Some pollinator-friendly policies could bring Langley Township into the club of Bee Cities in Canada, according to the president of the Langley Bee Club.
Bryn Jones spoke to Township council on Monday, March 10, mentioning that domesticated honeybees arrived in Langley in 1877 with a Reverend Dunn. Organized beekeepers groups were having formal meetings by as early as 1923, more than 100 years ago.
"Our beekeepers partnered to help each other, and we'd like help from you," Jones said.
He explained that honeybees need a variety of flowers in spring, summer, and fall to build up their stores of pollen and honey.
Over the past 30 year across North America, however, pollinators have been in decline. They've suffered from habitat destruction, invasive species, parasites, and pesticides.
Usually, hives lose about 10 to 15 per cent of their bees over the course of a winter. Now the rate in the Fraser Valley is closer to 25 to 30 per cent.
"It's an unsustainable loss that is really affecting all beekeepers," Jones said.
He encouraged the Township to help local bees by making some simple changes to help the Township be declared a Bee City, something communities like Delta and Richmond have already done.
The changes are aimed at creating, maintaining, and improving pollinator habitat, and can be as simple as planting hardy, low-lying flowering plants on road medians.
The total cost of maintaining the Township's status as a Bee City is $500 a year, and comes with access to a liaison with Bee City Canada who can help answer questions about helping pollinators.
After Jones's presentation, Councillor Margarget Kunst asked for staff to work with the Langley Bee Club on getting the Bee City designation. Kunst said it would benefit the Township and encourage other cities to do the same thing.
The motion was approved unanimously.
