a gateway to wild bee conservation

This UK purchased bee habitat contained paper straws for Mason Bees.  Over time I replaced paper straws with more durable reeds.  This winter the reeds were sealed with mud, but recently I discovered holes and more recently discovered Mining Bees entering the reeds.  Typically I find Mining Bees tidying their entrance holes beneath our shrubs.    For a write up and images of Mining Bees, have a look at the Mark Schlueter's website, Bees of Georgia.

NPR ran a story, "Honeybees Help Farmers, But They Don't Help The Environment" which has a link to an editorial news article.  The editorial contains a photo of commercial beekeeping in what appears to be a high plains desert environment in Spain - probably not a environmentally appropriate place to drop lots of bee hives.  From a urban beekeeper point of view, I'm left with no moral concerns.  Whoever has not used a shocking news/blog title raise your righteous hand.