Betts Park abuzz with bees

A honeybee hive was recently discovered in a tree in Betts Park near the tennis courts.

The tree was quickly surrounded by signs and tape warning people to stay back from the tree, but the bees themselves should pose no large threat in the park.

“Honeybees are typically gentle insects,” according to the Dyce Lab for Honey Bee Studies at Cornell University. “Around two million flowers are needed to make a single pound of honey, and colonies can make upwards of 100 pounds when conditions are good”

Honeybees routinely visit flowers up to three miles from their hive, typically cruising along 30 feet above the ground, according to the Dyce Lab. This is well above the height of most activity happening in the park.

“They just want to make honey, they’re not into stinging,” said city arborist Joe Reinke.

He crossed the yellow rope barricade that prevents access to the tree and pointed to the two holes that the honeybees were emerging from. He believed that these bees were from a swarm that entered the tree last fall, since they were not there on his fall inspection of the tree.

The hive was lucky to have made it through the winter. Around 60% of commercial honeybee hives died off last winter, according to Cornell University, leading to a loss of over 130 million dollars.

“Based on early numbers that are coming in, it’s suggestive that this will be the biggest loss of honeybee colonies in U.S. history” said Dr. Scott McArt, program director for the Dyce Lab for Honey Bee Studies at Cornell University.

The bees are not expected to be a problem for park goers, but Mr. Reinke said that he is working with a local beekeeper to relocate the hive. For now, the hive is active near the trail along the Allegheny River. It is surrounded by signs and a rope barrier to keep people from stumbling into the hive. The close up bees provide a great chance to see some pollinators in action.

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