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Bee Safe

When designing play gardens and outdoor children's environments, early childhood professionals tend to focus on the negativity of bees in the outdoor environment. Bees are a necessary part of the cycle of nature and are needed to pollinate both fruits and vegetables. If you plant herbs you can reduce the number of bees if you keep vegetation trimmed BEFORE blooming. If you want to use blooming plants materials and you are afraid of perennials, try putting out bushes like forsythia and witch hazel or trees like the flowering crabapple and Bradford pear that bloom in early spring.

For those programs who have children who are allergic to bee stings, there is a great product called Beesafe. It is made from all natural ingredients and therefore is safe for use around children. You can use the product to spray the area you will be using to deter bees, wasps, yellow jackets and other flying insects. This might be a good alternative to the use of the chemical called DEET for mosquito control.

You can find out more about this product at www.beesaf.com or by calling Teragram. Inc. 877-285-0700.

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