In late June 2021, the City of Duncan bee-came the first Bee City on Vancouver Island. This would not be possible without the collaboration of our committed bee loving partners; Queen Margaret’s School (QMS) for their leadership in becoming only the second Bee School on Vancouver Island and, for bringing the invitation to City Council to become the first Bee City on the Island. Their presentation and their partnerships with the Cowichan Green Community and the Cowichan Beekeepers led to a unanimous vote in support from City Council.
Bee City Canada approved the City’s application earlier this week after the City took the Pollinator Protection Pledge to become an Official Bee City, committing to working with our partner organizations and community members to create pollinator-friendly areas within its parks and open spaces.
City Liaisons:
Councillor Carol Newington
Mayor Michelle Staples
Bee Hotel
Bee hotels, also called nests or houses, are a great way to attract pollinators to your family’s flower or vegetable garden. With bee populations declining, there has been a call for citizens to play their part by building bee hotels, man-made contraptions that act as a resting place for solitary pollinator bees, who may not produce honey, but still play a vital role in the growth of fruits and vegetables, plants and flowers. Make Duncan a bee-utiful city by building your own bee hotel for our solitary bees.
Supplies
- Container (like a large tin can or bucket)
- Natural materials (e.g. Hollow plant reeds, cones, cardboard tubes, fallen sticks from local trees or bamboo sticks)
- Paint or markers
Directions
Step one
Decorate your container with bright colours to attract bees to your bee hotel.
Step two
Pack the natural materials tight into the container.
Step three
Put your bee hotel in your yard to give these buzzing friends a wonderful place to rest.
