Pollination

Honeybees AND native pollinators visit each fruit blossom many many times before a delicious looking apple appears!

 

Resources to attract and provide habitat for pollinators in your yard:

 

1. The Xerces Society is an amazing resource for pollinator conservation, protection, and rehabilitation techniques. They are an international expert on invertebrates can teach all of us how to ensure our native pollinators survive. You don’t have to keep bees - you can plant flowers, or create native pollinator habitats in your yard!

• Native Bees Nest Management Guides
• Regional Plant Lists - particularly wonderful guide for the Great Lakes Area
• Conservation Guides
• Native Pollinator Plant Nurseries
• and so much more!

 

2. It is legal to keep bees in your backyard in Milwaukee! With the approval of your neighbors and some education, you can enhance the pollinator population of Milwaukee!

 

3. There are many different types of beehives you can use besides the mainstream Langstroth hive.

• the Abbe Warre hive is another wonderful way to enter the world of good bee stewardship. Click on the free online PDF of Abbe Warre’s book “Beekeeping for All” translated into English. Find supportive groups of folks using the Warre hive online:
  • yahoo group listserv
  • http://warre.biobees.com/
• the top bar hive is a wonderful way to get up close and personal with your bees, and teach children about bees. There are yahoo groups for people to discuss their experience with these hives, and various companies sell this type of hive.
• just to show how many types hives there are, check out this traditional beehive in Germany, called a skep hive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2IjNBbLESY

 

4. Local beekeeping groups:

• Urban Apiculture Institute
• Milwaukee Waukesha Beekeepers Association