Sat 8/16
Growing up, the only awareness most of us probably had of honeybees was “Don’t get stung!” Maybe we had a classmate whose bee bite swelled up and he had to go to the emergency room.
That has changed in a big way, with honeybees in the news, both good and bad. As community and market gardening, urban farming, and interest in local food have exploded, so has knowledge about the role honeybees play in creating our food. Backyard gardeners across the region now keep hives as cities like Cleveland have passed “chickens and bees” laws allowing it. The idea that this is somehow dangerous is receding.
On the other hand, so-called “colony collapse disaster” has been in the news for a few years now, as scientists have explored why we’ve seen mass die-offs of honeybees.
To raise awareness still more, grassroots beekeepers launched National Honeybee Day in 2009, encouraging beekeepers and beekeeping organizations to host events to educate the public about bees.
So if you see bees in your garden (a good sign!) on August 16, be sure to wish them a happy National Honeybee Day!
Lots more info here.