Monday, April 14, 2025

Bee Barn

On my trip to the Arboretum,the Bee Barn caught my eye and interested me. I am not sure who made it, but I believe it has stood there for many years and has served many purposes. Currently, some bees are going extinct and others have dwindling numbers. While bees still scare me, I am thankful for the Bee Barn because it gives the bees a safe place to grow their hives and it ensures them safety and protection. The yellow letters have faded from being sun beaten for many years, but the letters are still inviting and telling. Some of the boxes are broken and the wood is rotting in some places, but I think this shows the purpose that the construct has served throughout the years. I am interested to know if anyone will fix it or leave it standing as it is.

Bee Hives

When I see a beehive, I typically run away or become frightened by the life that lives within the construct. But, something changed when I saw the Bee Barn today and thought about the jobs that bees have. Without bees, flowers would not be polinated, the food chain would be thrown off, and humans would not consume honey in teas or in various foods. I started thinking about why bees are so scary when they are performing the job they were destined to do. There were other bee hives in the Arboretum and instead of becoming scared, running away from them or swatting them away, I looked at the few I saw for a second and examined their beauty and purpose.

Bees

However, I did not see many bees in the Bee Barn on this trip and I wonder what happened to them. During the start of the fall semester (the first time I went there), there were hives in a few of the boxes but not anymore. I thought the boxes would provide the bees with protection and I wonder what happened to them. An animal could have gotten to them or maybe the bees decided they were better suited somewhere else. Though the air has been warmer and the sun has shown, it might be too cold for bees to be seen. I hope the bees will come back during the summer months and find protection in the Bee Barn where they can be protected and safe.

Flowers

The trees have no leaves yet and there are no wildflowers to be seen around the grounds. When the plants begin to regrow and bloom, the bees will probably be seen again. Usually bees are seen where blooming flowers are present, so it makes sense that there is no life around the Bee Barn. The Bee Barn was quiet without the hum of bees at work but I hope to hear them again during the summer months. The birds have began to migrate back which is a sign of the summer months headed our way. I wonder if we will see a return of bees during the summer months too?