Two of my friends wanted to keep bees in an urban environment. After a lot of brainstorming the idea of an educational beehive was born. With the Plexiglas enclosure it is safely possible to come up really close to the hives.
There were many volunteers, and I was part of the 6 core people who built the structure. This was 10 years ago, and I have learned a lot about bees and even given tours to the garden and hives for elementary school groups. We just had the 10th annual bee fest. It is so rewarding to see a project have this kind of longevity and positive impact in the community. I've met a lot of people through this effort, some have turned into really good friends.
I'll stop rambling now, but happy to answer questions below :)
This is an amazing project, and I am so happy to hear that it's been successful for so long! Pollinators are so important to everything and everyone, so I have a soft spot for bees and bats.
You mention in the comments that you often have mason bees. Do you build those wood dowel habitats for those guys, too?
Yes! As soon as the dandelions are out we put dowels out. The mason bees do their thing, lay new large larvae into the dowels and then we put the dowels into the fridge, because a lot of predators are after them :)
I love all of this! 🐝