'to Bee, or not to Bee' that is the urban question?

It's the time of year when you, or someone you know has been stung or 'attacked' by bee's. There are all kinds of insects in the Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)Order that we come in contact with, most of which we label as pests. However, Bees (Anthophila Apoidea), in particular Honey Bees(Apinae Apini), are valued for their pollinating abilities and sweat nectar. Some progressive urbanites are starting to introduce more bees into their environments, and have taken up the ancient art of bee keeping. This practice has a long history and its current resurgence is a well intentioned effort towards sustainability,but it is starting to have unintended side affect that could be harmful to bees and their future populations.

There is a common misconception that Bees,Wasps and Hornets are basically the same, their not. There is a whole host of diverse characteristics among these insects, but one difference that separates them is what they eat. Honey Bees are vegetarian, Wasps carnivores. Bees attack the flowers and plants in your yard, Wasps attack your picnic lunch and what smells good on your grill. They all have strict orders to protect the queen, and if anything we do(smell funny,where a certain color, disturb the hive)seems threatening, they will defend with their lives.

Honey Bees are pollinators, they move pollen between flowers and ensure the growth of fruits and nuts. We mark the fruits of bee labor in spring with blooming flowers, summer fruits and berries, and big round pumpkins in the fall. These functions, along with honey making , make bees less of a pest and more tolerable to live with. The products we use to get rid of the pests we don't want to live with are becoming less toxic to us and more toxic to bees.

Neonicotinoids(pronounced neo-nih-CAH-tin-oids) are a class of neuro-active insecticides chemically similar to nicotine. Development of these insecticides started in the 1980's and have proven to be relatively safe for use around humans,animals, and in the environment. Nicotine based pesticides seem to be less harmful compared to previously used organophosphate and carbamate insecticides. Good for us, not necessarily for bees. Researchers are starting to make a direct link with the use of neonicotinoids and Colony Collapse Disorder(CCD)in the U.S. and In Europe. Nicotine appears naturally in a variety of plants and trees in our environment, and breaks down in a relatively short amount of time. Neonicotinoids can be sub lethal or lethal to bees depending on the amount of exposure. Some bees are exposed out in the environment, others are exposed at home. Some commercial beekeepers rely on feeding practices known as "feedlots" in their hives. These practices use high fructose corn syrup and sucrose to feed thousands of bees in commercial hives before they moved into fields and orchards. These mass feeding practices make it difficult for the bees to detoxify and easy to spread toxins to other bees and their feeding sources. Neonicotiniod exposure to bees can cause sub lethal effects such as impaired learning behavior, short and long term memory loss, reduced fecundity(fertility and reproduction), and altered foraging behavior and motor activity.

So what can a the average person do to promote human and bee urban sustainability? -Identify the insect: Figure out if its a bee, or a wasp, or whatever... and know how it will impact your environment(pest or pet). -Watch out for hives: Hives are everywhere. When you come across one, determine whether or not it is hazardous. If its not, leave it alone. If you do need to remove it, be careful!!! If you use chemicals, think about how they affect humans, animals, and the environment. -Plant native plants and flowers: Native plants attract native bees that are acclimated to survive and thrive in our environment. -Go Organic: Not all honey is created equally. find out how the honey you use is made and support products that are produced through environmentally sustainable methods.