by Bill Mees, Nature Areas Committee

A previous issue of the CHAT presented the new trail-side interpretive pollinator sign. The first photos on the sign depict the European Honeybee as well as a typical white box bee hive.
The honey bee was included for several reasons. Did you know, it is not a native insect. Early European colonists introduced the honeybee to the continent. Yes, it is an important pollinator but other native bees are even better pollinators than the European Honeybee. It is the only bee in America that produces honey in quantities that can be harvested.
Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary has hosted a honeybee hive for several years. The past 2 years Fred Durrenberger has assumed responsibility for the first hive and even captured a swarm of bees and populated a second hive in the new west side prairie.
This year, Fred surprised Columbia Audubon Society members with a donation of twelve 8 ounce jars of honey courtesy of the hard working honeybees at CANS. Columbia Audubon’s own “prairie honey.”
Thank you, Fred, we know you worked as hard as the bees.