[Our Friends the Pollinators 2018. Photo: Erik Sjödin.]

“Our Friends the Pollinators” is a workshop for kids, youths and adults to learn how to build homes for pollinators such as honey bees, wild bees and bumble bees.

Honey bees are great pollinators that are often discussed in the media for their important role in pollinating flowers and plants. However, recent scientific studies have shown that wild pollinators are even more important for efficient pollination. Unfortunately many species of wild pollinators are endangered or already extinct. One of several contributing factors is the disappearance of their habitats. In some cases their situation can be helped by constructing various homes for them. Constructing a pollinator house is an opportunity to learn about the needs of pollinators and the larger structural changes we must address to increase biological diversity and make a difference for pollinators.

During the workshop at Marabouparken on May 20 2018 we built houses for wild solitary bees out of birch bark, reed, and non-insect-and-other-animal-product based organic finger paint.

[Our Friends the Pollinators at Marabouparken May 2018. Photo: Erik Sjödin.]