Partnering With Local Apiaries To Protect Pollinators

Monday, June 17, 2019

Life on Planet Earth is dependent on a host of things to survive and thrive, including pollination, which is essential to maintaining the world’s delicate ecosystem. Pollination is vital in the life cycle of all flowering plants and the growth of fruits and vegetables that are key to a healthy human diet. At Rose Pest Solutions, are proud to support apiaries in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio that preserve these beneficial species.

Rose is proud to partner with local organizations and apiaries, like Detroit Hives in Michigan, Gaiser Bee Co. in Indiana and the Bug Bowl at Purdue University, to help spread the word about the importance of preserving pollinators and the impact they have on the environment. Detroit Hives and Rose have teamed up to extend Rose’s 2018 sponsorship by adding an additional, brightly painted hive to the 100,000 strong hives and greenhouse and storage geodomes Rose funded last summer. Additional plans are in the works for Rose to help Detroit Hives expand its operations within the city. Rose will help the nonprofit organization continue developing its bee farm and beautifying its original neighborhood location on Detroit’s east side, as well as continuing to establish apiaries in other areas of the city.

According to the Pollinator Partnership, 75 to 95 percent of all flowering plants need help with pollination. Pollinators are key to transferring pollen within healthy and productive agricultural ecosystems. Honey bees are among the beneficial insects that pollinate more than 180,000 different plant species. Studies show honey bees make approximately two million flower visits to produce a pound of honey. One colony produce can produce 100 pounds of honey, with total agricultural production reaching between $1.2 and $5.4 billion annually.

“Rose Pest Solutions appreciates the importance of beneficial insects in our ecosystem and we’re especially dedicated to protecting pollinators,” said Mark Vanderwerp, board-certified entomologist and manager of education and training for Rose Pest Solutions. “We’re proud to partner with apiaries in the markets we serve – like Detroit Hives in Michigan. Honeybees are really cool insects; they help to raise people’s awareness of the importance of pollinator health, and they also help make connections between the field and the table.”

In serving commercial and residential customers, Rose Pest Solutions works to protect beneficial pollinators. If a honey bee hive or nest is discovered on a customer’s property, Rose prefers safe relocation of the colony whenever possible. This may involve reaching out to a local beekeeper or relying on Rose’s internal experts that have relocated live honeybee colonies in the past.

In addition to Detroit Hives, Rose enjoys successful partnerships with Gaiser Bee Company in Ohio, as well as The Harpur Bee Hive at Purdue University in Indiana.

Following are simple tips for those interested in helping pollinators thrive:

• Plant flowers and flowering plants in gardens that will bloom at different times of the year - spring, summer, and autumn.
• Place colorful flowers in clusters to make bee foraging more efficient.
• Create a pollinator-friendly habitat realizing that in addition to nectar and pollen, various species will need other things, such as bare soil or log piles to nest in, and (in the case of butterflies) other host plants for the caterpillars.
• Reduce pesticide use, increase green spaces (hint: a manicured lawn is not a green space that many species can utilize), and minimize urbanization.
• Educate neighbors, schools, and community groups about the importance of pollinators.
• Do not establish a beehive in your yard without instruction and support of a trained beekeeper.

Rose Pest Solutions also provides a wide range of services, including residential and commercial pest control. Technicians always strive to use the least invasive, most effective pest control services to fit each customer’s unique needs. Rose Pest Solutions is dedicated to being a good global citizen by keeping environmental impact and human safety at the forefront of its daily operations, which is demonstrated regularly in both residential and commercial services. Technicians at Rose also receive ongoing education and training, which allows them to provide the latest in pest management technology.

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