1. 24 edible San Antonio APRIL/MAY 2016
little bites
A
busy bee hive in a pecan tree in Five Points caused alarm in the
neighborhood. But these bees were lucky … while they were
run out of town, they will end up safe and sound in Victoria,
thanks to the city and the American Honey Bee Protection Agency
(AHBPA).
In March, AHBPA joined forces with city officials to rescue the
Five Points bees and their pecan tree home in front of the “Signs by
Tomorrow” shop at 1202 N. Flores Street.
“It turns out that the tree was so rotten and far in the decay process
that the bees would not have lived long. We wanted to use this time
to examine the health of the bees, to see if they are carrying diseases
or dealing with an overuse of pesticides that plague honeybees. We
want to preserve them, not kill them,” AHBPA head beekeeper Rick
Fink explained.
The honeybee hive in the Five Points neighborhood came under
scrutiny months ago when “Signs By Tomorrow” president Rachel
Fuentes moved her shop off Broadway to the 7,500-square-foot cor-
ner lot on N. Flores Street near La Michoacana. She was satisfied with
the new digs until she discovered the cluster of humming insects near
her shop, sparking concern for the safety of passersby.
Ms. Fuentes decided something had to be done and called the city
for help. The city decided to try to rescue the bees and sent in a team
to prepare for their successful removal at the first sign of spring. The
At the end of March, local city government joined forces with the American Honey Bee Protection Agency to preserve a busy beehive, stabilizing a vital player in the ecosystem.
(Photo courtesy)
effort to relocate the bees included preserving as much of the tree as
possible to move with the bees. Councilman Roberto Treviño (D-1),
Mr. Frank Chapa and the AHBPA started the process of cutting the
tree to reach the heart of the hive.
Calling in the city government of San Antonio was prudent be-
cause they were able to bring together forces to preserve the earth
friendly insects. Apis mellifera (the western honeybee) pollinates at
least a hundred crops – including many fruits, vegetables, grains and
nuts.
“They are pollinating all of the flowers, flower trunks and trees
and they can spread actual seed production of all the wildflowers and
natural plants in the area. And that is a great thing to work towards
– to keep creating the biodiversity needed to create a healthy ecosys-
tem,” Mr. Fink explained.
This approach to dealing with bees is growing in popularity and
is an important step to protect the bees and the environment. It also
contributes to the safety of the neighborhood and local businesses.
Instead of being terminated, the lucky Five Points bees will first
travel to Mr. Fink’s Bandera farm and then be relocated to the Vic-
toria Zoo for further testing. Their new home might even allow for
them to be the first bees in a new honeybee exhibit.
To learn more about preserving the bee population, visit www.
honeybekind.com ~ Christina Acosta
FIVE POINTS BEES TO KEEP BUZZING