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Mounds View City Council May 8, 2006 <br />Regular Meeting Page 2 <br /> <br />Ms. Smith stated that honeybees are having a tough time because there are mites and diseases 1 <br />that are hitting them hard. She stated commercial people are using chemicals while hobby 2 <br />beekeepers are not. She noted honeybees are social creatures and are fascinating to watch. She 3 <br />stated that it is beneficial for the City to recognize this and be open-minded to seeing the benefits 4 <br />of honeybees. 5 <br /> 6 <br />Ms. Smith explained she works for the DNR and also volunteers to educate women about the 7 <br />outdoors. She stated she desires to partner with the City to create an observation hive that would 8 <br />be a double pane window frame that would show the bees working. She noted she could have 9 <br />demonstrations to school-aged children that would educate them about the history of honeybees 10 <br />and their biology, behavior and benefits. She noted she has spoken with Staff about this 11 <br />potential. She stated many children do not have enough things to do or enough interests, and this 12 <br />could be a potential hobby for young children to get into. 13 <br /> 14 <br />Ms. Smith stressed she wants to dismiss the fear about honeybees versus hornets, bees and 15 <br />wasps. 16 <br /> 17 <br />Councilmember Thomas asked what range of distance the bees travel away from the hive to 18 <br />determine what the proper notification would be for a permit or license issue. 19 <br /> 20 <br />Ms. Smith stated that the typical honeybee is not going to go any farther than it has to for its food 21 <br />source. She explained honeybees take vertical flight when they come out of the hive. She stated 22 <br />the typical range for a food source is two miles, but if the food source is tough, then they will 23 <br />travel up to ten miles. She noted that typically local gardens are very close in the area. She 24 <br />pointed out that many people are amazed at the production of fruits and vegetables when a hive is 25 <br />in the area. She added that the range for water source is within half a mile, but even small 26 <br />puddles will be adequate. 27 <br /> 28 <br />Councilmember Flaherty asked what a honeybee sting is like. Ms. Smith stated it is a normal 29 <br />sting, but the big difference is that hornets, wasps and yellow jackets sting repeatedly and are 30 <br />very aggressive. She explained that honeybees die the minute that they sting. She stated the 31 <br />basic biology of honeybees does not dictate them wanting to sting people as it defeats the 32 <br />purpose of their life. 33 <br /> 34 <br />Councilmember Flaherty asked if honeybees know they die when they sting. Ms. Smith stated 35 <br />this is correct, and their whole purpose is to defend the queen and the hive, and not themselves. 36 <br /> 37 <br />Councilmember Flaherty stated his concern is that children have no fear of anything. He asked if 38 <br />honeybees will attack or be aggressive. Ms. Smith stated honeybees will defend, but not attack. 39 <br />She stated she is willing to teach children and others how to act around honeybees. She stated 40 <br />she is able to pull the hive out of the bee frame with her bare hands, and the honeybees will crawl 41 <br />on her fingers but will not sting her as long as she does not aggravate them or make fast 42 <br />movements. She stressed the main focus of honeybees is pollen, nectar and the queen. 43 <br /> 44