Arataki abuzz over spring surge of bees It's National Bee-Aware Month
The Arataki Visitor Centre at the gateway to the Waitakere Ranges will be abuzz throughout National Bee Aware month in September as staff welcome an influx of new bees and honey making during spring.
“Spring is a busy time of year for bees. As the weather gets warmer and the days lengthen, beehives come alive with new bees being born and pollen and honey production gearing up,” says Arataki Visitor Centre Manager Glenn Browne.
Show me the honey!
To celebrate National Bee-Aware Month, the Arataki Visitor Centre will host a number of “show me the honey” activities about bees, hives, honey and nectar-rich flowers.
For children there will be colouring competitions, a bee quiz, a chance to make native ‘bee-friendly’ seed bombs to take home, and an entertaining talk with music for children and anyone who wants to learn more about bees with the Bee Lady.
“For adults, we have an educational series of short talks given by Karlene and Terry from Earthbound Honey, with topics ranging from pollination and starting a hive to flowers and trees and honey tastings, all with spot prizes,” says Glenn.
Earthbound bees
Earthbound Honey keeps bees on large, privately-owned land blocks at the foothills of the Waitakere Ranges.
The bees routinely range into the hills, with many genetically “imprinted” by the queen so they are born knowing the location of food sources in the Waitakere Ranges.
In spring the ranges are a cornucopia of pollen and nectar sources, including native clematis, kowhai, ti kouka (cabbage tree), harekeke (flax), renga renga, rata, pittosporum and hebe.
Once the honey flow season begins, the bees are attracted to rewarewa, manuka and pohutukawa.
Arataki Visitor Centre Bee Awareness Programme
- Thursday September 8th – 11am, 12pm & 2pm – “Pollination”
- Thursday September 15th – 11am, 12pm & 2pm – “Starting a Hive”
- Thursday September 22nd – 11am, 12pm & 2pm – “Talking Hives & Honey” Thursday September 29th – 11am, 12pm & 2pm – “Hives, Honey, Flowers & Trees”
- Thursday September 29th – 11am – The Bee Lady will be teaching children about the wonderful world of bees, and children can make their own beeswax candle
- Saturday September 24th – 2pm to 4pm – Honey Tasting and all things Honey – Earthbound Honey will be at Arataki Visitor Centre to display honey products and have a tasting of all things related to their passion for bees and honey.