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In praise of the Bee team

 

There is a bee’s eye view of the world on show in the latest exhibition in the Courtyard Gallery at the National Botanic Garden of Wales.

The Bee Garden –Images from the Apiary runs from April 25 until June 29.

It features an innovative range of art in an array of media including ceramics, stained glass, water colour, oils, photography and electron micrographs.

Stained-glass artist Sarah Tombs has recreated the famous bee “waggle dance” in her special exhibition window; Georgina Hughes examines the sculptural aspects of the honeycomb; Rosalind Wise’s oil paintings capture the wonderful diversity of Welsh wildflower meadows and Malcolm Wilson’s photographs of electron micrographs enlarge microscopic pollen grains to as big as your head.

So, why bees? Well, there is a simple equation we would all do well to ponder:

Fewer bees = fewer fertilised crops = less food.

The Garden’s bee keeper, volunteer Chris Adam takes up the story: “In its mission statement, the National Botanic Garden of Wales is dedicated to:

• The research and conservation of biodiversity
• Its sustainable utilisation
• Lifelong learning
• The enjoyment of the visitor

“The thousands of species of flowering plants that you see in the Garden are largely due to the benefits of the ‘out-crossing’ of pollen brought about by plants co-evolving with pollinators.

“The International Convention on Biological Diversity specifies, ‘pollination is a key ecosystem function that is threatened globally’.

“Five years ago, in an effort to promote the conservation of our most important pollinator, the honeybee, the Garden set about establishing an apiary at the SW corner of the double walled garden.

“The Garden site also includes over 400 acres of farmland and associated wild habitats. Through careful management, these areas will promote the well-being of a wide range of other pollinators essential to the conservation of wildflower biodiversity.”

Says Chris: “By helping to conserve honeybees, the apiary ensures good pollination of the plants in the Garden.”

He explains that, worldwide, the yields of the greater proportion of our food crops depend on pollination by honeybees.

“The threat of the loss of bees to human civilisation is obvious,” he says. “Our apiary supports the work of organisations that promote beekeeping in this country and its role in developing countries, where it is a valuable part of sustainable agriculture and rural economy (e.g. pollination, medicine, food, cash from sales of wax and honey).

“In the healing tradition of the Physicians of Myddfai, the apiary cooperates with scientific research in Wales into the numerous medical properties of honey, nectars and pollens on which honeybees forage.”