This post has been contributed by Kathleen Stormont, SPES Communications Specialist with the Stanley Park Ecology Society (“SPES”).
The Buzz about Mason Bees
Hives, honey and yellow stripes likely come to mind when you think of bees. We’re all familiar with the iconic honeybee, but there are over 4,000 native bee species in North America and many sport colours ranging from red to metallic green. Unlike the social, domesticated honeybees, these wild bees are solitary – living in hollow stems and soil burrows, or under rocks and leaves.
A native orchard mason bee pollinates an apple blossom. Photo: Red58bill, Wikimedia.org
Stanley Park Ecology Society (SPES) is working to support one of these solitary bee species, the blue orchard mason bee.
Like many bees around the world, our mason bees (Osmia lignaria) are in trouble, threatened by severe habitat loss, escalating pesticide use, and pollen mites. Without the bees’ pollination services, many wild plants and cultivated crops would be unable to thrive. Although SPES is hosting only a small number of mason bees (about 300), the benefits may be significant: 6 mason bees will pollinate one fruit tree compared to 10,000 honey bees! In Stanley Park, the bees work hard to pollinate early spring flowers like our native salmonberries. A single mason bee will visit between 1,600 to 2,400 blossoms daily, and pollinate over 90% of them.
You’ll find evidence of our mason bee program just north of the Nature House on Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park. In a sunny patch beside the lake, look for bee habitat complete with native flowering plants and bee “condos”.
SPES Conservation Technician Ariane Comeau manages the bee condo at Lost Lagoon.
Plastic blocks of tubes house the bees over the winter. Come spring, the male bees are the first to hatch from their cocoons in the tubes, waiting for the females to emerge so they can pounce and mate. The females feed on nectar to build their strength for laying up to 30 eggs each in an empty tube.
By June all the eggs are laid and the adult bees die. Bee larvae emerge from the eggs a week after being laid. They feed for a month on the pollen mass left in the tube by their mother, then spin a cocoon around themselves and slowly transform into an adult bee over fall and winter. The warmth of next spring spurs them to emerge from their cocoons and start the cycle of life again.
An orchard mason bee rests on its “condo”. Photo by Michael Schmidt.
We chose plants for our bee garden that bloom when the bees are emerging from their cocoons. This ensures a stable food supply for the busy bees.
You can plant the same native species on your balcony or in your yard to support these and other pollinators.
Some good plant choices include: coastal strawberry, nodding onion, red flowering currant, Nootka rose, and tall Oregon grape.
Volunteers plant Oregon grape at the bee garden by Lost Lagoon. Photo by Michael Schmidt.
Keeping mason bees in your own garden, or even on your condo balcony, is an easy way to promote pollination and support this important pollinator.
Learn more about mason bees and their care online here »
Special thanks to the Al Roadburg Foundation for supporting the Stanley Park mason bees project
About SPES Saturday
As a member of the Stanley Park Ecology Society (“SPES”), I wanted to offer the organization an opportunity to share their news, events, and work so I created the “SPES Series” years ago. This is where SPES can contribute and share stories with my audience once a month. Follow SPES on Facebook for more information.
Kick off the summer for a great cause with Variety’s Spring into Summer BBQ! Join in the fun at Robson Square on May 25th where you’ll find a fun community event featuring music, food and a giant inflatable obstacle course.
Variety’s Spring Into Summer Competition
Where: Robson Square When: Friday, May 25, 2018 11:30am to 1:30pm Admission: Participation in the obstacle course and BBQ are by donation and funds raised will provide direct help to kids in BC with special needs.
You can head out on your lunch break to catch the action. Participate in the course yourself by making a donation to Variety, and stick around for the BBQ which will also be by donation.
About Variety
With your support, Variety – the Children’s Charity steps in to provide direct help to children with special needs in BC. For over 50 years, Variety has ensured that children have the support they need to reach their potential and thrive.
Funding from Variety helps to cover costs for medical care and services, mobility and communication equipment, therapies and developmental programs not covered by private or public health plans.
Since 2010, Variety has distributed more than $30 million in funding to families and organizations in communities all across the province.
The 7th annual Surrey Doors Open is a free city-wide event that takes place on June 9th. You can explore 30 venues, connected by trolley stops or on a self-guided tour, and experience Surrey’s rich culture, history, art and architecture.
Surrey Doors Open 2018
Where: 30 venues in City Centre, Cloverdale, Newton, South Surrey When: Saturday June 9, 2018 from 11:00am to 4:00pm Admission & Activities: FREE during the event
At each venue you can enjoy free guided tours, entertainment, and the chance to win great prizes! Post your Surrey Doors Open photos and share your unique stories and experiences on Instagram or Twitter for a chance to win great prizes using #SurreyDoorsOpen or email your photos to [email protected]. Submissions will be accepted from 11:00am Saturday June 9, 2018 until 4:59pm on Friday June 15, 2018. Winners will be accounted on Tuesday, June 19, 2018.
