Hands-on with honeybees at Ecology Park

Make a beeline over to the Ecology Park on June 16 for GreenUp’s first Open Hive! event of the summer. The event will run from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.

The purpose of the Open Hive! is to allow an opportunity for the Peterborough residents to be educated about honeybees, GreenUP states in a press release. Visitors will learn about unique honeybee behaviours, activities that happen within the hive and about the construction of honeycombs.

GreenUp’s honeybee workshops will be a hands-on learning experience, with all safety equipment being provided for participants. Trained beekeepers will guide visitors through how to properly work with beehives and care for bees. All beekeepers are volunteers through the GreenUp community beekeeping program.

Volunteer beekeepers will also share their stories and experiences with visitors who are interested in learning all there is to know about taking care of honeybees.

Open Hive! is free to attend, but participants are encouraged to give a small donation to Peterborough GreenUp. The other two Open Hive! Days will be on July 14 and Aug. 18.

The hour-long workshops at Ecology Park are open to all ages and any beginners to the practice of beekeeping.

The GreenUp community beekeeping program began in 2015 to raise awareness and combat the declining honeybee population in Peterborough and worldwide. Their goal is to teach community members about the importance of the pollinators, and how to properly care for hives so that the honeybee population can recover.

GreenUp also advocates for pesticide-free habitats for pollinators and other efforts.

The community beekeeping program has five hives in Peterborough located at Ecology Park, Lock 20 and the Lift Lock. All work through the GreenUp community beekeeping program is made possible through sponsorships and donations from the Peterborough community.

To find out all the buzz about GreenUp and Open Hive! visit: http://www.greenup.on.ca/ program/greenup-community -bee-keeping-program/