The Howard Centre has become home to over 30,000 bees across two bee hives, helping the local ecosystem thrive and encouraging biodiversity.
The bees are part of the centre’s sustainability plan, and it’s hoped that within the next few months the colony may reach up to 50,000 Buckfast honey bees, and that by spring next year the bees will be producing their very own honey.
The bees are supported by Central and South Herts Beekeepers Association, alongside members of the centre team who have been trained in beekeeping and have become members of the beekeeping association. Planting around the centre has also been designed to support pollinating insects.
The bees are the latest edition to The Howard Centre, which recently installed bird boxes to help provide safe nesting spaces for birds, and forms part of the centre’s wider sustainability strategy.
To celebrate the arrival of the bees, and World Bee Day, The Howard Centre are inviting visitors to come along and snap a selfie at their bee themed selfie set, which will be located inside of the centre until 26th May.
Victoria Smith, Centre Manager at The Howard Centre said: “We’ve been planning for the arrival of The Howard Centre bees for over a year now and are very excited to finally have them here at the centre. We’d like to thank the team at Central and South Herts Beekeepers Association for all of their help and support in making sure this is a success. The centre is committed to having a positive impact on the environment around us and bees are such an important part of this, with honey bees being responsible for the pollination of between 5%-15% of the UK’s insect pollinated crops. Of course we’re also really looking forward to sampling our first harvest of honey next year.”
