GreenAcres Reflection
On our trip to Greenacres Farm, we were able to witness the collaborative beauty of the entire farm. I was able to see a completely new side to the bee population. My dad has kept honey bees since I was a young kid. Because of this, I am passionate about the honeybee in particular rather than the many other species of native bees. In fact, I didn’t even realize the honeybee wasn’t native to our country until I started this course. On our trip we learned extensively about the Mason Bee and the Leaf Cutter Bee. We toured the farm to understand the importance of biodiversity, the native bee population, and the small things we all can do to lift natures ecosystems naturally.
As pollinators, bees are essential to our ecosystem. They support and nurture our crops, flowers, and trees. It is said that bees are responsible for about one third of every bite of food we take. Biodiversity means the variety of all life on Earth prevails rather than being stick with monocultures that don’t give means and other organisms the nutrients and resources that are essential to their survival.
The leaf cutter bee captured my attention. The bee expert showed us how the leaf cutter bee hibernates during the winter with leaves from their environment. They make cocoons out of leaf pieces in these small tubes from their hive. This serves as both protection from mites during the winter but also a source of warmth during the cold months. We learned how tirelessly the Leaf Cutter bee can pollinate. They can pollinate quicker and more effectively than the honeybee. They actually carry the pollen on their dry hairs of their abdomen. Because they don’t wet the pollen, they are able to get it off much faster and easier.
Next, we learned about the Mason Bee. We learned that the Mason Bee is one of the easiest bee species to raise. They are gentle and make for wonderful pollinators in your backyard or community garden. The Blue Orchard Mason Bee, like the Leaf Cutter Bee, carries pollen on its hair dry. They love all kinds of flowers and plants, which makes them a wonderful addition to a biodiverse community. Mason Beed nest in premade holes and spend winter hibernating in self made silk cocoons. They are relatively self-sufficient and effective. They not only thrive right in your backyard, but they help support other types of native bees right in their own hive.
On our trip we talked a lot about what we can do big or small to help support our native bee population. A lot of times we don’t even know they’re there or what they are. We talked about how to identify a native bee. A leaf cutter bee has noticeable thin yellow stripes on their back. The Blue Orchard Mason Bee is very noticeable because the females are blue/iridescent in color. They often can be mistaken for a fly. We talked about how important it is to plant native flowers anywhere we can. It provides great resources for bees that will benefit them and the rest of our local ecosystems.
I gained a wonderful perspective after our trip to Greenacres. I gained the vision for new types of bees. I learned that the honeybee doesn’t need to have the whole stage for bee awareness. The native population is declining and most people don’t even know they exist in their area. They are great for someone who wants to make an impact on their environment. They are able to make a bigger and more impactful results with less intervention from humans. Greatness is in every bee species. They are the most pivotal piece to all of our lives. The packet of flower seeds that we we were given on our trip said BEE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD. This reminded me that change doesn’t happen in one day or one significant event. It happens when a lot of people make small changes in their life to support each other and our environment. With small changes in each world we live in we can truly live in a world that we all want to see.
As pollinators, bees are essential to our ecosystem. They support and nurture our crops, flowers, and trees. It is said that bees are responsible for about one third of every bite of food we take. Biodiversity means the variety of all life on Earth prevails rather than being stick with monocultures that don’t give means and other organisms the nutrients and resources that are essential to their survival.
The leaf cutter bee captured my attention. The bee expert showed us how the leaf cutter bee hibernates during the winter with leaves from their environment. They make cocoons out of leaf pieces in these small tubes from their hive. This serves as both protection from mites during the winter but also a source of warmth during the cold months. We learned how tirelessly the Leaf Cutter bee can pollinate. They can pollinate quicker and more effectively than the honeybee. They actually carry the pollen on their dry hairs of their abdomen. Because they don’t wet the pollen, they are able to get it off much faster and easier.
Next, we learned about the Mason Bee. We learned that the Mason Bee is one of the easiest bee species to raise. They are gentle and make for wonderful pollinators in your backyard or community garden. The Blue Orchard Mason Bee, like the Leaf Cutter Bee, carries pollen on its hair dry. They love all kinds of flowers and plants, which makes them a wonderful addition to a biodiverse community. Mason Beed nest in premade holes and spend winter hibernating in self made silk cocoons. They are relatively self-sufficient and effective. They not only thrive right in your backyard, but they help support other types of native bees right in their own hive.
On our trip we talked a lot about what we can do big or small to help support our native bee population. A lot of times we don’t even know they’re there or what they are. We talked about how to identify a native bee. A leaf cutter bee has noticeable thin yellow stripes on their back. The Blue Orchard Mason Bee is very noticeable because the females are blue/iridescent in color. They often can be mistaken for a fly. We talked about how important it is to plant native flowers anywhere we can. It provides great resources for bees that will benefit them and the rest of our local ecosystems.
I gained a wonderful perspective after our trip to Greenacres. I gained the vision for new types of bees. I learned that the honeybee doesn’t need to have the whole stage for bee awareness. The native population is declining and most people don’t even know they exist in their area. They are great for someone who wants to make an impact on their environment. They are able to make a bigger and more impactful results with less intervention from humans. Greatness is in every bee species. They are the most pivotal piece to all of our lives. The packet of flower seeds that we we were given on our trip said BEE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD. This reminded me that change doesn’t happen in one day or one significant event. It happens when a lot of people make small changes in their life to support each other and our environment. With small changes in each world we live in we can truly live in a world that we all want to see.