Monday, May 19
Town Council Workshop: Library
6:00 PM – St. Michael’s Parish Hall
Tuesday, May 20
Town Council & Solid Waste Committee Workshop
6:00 PM – Auditorium Hall
Planning Board Meeting
7:00 PM – Council Chambers
Life in South Berwick, Maine
In the Foster’s Daily Democrat on May 21st is a South Berwick article on the front page.
Bees have neighbors abuzz
It is my thought, the neighbors should wait a season or two to realize there are no problems caused by the bees before attempting to rid the neighborhood of flowers and fruits. Most people have unreasonable fears of bees due to being uneducated. These people become defensive and will not be educated or try to be unbiased because the unreasonable fear takes them over. As it stands, the citizens of South Berwick consider our home a “Village” and by such definition, I propose we need no regulations on the keeping of bees. Some patience and some education will be proof. If however, it can be proved otherwise with proper documentation and evidence, I would consider at that point to present something to the town council.
I would be willing to bet that backyard pools injure more people each year than bees do.
I am with Dan B on this point.
I just did a quick Internet search and here are a few numbers about pools and kids that takes the sting out of the honeybee controversy….
“Each year over 1,000 children (about 250 under the age of 5) die in swimming related accidents and over 5,000 others are hospitalized” Compare this staggering number to the much smaller number of insect bite related deaths (http://bee-quick.com/reprints/stingdeath.pdf)
If this witch-hunt on honeybees continues should we then focus our efforts on filling in all pools in town? We could do it to protect our children and our pets and even ourselves….
Please understand that I am not serious about filling in pools however, I am very serious about supporting local honeybees. Also I am seriously concerned about laws or ordinances that would ban or even restrict honeybees.
For that matter I’m leery of any law that is shortsighted and attempts to protect citizens from themselves at the detriment of others. Concerned citizens that think legislation will solve their every problem do not always see the bigger picture at first.
Also I think it has been said but please be clear not all stinging bees are honeybees – and no zoning restriction will keep bumblebees, or wasps from entering a ‘no fly zone’ on Portland Street.
If the concerned citizens would like to see an ‘observation hive’ I could possible arrange that. Perhaps we can even host the event at the school(s) so that future generations will understand the benefit of honeybees with out the unwarranted fears. Also as I understand this current situation it is our teachers that may need the education.
somewhere I read that every third bite we take requires a bee to pollinate
We have a lot of flowers, and flowering plants, so we see a lot of honey bees.
We also have a pool.
I’ m more bothered by mosquitos, japanese beetles, and horseflys than the bees.
I did some research too. The beekeepers I read about all said that stings are rare even for the beekeepers, nevermind those living in and around the area. I think the neighbors are over reacting quite a bit. I’d love to see a sample hive as I am interested in keeping bees myself.
Get over it please we are not a village and the bees are fine, there must be to much time on your minds.
What I saw today, the first lady slipper blooming in Vaughn Woods State Park.