Did you know that two beehives with about 48,000 bees call our Country Squire Office in Waterloo home? According to Avéole, our bee keepers, bees are a vital part of a healthy ecosystem, supporting the growth of fruit, vegetables and flowers, and need to “bee” protected. So, we’re thrilled to do our part in supporting these tiny pollinators as part of our mission to drive what’s next in sustainability!
How are our bees doing?
This time of the year we get to see our bee colonies grow exponentially!
Some other updates from this bee season:
- There is a total of four boxes of honey in our hives.
- The bees are packing the hives with nectar and pollen from nearby flowers and trees.
- As fruit trees are in bloom, our bees help transform blooms into fruit by letting the pollen they collect on their fuzzy bodies fall into the flower. Once the bloom closes up, fruit will begin to grow!
Everyone can play a part in protecting bees, but truth “bee” told, where do you start? We’ve outlined some facts and tips that address some common concerns you might have about bees!
Free-bee tips
What’s the difference between bees and wasps?
According to Avéole, bees only have the power to sting once. You can recognize them as small and fuzzy with black and gold colours. Wasps are bigger, smoother, and bright yellow and black. They can sting repeatedly but also play a role in helping control insect populations. Both support a healthy ecosystem.
Architect bees
Honeycombs are made out of beeswax. When honeybees are 7-14 days old, they have the incredible ability to secrete wax flakes. Other worker bees help chew up the wax flakes to become the wax for their honeycomb structures. Did you know that honeycomb structures can store anything from baby bees to honey?
Want to make your own property more bee-friendly?
Avéole recommends planting more flowers native to your local area and avoiding harmful pesticides. This positively impacts the tiny pollinators in and around your area.
Check out Avéole’s website for more content about protecting bees and visit our sustainability webpage to learn more about our sustainability initiatives!
