by Propolis Projects

Getting ready for Spring 2016; New videos and presentations on the way

The spring of 2016 will hold lots of new endeavors for Propolis Projects, including many new projects, community outreach, and lots of opportunities to volunteer and to learn about what is affecting pollinators in the Midwest. Also, we will be making some new additions to this website, so stay posted for more pictures, videos, information, and updates about the activities of Propolis Projects and volunteer opportunities. Here's a taste of what's to come in terms of media here: City of bees Light queen walking around Groomed Mites and Families of Mites

by Propolis Projects

WPAFB Responds to President Obama’s Pollinator Memorandum

To promote the health of honey bees and other pollinators, President Obama issued a presidential memorandum last year in June stating that the Department of Defense shall support habitat restoration projects for pollinators. Watch below to see how Wright-Patterson Air Fore Base, in partnership with PropolisProjects, is supporting the President's memorandum. Dwight Wells, director of the Ohio State Beekeepers Association, is featured in the video above. Last June, Wells served as project coordinator for the placement of four beehives in Huffman Prairie, an 84-acre patch of rough pasture on Wright Patterson Air Force Base northeast of Dayton. The hives contain 40,000 Carniolan…

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A New Kind of Honeybee Data Collection

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), leaders in the Global Initiative for Honeybee Health, is addressing the decline in bee populations by attaching RFID tags to the backs of 15,000 honeybees in Australia and Brazil. As the bees enter and exit their hive, electronic readers can record their individual behaviors. Dr. Paulo de Souza of CSIRO stated in a press release that the readers will send data to researchers who can "analyze the effects of stress factors including disease, pesticides, air pollution, water contamination, diet and extreme weather on the movements of bees and…

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The Varroa Mite Parasite

The most serious pest of modern beekeeping is Varroa destructor, an Asian mite that jumped from the eastern hive bee Apis cerana to the western bee Apis mellifera when commercial beekeeping brought the two bee species into contact. The mite causes severe winter losses in heavily infected bee yards. Here, a mite rides on the abdomen of a worker bee. Check out more great photos of bees and other insects by Alexander Wild.

by Propolis Projects

Why are honeybees so important and what is happening to them?

National Honeybee Day is today: August 22, 2015. Today is a day to celebrate our behind-the-scenes friends: the honeybees. You may see them as a nuisance or be fearful of them, but if you've spoken to any of your environmentalist friends or read up on environmental news, you most likely have heard about the plight of honeybees. Do you know why they are so important? You may be relying on them more than you think. These tiny workers are responsible for many of the foods in your fridge and on your plate - vegetables, fruits, nuts, spices…

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Wright-Dunbar Food Forest Growing Immensely

              The food forest planted in the Wright-Dunbar neighborhood back in June is doing well. Stephen Barrett, Propolis Projects intern states, "The sunflowers and the garden boxes have become monstrous, and today we dropped the largest harvest yet by far to the Food Bank. We owe a huge thank-you to all of the people and organizations who have teamed up to make Propolis Projects a huge success. We plan to expand and see this kind of output between future projects." Keep up with the progress of this project and more…

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Read about our efforts in the Dayton Daily News

We made it to the papers! The Dayton Daily News published an article on our efforts to grow a food forest in the Wright-Dunbar neighborhood in Dayton, OH. "Karen Levin of the Foundation said the Food Forest at the corner of West Fifth and South Williams streets will feed pollinating insects like butterflies and honeybees and people, when vegetables are ready for harvest. She’s looking for an organization that could help distribute the vegetables to the needy." Check out the article here "Effort to increase bee population launched in Dayton." Be sure to Like us on…

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Propolis Projects to Plant Food Forest in Neighborhood of West Dayton

On Monday, June 22nd, Propolis Projects will create a “food forest” within the northwest corner of West Fifth Street and South Williams Street in West Dayton, an area that is currently considered a “food desert.” The neighborhood in focus, Wright-Dunbar, is an area in which many inhabitants do not have access to healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. The food forest will include a dozen garden boxes growing various fruits and vegetables for those living in the neighborhood. Sunflowers and wildflowers will also be planted, feeding and attracting pollinators. Many have partnered with Propolis Projects in this endeavor including Home Depot,…

by Propolis Projects

June 15 to June 2, 2015 is Pollinator Week!

June 15 to June 21 is Pollinator Week, a nationally-recognized week to raise awareness of the important role of bees, birds, butterflies, bats, and other pollinators in ecology and food production. This week was initiated by the Pollinator Partnership, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and the largest in the world dedicated exclusively to the protection and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems. Read more about the Pollinator Partnership here. There are plenty of ways to learn about the importance of this week and to get involved through your community and online. Visit the Pollinator Week page to learn more.