Participating Venues
Cloverdale Venues
A&T Equestrian
Cloverdale Library
Fraser Valley Heritage Railway
Harness Racing BC
Honeybee Centre
Surrey Animal Resource Centre
Surrey Archives
Surrey Fire Service Hall No.8
BC Vintage Truck Museum South Surrey Venues
Historic Stewart Farm
Semiahmoo Arts
South Surrey Operations Centre Newton Venues
Surrey Amateur Radio Training
Surrey Operations Centre.
Whalley Venues
Bear Creek Park Train & Mini Golf
Central City Brewers & Distillers
Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre
City Centre Library
City Parkway Studios
Di Reggae Cafe
Forsyth Park
Health & Technology District
Maranatha Canadian Reformed Church
Sprite Multimedia
St.Constantine &
Helen Greek Orthodox Church
Surrey Biofuel Facility
Surrey City Hall
Surrey Nature Centre
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St.Mary
Viva Care Medical Clinic
Free Shuttle
Visit Surrey Doors Open venues on your own, or enjoy the free Hop-On, Hop-Off Shuttle Bus at designated venues in Cloverdale. Services start at 11:00am and ends at 4:00pm.
Free shuttle buses will be running approximately every 45 minutes from the Hop-On, Hop-Off Zone in Cloverdale. Please note that our shuttles cannot accommodate booster seats or car seats for children.
Hop-On, Hop-Off Shuttle Bus Zone will start at 56A Avenue and 176A Street and shuttle between:
Surrey’s Heritage Railway
Surrey Animal Resource Centre
Venues within walking distance of the Hop-On, Hop-Off Zone
Cloverdale Library
Surrey Archives
Surrey Fire Service Hall No.8
Doors Open History
The inspiration for Surrey’s Doors Open stems from origins in France where the first Doors Open event (La Journee Portes Ouvertes) took place in 1984. The idea soon spread to neighbouring countries and has since expanded around the globe.
Toronto was the first North American city to follow the European lead and launched a high profile event showcasing constructed heritage, architecture and design as a millennium project in 2000. The City of Richmond has hosted the event over the last 9 years, and has grown their community involvement to over 40 open sites throughout Richmond.
Cirque du Soleil’s Corteo, their latest arena production, will make stops in British Columbia this fall and tickets go on sale today at 10:00am.
Cirque du Soleil’s Corteo
Victoria – October 4 to 7, 2018 at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre
Vancouver – October 10 to 14, 2018 at the Pacific Coliseum
Kelowna – October 17 to 21, 2018 at Prospera Place
Kamloops – October 24 to 28, 2018 at Sandman Centre
Tournik Dominique Lemieux 2018 Cirque du Soleil Photo
This unique production, directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, first premiered in Montreal under the Big Top in April 2005. Since then, the show has been a great success and has amazed 8 million people in 64 cities in 19 countries on four continents. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
Richmond’s only night market this year is opening for the season! The Richmond Night Market is just a block away from the Bridgeport Canada Line station, featuring an international food fair with over a hundred vendors with over five hundred food items from all over the world.
Richmond Night Market
Location: 8351 River Road, Richmond Dates/Hours: May 11, 2018 to October 8, 2018
Fridays and Saturdays 7:00pm to 12:00am; Sundays & Holidays 7:00pm to 11:00pm Admission & Details: $4.25, free for children 10 and under, free for seniors 60+.
Skip the long lines with a zoom pass. If you plan on visiting throughout the Summer or are coming with a group, then the zoom pass is a great option since it lets you in through express entry – and it’s they are transferrable.
Visit Richmond Night Market on your birthday in May or June and receive free admission and a t-shirt (with ID, on your exact birthday).
New This Year
A tropical Hawaiian theme
Bouncy castles
Inflatable obstacle course
The night market is the best place to find unique culinary creations, from steaming liquid nitrogren ice cream cups topped with churros to potato tornadoes, bubble waffles, grilled octopus, ramen spam burgers, takoyaki, and so much more.
With Richmond’s other night market, Illumination Night Market, not returning this year, the Richmond Night Market is sure to be hopping! Arrive early (before sunset) to get a jump on the lines.
Follow the Richmond Night Market on Facebook for the latest updates.
As a member of the Stanley Park Ecology Society (“SPES”), I wanted to offer the organization an opportunity to share their news, events, and work so I created the “SPES Series” years ago. This is where SPES can contribute and share stories with my audience once a month. Follow SPES on Facebook for more information.
