Solutions: Providing for Pollinators - Making Mason Bee Houses
About the Presenter: Sandy Sweeney retired after twenty six years of teaching science at Perkiomen Valley High School. She is the winner of the 2007 Teaching Excellence Award from the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy. Her interest in environmental education has grown through her involvement with the Pennsylvania Envirothon and opportunities to involve youth in community conservation provided by the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy. These experiences motivated Sandy to explore avenues to improve wildlife areas around her own home which have included gardening and the creation of pollinator friendly habitat.
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Time: 9:30 - 11:30 am
Location: Conservancy's Brownstone Barn
Fee*: $20 Members/ $25 Non-Members
* Pre-registration with payment required.
Sorry, we are no longer taking registrations for this program - we are full!
Presenter: Sandra Sweeney
Before the Europeans brought domesticated honey bees to North America, there were many different native bee species successfully pollinating our fields and forests. Honey bees produce colonies which are compatible with agricultural practices and they do a great job with acres of crops and orchards. However, as with any population of very similar organisms that live close together in very large numbers, they are susceptible to disease which can prove fatal to their entire colony. Our native pollinators are a more diverse group with some species living a more solitary life than that found among the huge commercial bee hives.
Mason Bees are non-stinging, tube dwelling, native pollinator, which can be encouraged to populate an area left absent by the honey bee. You can expect to be active as you make a Mason Bee house to hang in your yard! Sandy will share her extensive knowledge about these native pollinators while demonstrating the construction of suitable, economical tube houses which avoid the serious pitfalls of many commercially available products.
Register by phone: 610.287.9383
