Up close, bees are fascinating creatures that look like visitors from another planet, a prehistoric insect that appeared on earth 60 million years before man. Without them, there would be no pollination, and the fruits and vegetables we depend on to survive could disappear.
Honey bees, how to nurture them and the threats they face, are the focus of Greenbelt’s upcoming free Film & Lecture Series in Haverhill, with a compelling film for adults and a separate family-friendly demonstration for all ages.
In More Than Honey, Oscar-nominated director Markus Imhoof tackles the perplexing issue of why bees worldwide are facing extinction. Everywhere, the same scenario is repeated: billions of bees leave their hives, never to return. In the United States, it’s estimated that two-thirds of beehives have disappeared in 27 states.
The film, to be shown at HC Media, Studio 101, 2 Merrimack Street, (Harbor Place) on March 22 at 7 p.m., examines the roles of pesticides, and electromagnetic waves as factors in the weakening of bees’ immune systems. An intriguing theory to save honey bees is explored.
Local beekeeper Anita Deeley then brings “The Buzz About Bees” to HC Media, Studio 101, 2 Merrimack Street, (Harbor Place) on April 7 at 10 a.m.
Deeley, of Beverly, started out as a backyard beekeeper full of enthusiasm and trepidation with only a single hive. Her passion for beekeeping knowledge has led her on an adventure across America and she now manages dozens of hives.
Whether you aspire to backyard beekeeping or want to inspire children to learn more, Deeley’s presentation includes information about bees as pollinators, the differences between bees and wasps, and beekeeping basics with the goal of understanding what bees do for us. A honey tasting is included.
Later in the spring, Pollinator Day at Greenbelt’s Cox Reservation in Essex starts with a kid-friendly program including a pollinator scavenger hunt, creating a pollinator garden and building a mason bee house and more. The program, on May 19, continues with an adult-oriented lecture on gardening, from planting tocontrol pests naturally to selecting plants that will encourage a healthy pollinator community.
All events are free. More information can be found at ecga.org/events.