The wee bee that I shared yesterday likely lives in one of these beehives in the back lot apiary nestled in this grassy and overgrown corner of Green-Wood Cemetery. These bees are doing the work keeping the lush oasis going.
Thinking of bees, I recently read Sarah Kliff’s article in The New York Times (30 Apr. 2024) that points out that domesticated honey bees, which are not native to North America, are are not at danger of extinction as is sometimes shouted from the rooftops. Instead, they have sustained their numbers despite losses from colony collapse disorder, which has been a problem of domesticated honey bees since at least the late 1800s. However, less diverse habitats, insecticides, and disease can harm honey bee colonies and the success of honey bees can in turn harm native bee species according to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
