives aren’t natural, and they don’t help the environment. In fact, they may harm it. (NPR)

Help wild bees! Build your own bee hotel!

Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit.

Discussion Ideas

Are honeybees a harmful invasive species? They can be, when they outcompete native bees for food. “When flowers are abundant, there is plenty of pollen for both honeybees and their wild cousins. But in many landscapes, or when an orchard stops blooming, farmed honeybees can compete with wild bees for food, making it harder for wild species to survive.”



How are wild bee species different from honeybees? Read through our fun activity for some help. Well, they don’t produce honey … Honeybees are social animals, meaning they interact intensely with other members of their species. Honeybees live together, raise young together, work together. Bumblebees, native to North America, are also social insects. Most bee species, however, are solitary bees, meaning they live alone and not in hives. Solitary bees live in the ground, tree trunks, or the hollow stems of plants. Solitary bees do not swarm. Solitary bees are much less likely to sting than honeybees because they aren’t defending a hive. Wild bees can be yellow, but some species are brown, blue, or even metallic green. Wild bees include bumblebees, leafcutter bees, mason bees, and carpenter bees. Many gardeners assume wild bees are meddlesome flies. They may be swatting a potential pollinator! Here’s a nice guide to knowing your bees, wasps, and flies. Learn more about solitary wild bees here.



How can consumers support native bee species? Support conservation! Both wild bees and honeybees need green spaces filled with trees, grasses, and flowers. Build a bee hotel! Bees lay their eggs in small holes. Our activity provides three projects that provide safe, healthy nesting space using inexpensive materials like bamboo, PVC pipe, or wooden blocks.



TEACHERS TOOLKIT

NPR: Honeybees Help Farmers, But They Don’t Help The Environment

Nat Geo: Build Your Own Bee Hotel

Purdue Extension: Honey Bees Not Native to North America

Nat Geo: 9 Ways to Be a Bee BFF

Grow Wild: About solitary bees