A boutique style hotel has recently opened for business in Wyangala… but its only clientele is native bees.
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Recently constructed and painted by the students of Wyangala Dam Primary School, the structure is made from wood, wire and bamboo.
“It’s called a B&B Bee Hotel because bees are able to take shelter and lay eggs in the tiny bamboo gaps whilst being close to the food they need from our kitchen-garden,” said Year 6 student, Zac.
“Pollination is key to plants being able to live. I now get why insects are so important,” said Mack from Year 6.
“Bees may be the best pollinators, but birds, hover-flies, grasshoppers, wasps, bats, beetles, crickets, butterflies, flies, moths and ants are pollinators too,” he said.
“We have been learning a lot about native bees,” says Year 2 student, Felicity.
“I really like the Teddy-Bear bee,” she said.
“Our favorite is the Neon Cucoo-bee because it has bright blue stripes,” said Koby from Year 1 and Chais from Kindergarten .
I really like the Teddy-Bear bee
- Year 2 student Felicity
“There are over 1000 different native bees in Australia,” says Year 4 student Gemma.
“Some native bees are stingless. Others differ in colour, pattern and size.”
Regional wildlife expert, Mikla Lewis OAM, has commended the school on their B&B Bee Hotel.
“I am so pleased to learn this topic is being incorporated into a school program,” Ms Lewis said.
“These ‘hotels’ offer bees and other pollinators much needed shelter so they can pollinate our gardens. The school’s garden is an ideal environment for bees.
“It has water sources for them and ground cover including mulch, grass and vegetable plants.
“It has small and tall shrubs like Wattles and Banksias as well as herbs and fruit trees and tall flowering gum trees. The best thing about the school garden is it has something flowering all year round, which is key to what the bees need.
“I know of farmers who are setting up similar types of bee shelters on fences and trees near their crops. They are starting to realize native bees may play a more important role in pollination than they previously understood”, she said.
“Our Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program involves learning about food security and biodiversity,” says school principal, Greg Pomering.
“Our native, solitary bees are very important pollinators across the landscape. Teaching this to our students will make them grow up to be more thoughtful and understanding of the world,” he said.