SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Zoo is buzzing about its newest honey bees exhibit.
The new observational beehive opened today at the Discovery PLAYce. Through the exhibit, visitors will be able to observe the roles of bees in an up-close habitat, allowing the public to observe the importance of the bee population and their crucial part in pollination and food production.
“We are thrilled to bring a habitat that highlights these hardworking pollinators,” Tim Morrow, president & CEO of the San Antonio Zoo, said.
The habitat is “come and go” to give the bees access to the outside. Visitors will get to see the bees interacting and working to maintain the intricacy of their colony.
An interesting aspect of the exhibit is the presence of the queen bee. Very much a focal point of the colony, the queen bee lays up to 2,000 eggs a day.
Bees are central to our food production, being responsible for pollinating 70% of the world’s crops. However, bee populations around the world are “dwindling rapidly,” the press release says. With the exhibit, zoo officials hope the public can see the importance of bees to our world.
“Not only will it offer visitors an unforgettable educational experience about the vital role that bees play in our environment, but it’s also part of our larger effort to inspire people towards conservation and making a positive impact on the world around us.,” Morrow said.
Visitors to the exhibit can interact with the zoo crew, ask questions and learn how they can protect bees in the local environment.
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