Boston Flora

Tag: Colony collapse disorder

  • Saturday, April 14, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Native Pollinator Biology and Conservation

    Pollinators have received a lot of attention in recent years, mostly because of the decline in honey bee populations due to colony collapse disorder. Native pollinators are important cousins of honey bees and are in need of help, too. Come to French Hall at UMass/Amherst, 230 Stockbridge Road in Amherst on Saturday, April 14 from 10 – 12 to learn about the many types of pollinators present in our region and how to protect and encourage them in your landscape. The end of the class, to be taught by Sonia Schloemann, we will tour the UMass Permaculture Garden. $35. Image from www.justroots.org. Register at http://ag.umass.edu/fruit/news-events/mass-aggie-seminars/mass-aggie-seminars-2018.

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  • Saturday, March 5, 2:00 pm – Vanishing of the Bees

    We’ve already mentioned the Insect Planet: Family Festival at Harvard Museum of Natural History, taking place this Saturday, March 5, from 9 – 5 at Harvard’s Museum of Natural History (see www.hmnh.harvard.edu for a complete run down of events), but we’ve just learned that a screening of the documentary Vanishing of the Bees, a documentary examining the mysterious disappearance of honeybees across the planet, has been added to the day’s activities.  Filmed spanning the US, in Europe, Australia and Asia, it examines the alarming phenomena known as Colony Collapse Disorder, and the greater meaning it holds about the relationship between mankind and mother earth.  The film is narrated by Ellen Page and is for adults and children ages 12 and older.  See more information about the film at www.vanishingbees.com.  The screening is free with museum admission, and since admission to the museum is free all this coming weekend for Bank of America’s Museums on Us program – that means free to any Bank of America credit or debit card holder, about half of everyone in Massachusetts, this is a very sweet deal.  See more about the Bank of America program at http://museums.bankofamerica.com.

  • Sunday, February 27, 2:00 pm – Vanishing of the Bees

    Where did all the bees go? If you’ve been aware of the news in the past few years, we’re sure you’re familiar with CCD: Colony Collapse Disorder. Discovered first in late 2006, hordes of bees literally….disappeared. The worker bees leave for the day and never return, abandoning the queen, the young, the eggs. Everything. So maybe the darn queen was crackin’ the whip too hard. But maybe not — the theories abound. Was it a virus? Environmental changes? Malnutrition? An affect of pesticides?

    Want to explore these questions? If so, come to the Small Metcalf Hall in Boston University’s GSU, 775 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, on Sunday, February 27th at 2:00PM for the film Vanishing of the Bees, which explores the issues in greater detail, outlining what led up to the problem and what can be done differently going forward in order to prevent it from happening again. We’re following the film with a panel of local beekeepers and honey makers (Golden Rule Honey, Allandale Honey Co & more!) discussing their work… And then we’ll get to taste their bounty! It’s your chance to learn the nuances of honey and talk to the folks that make it. And understand exactly why we need to be informed and make changes to prevent honeybees from disappearing again. This screening is generously co-sponsored by Slow Food Tufts and Slow Food BU. $5 fee. You may reserve a space on line at www.slowfoodboston.com/reserve.cfm?eno=873.