Honey Bee Rewilding in Sweden
Swedish researchers, common knowledge and even the redlist render honey bees incapable of self-sustaining life. Unaware of this fact, the honey bees in the old brick walls in my hometown Halmstad go about their lives as usual, pollinating our gardens and swarming as they please. When I noticed the remnants of comb out in the open, I suspected a lack of suitable nests and started working for them.
One part of the work supported by the landlord is to hollow out logs and install them high up in trees. Another is to protect the established nests and the swarms by helping the honey bees and their fellow tenants to get along. For instance, by sealing cracks on the inside of a school building so that the bees do not end up in the classrooms or informing about the docility of swarms and what a marvel of nature swarming is.
I am hoping to inspire others to adapt a similar relationship with bees through courses about rewilding with loghives, talks at beekeeping associations, a Facebook-group about wild honey bees "Om vilda bisamhällen", a bookproject, a blog about realigning beekeeping with today's knowledge "Superbiodling.se" and as cofounder and chairman of the young honey bee organization "Honungsbiföreningen".
Country
Sweden
Region
Halland
Website
Start Date
2017
Project Owner
Hannes Bonhoff
Naturally Occupied Nests
10
Created Hives
11
Ecosystem
Mixed
Project Type
Rewilding, protection, education