As part of our week without walls activities in Fairgreen, some students visited the Bee Gardens in Sustainable city. Located right across the road from our school, this lovely little sanctuary was a HIVE of activity.
While visiting we had the opportunity to learn about the bee species in the UAE, why bees are so important for life on earth and we got up close and personal with the domesticated bees in the hives.
What did we learn about domesticated bees in the UAE?
The bee’s in the hives we visited are called Apis mellifera, these are domesticated bees that are living very happily in the hives at the bee gardens. These bees are able to travel over 3km and therefore have the ability to pollinate plants all over Sustainable City!! The bees were very gentle and allowed us to have a look into their hives where we could see the workers, drones and Queen Bee living together. We were able to learn about how they build their hives, make honey and carry pollen.
Apis mellifera in Sustainable City
What did we learn about wild bees in the UAE?
Wild bees that are indigenous to the UAE are called Apis florea or the Asian dwarf honey bee. These are only found in the wild as they live better in open air swarms and not inside enclosed hives. These bees are suffering due to urbanisation and habitat loss. Due to their tendency to form open air swarms they often land on peoples balconies or gardens. Many people are unaware of the importance of the bees and they will kill them with pesticides.
Apis florea in Sustainable City
What should we do if we see a swarm of wild bees?
Sometimes the bees are just resting and will move on after a day or two to an area where they can forage better. If you want to remove the bees you can call the Dubai Beekeepers Association or the Dubai Municipality and they will remove them for you and take them to a safe location in the wild.
Why should we save the bees?
Albert Einstein once said , “If the bee disappeared off the face of the Earth, man would only have four years left to live.” Bees are essential for pollination of plants. This means that they carry pollen from one plant to another which helps increase variation in the plants and in turn increases biodiversity. Plants cannot easily cross pollinate without the help of the bees and this makes it more difficult for them to reproduce. All of the food we eat can be traced back to a plant source (even chocolate!!!). So if we don’t save the bees, it will lead to catastrophic consequences for our planet.
How can you get involved in saving the bees?
The beekeepers association run many different workshops to teach you how to become a beekeeper and own your own hive. If you aren’t comfortable with being close to the bees you can become a sponsor or even adopt your own hive!
We are really excited to learn more about the bees and our next steps will be to see what plants we can grow around the school and our communities to help increase the biodiversity and attract more bees!
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