Kids on SW side learn friendlier side of bees

Bexar County awarded $10,000 for bee projects

SAN ANTONIO – Kids on the Southwest Side were buzzing with excitement Monday as they got an up close look at live bees. They also got their hands dirty leaving their mark for generations to come.

"We’re losing land through either urbanization or maybe native lands are being reverted to road crops to feed the growing world," said Becky Langer, with the North America Bayer Bee Care Program.

To help combat the problem, Bayer donated $10,000 to help fund more bee projects in Bexar County.

It's a part of the Bayer Crop Science Division. San Antonio is just one stop of many they do across the nation and they're sure to be back.

St. John's Berchman's Catholic School is buzzing with honey bees in the new bee garden outside the school. The kids couldn't wait to try on the bee veil.

It's all about seeing the more friendly side to these stingers.

"When you look out you find less and less so helping do things like this it is really nice to help regain the population, especially in this area you might not find bees at all," said Quentin Styles.

A sophomore and an aspiring entomologist who already understands the importance of protecting these species.

Most of the time, when a kid sees a bee they want to run or swat it away. Now they're learning how important they are to pollinating our wildflowers and crops. 

Southern Winds Intertribal members performed a blessing on the garden before the kids got to work planting.

"I think the purpose for them to learn is so they can take care of it at a young age so they can appreciate it in the long run and pass it down to younger generations," said David Palacios, youth leader with the 4-H Club.

From what they've learned in the classroom, students are hoping bees and other insects will find plenty of food once this garden grows.

"Pollinators range from flies (to) beetles (and) hummingbirds. Even bats can be a pollinator and monarch butterflies,” Langer said.” We focus a lot of on bees because they are the most efficient pollinator that we know of."

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