What makes Mount Vernon a ‘Bee City USA’?
You might have seen the signs around Mount Vernon proclaiming that it’s now a ‘Bee City USA”, but what does that actually mean?
In preparation of the upcoming holiday ‘World Bee Day’ we thought it might be interesting to know what this designation means for our beautiful city.
In October 2022, Mount Vernon applied to become an affiliate of Bee City, USA, joining a nationwide movement to protect pollinators. Started by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, their program recognizes, supports, and encourages pollinator conservation in cities, towns, and counties.
Each city that’s deemed a ‘Bee City USA’ has pledged a commitment to to increase the abundance of native plants, provide nest sites, and reduce the use of pesticides along with raising awareness of pollinator conservation and expanding pollinator health and habitat.
Interesting facts:
- There are more than 3,600 species of native bees in this country! 70% of these bees are ground-nesting and 90% are solitary-nesting.
- They play a vital role in food pollination worldwide. For 1 out of every 3 bites of food we eat you can thank a bee!
- Since 2019, over 2,400 acres of pollinator habitat have been created or enhanced through the additions of Bee Cities and Bee Campuses.
So the next time you see a bee, give thanks. For without these amazing invertebrates our life would be a lot less colorful and flavorful!