Palouse Pollinator
Working Group
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Pollinator Protection!
For this part of the Summit we will be exploring Bee City USA and how we can amplify our voices for pollinator protection throughout the city and beyond with this program which is an initiative of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Video Courtesy of Bee City USA
Photo courtesy of Washtenaw Food Policy Council
Bee City Q&As
What commitments are required to become a Bee City?
1) "Establish a standing Bee City USA committee to advocate for pollinators."
2) "Create and enhance pollinator habitat on public and private land by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nest sites, and reducing the use of pesticides."
3) "Incorporate pollinator-conscious practices into city policies and plans."
4) "Host pollinator awareness events."
5) "Publicly acknowledge Bee City USA affiliation with signs and an online presence."
6) "Pay an initial application fee and annual renewal fee."
7) "Annually apply for renewal and report on the previous year’s activities"
The Palouse Pollinator Working Group intends to fulfill the committee requirement and become Moscow's Bee City representatives. Pollinators are key species, Nature's infrastructure, that keep food on our table and ecosystems functioning so by increasing pollinator habitat it benefits both us and them. Loss of habitat is a major driver of pollinator decline at it is our responsibility to protect and restore this habitat to insure ecosystem stability. As pollinator advocates the Palouse Pollinator Working Group will be working with the city to protect the pollinators in Moscow. Hosting pollinator awareness events will be a fun and engaging way that we will perform pollinator education and outreach. Bee City USA does a great job at providing signs and educational materials to help acknowledge the Bee City USA program in the city. Cost is based on population so for the city of Moscow, the Bee city fee would be $300 a year. During renewal we also give a really report which is a great way to catalog the city's achievements in making the world a better place for pollinators.
How will this effect regulations regarding Honey Bees?
While honeybees will always be part of the conversation, honeybees are not native to the United States and Bee City USA goal is to provide protection for native pollinators. This includes more than bees! Bee City USA hopes to improve the lives of ALL pollinators. That said, Bee City USA has stated, "We neither encourage nor discourage hosting beehives. We think each affiliate must consider the liability issues of hosting beehives due to the fact that a small percentage of our population is allergic to honey bees. While having a beekeeping ordinance is neither encouraged nor discouraged for being a Bee City USA community, we encourage responsible beekeeping policies."
What about people allergic to bees?
Wild bees pose less of a risk to people with allergies for several reasons. First, did you know that only female bees have stingers? Native bees are mostly solitary and have closer to 50/50 male to female ratio. This is not true of honeybees, however, where they have evolved to have a female run society and males rarely leave the nest so basically all honeybees that are encountered will be females with stingers. Native bees are also less aggressive than honeybees because they are not programmed to protect a stash of honey. Female wild bees can still sting but will only do so when they feel their life is endangered. Native bees are generally far less aggressive than honey bees. However, if you have an allergy please still use caution around native bees.
Would I still be allowed to kill wasps so I can enjoy eating on my patio?
Hornets and Wasps are NOT bees and are closer related to ants. While wasp spray is discouraged, particularly near water and plant areas where natives can be affected, killing wasps and hornets is not prohibited.