The problem

Pollinator decline 

The educational program response

Public Education about the importance of pollinators and what they can do

The participants/target audience

8-12 year olds

Other partners (if applicable)

Audubon Bee Keepers Association

Program impact or participant response.

Bee Friendly; The Importance of Pollinators

North America is home to over 4000 bee species and about 20% of them are very important to pollination of our crops and the food we eat.  Bee species have struggled in the past few decades and according to the Center for Biological Diversity, more than ½ of the species are in decline (https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/native_pollinators/case_studies.html).  

Several organization have called attention to the bee decline and called for more public education concerning all pollinators and their importance.  Henderson County Extension has responded with a youth bee class. Connecting with the Audubon Bee Keepers, we were able to spend time in the class room explaining the importance of pollinators and their impact on the food we eat.  Following the classroom, the students suited up for a hands on demonstration with our bee hive graciously provided by the Audubon Bee Keepers.

Outside at the hive, students were introduced to bee keeping and learned about the multiple jobs that bees have inside a hive.  We were able to identify the queen, a drone, as well as brood cells, new queen cells, and drone cells.  All the students were able to identify each bee’s job at the end.  Safety was also important when handling bees and the students were well prepped before approaching the hive.