Bees On The Roof works with the Irish Native Honey Bee, never imported or hybrid bees which can be more aggressive and introduce pests and disease to the local environment. The Irish Native Honey Bee – scientific name Apis Mellifera Mellifera – is a purebred black bee which supports natural biodiversity.

There are approximately 24,000 honey bee hives in Ireland which can be home to up to 40,000-50,000 honey bees in each. The Irish Honey Bee has adapted well to the local climate, flying comfortably at lower temperatures. When the weather is good, they are excellent honey producers. Native bees are also frugal – they are careful with their stores and will not eat into them unless they absolutely need to.

Honey bees have much they can teach humans and are currently involved in a number of advanced research studies throughout the world. In one Boeing-backed study in Australia, the flights of honey bees moving in high density airspace are being video-filmed and analysed to understand how they predict and avert imminent collisions. In another study, the Stealthy Insect Sensor Project, scientists trained honeybees to stick out their tongue to detect explosives – a natural action that honeybees typically use to capture nectar.

The plight of bees has become a hot topic with one third of wild bees now under the threat of extinction. Ireland is home to 99 different species of bees, including the native Irish honeybee, 21 types of bumblebees and 77 different solitary bee types.

Bees’ role in the ecosystem is vital; they are responsible for pollinating native plant species and crops such as apples, strawberries, tomatoes, blackcurrants, peppers and courgettes that in turn provide us with food and nutrition. In fact, an estimated three quarters of native Irish plants need insects for pollination, with bees playing the leading role. Not only that, they are vital to our national economy, and worth €53m a year according to one study from the Department of the Environment.

There is much we can do support our bee pollinators, right in our own gardens, at school, on our patios and on the rooftops! Start by shunning pesticides and opting for natural methods of pest mitigation, and plant wildflowers and let strips of lawn with dandelion and other flowers grow wild.

Workplaces can transform unused outdoor space into wildflower meadows with more bee-friendly foliage to create a healthy environment that supports biodiversity. Employees will also benefit from the transformation of a sterile, bleak space to one that works in synergy with the natural environment!

Transforming urban environments isn’t a new concept; this has worked successfully in major international cities such as Paris, where urban spaces have been planted with foliage and wildflowers to support pollinators, meanwhile creating green corridors for animals and enhancing the mental wellbeing of the city’s workers and residents!