Bee expert
The Bella Vista Garden Club invited in a pollination expert to speak at its January meeting. Patrick Edwards is the owner of Prepper Bee Supply in Garfield and a founding member of Benton County Beekeepers.
If bees were to disappear, humans would last only four more years, Edwards said, quoting Albert Einstein. There are other pollinators out there but, for some crops, like almonds, only bees will work.
Every year, 1.8 million beehives are moved to the almond fields of California. Without bees, there would be no almond milk, Edwards said. He owns about 80 hives, but his hives don’t travel to California. He prefers to stay local, and many vendors from local farmer’s markets call him to help pollinate their crops. He begins each year with the blueberry crop and ends with pumpkins.
Colony collapse disorder is not a new phenomenon, but it got serious several years ago with the disappearance of more than 40 percent of bees in the United States. No one has proven what causes the condition, but Edwards believes it’s a combination of factors. There are pests that will kill bees, he said, but he’s also concerned with the combinations of chemicals that bees may bring back to the hive.
Even if individual chemicals are not lethal to bees, it’s possible that a combination of them may be lethal, he said. He used bleach and ammonia as an example. Both are safe for humans when used separately but dangerous if combined.
Some of his 80-plus hives are populated by bees he rescued. When people call in to report a swarm of bees, Edwards may be the one who responds. He may turn up with a cardboard box, knock the bees into it and put it in his car. It’s safe to move a swarm that way because they’re not hungry and they do not have a home to defend. While people may think he’s crazy, he knows what he’s doing.
He recommends classes to those who wish to start their own hives. Call your county extension office to find a class or to answer questions. There are also regular meetings of the Beekeepers Association. The Benton County group meets on the first Thursday of the month at the county extension office in Bentonville, located at 1204 S.W. 14th St.
There are also steps non-beekeepers can take to help.
Some plants encourage pollinators, he said. Plant a variety of flowering plants, including native plants.
A member of the garden club provided some suggestions, including these native shrubs and trees: silver maple, honeysuckle, box elder, redbud, tulip trees, black locust, Washington hawthorn and persimmon. Other trees that aren’t native, including many fruit trees and holly, are also beneficial.
Reducing or even eliminating pesticides will help bees. Especially dangerous is Sevin dust, Edwards said. Liquid Sevin can be used safely at certain times of the year, he said.
Bees need places to land and wild bees need places to build hives. Consider leaving some of your yard natural, with stumps and downed limbs for the bees.
Bees also need water. Bird baths with clean water and a place bees can land will help both species.
If bees do swarm, don’t spray them. Call a beekeeper to come and get them. County extension agent Ryan Neal said his office can help find a beekeeper. Call the extension office at 479-271-1060.