Bee City Talent (BCT) partners with the Talent Garden Club (TGC), hosting events and championing sustainable garden practices.
History and Purpose
In 2014, Talent became the second official Bee City USA affiliate. Bee City USA provides a framework for communities to come together to conserve native pollinators by providing them with healthy habitats that are rich in a variety of native plants, provides nest sites, and are protected from pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and chemical fertilizers.
As the name suggests, the focus of Bee City USA is bees (primarily our native species). The steps our affiliates take to conserve our native bees, including creating safe habitats and hosting community events, will also help other pollinators, including butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and non-native honeybees. Birds are vital for a healthy, thriving garden, acting as natural pest controllers, pollinators, and weed managers. One of the most impactful actions any affiliate can take is to encourage others to think beyond the honeybee and recognize the true diversity of bees that sustain our communities.
In 2018, Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA became initiatives of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Bee City Talent has created the following public pollinator gardens in Talent (high level map here):
- City Hall Front Gardens
- City Hall Curbside Bulb Garden
- City Hall Monarch Waystation
- City Hall Small Pollinator Garden
- Skateboard Park Garden
- Police Station Garden
- Historical Society Shade Garden
- Post Office Garden
- Talent Tiny Park
- Colver/Talent Ave. Garden (created from Xerces Pollinator Habitat Kits)
These gardens were created and are being maintained by the “Talent Garden Worker Bees,” who are members of Bee City Talent (most are active Talent Garden Club members, too).
The City of Talent instituted an Integrated Pest Management program in 2018; since then, no chemicals have been applied to city lands.
To date we have ninety-four certified pollinator gardens in our city. If you wish to join these ranks here are the links:
Hummingbird Feeder Maintenance:
Hummingbird feeders must be cleaned every three to five days (sooner in hot weather) with hot water and a bottle brush to prevent deadly mold. Use a capful of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and fill the feeder with hot water. Let it sit for ten minutes. Then brush it thoroughly and rinse well. Alternatively, one can use a 1:3 mixture of white vinegar and water for cleaning, avoiding chlorine bleach and soap which can leave harmful residue.
Preparing Hummingbird Food:
- 1/4 cup (during the warmer months) – 1/3 cup (during the cold season) refined white sugar
- 1 cup water
- Place into a pot and allow this mixture to simmer for 1 minute, let it cool.
- Note: Please do not substitute honey, or any other sugars which can promote dangerous fungal growth, or use red food coloring, which is not necessary and could also prove harmful to birds.
In our region, hummingbirds need food year-round because Anna’s (Calypte Anna) stay here during the winter.
Mason/Leafcutter Bee Maintenance:
We recommend performing mason bee house maintenance (or solitary bee house maintenance) in the fall toward the end of most bee activity. For most species, hibernation occurs during the winter months (typically November through March) and will resume with the onset of warmer weather, though this can vary depending on the region and climate.
The first thing you’ll want to do at the end of any bee season is to use a small, soft brush to remove all dead bees and debris inside your bee house. If there are any empty cocoons, remove them as well – they might have become infested by other insects that will deter the bees from returning next spring. Similarly, nests that have been damaged by inclement weather (or enterprising predators looking for a quick snack) should be removed as well.
Next, use the brush to remove any dirt, cobwebs, or other debris from the outside of your bee lodge.
After you’ve brushed away the bulk of the debris, use a little warm water to clear out any remaining pollen residue or debris that’s in those hard-to-reach places – but be careful! You’ll want to avoid the use of soap or any chemical cleaning products that could potentially harm or deter returning bees next season.
Finally, after letting your bee lodge dry out in the sun for a while, we recommend taking a small vacuum and giving it a last once-over. This will ensure that your bee hotel is primed and ready for guests.
We recommend replacing tubes every three years.