"Beeing" Kind To The Environment

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Check out the new enclosure for the honeybees in the black walnut tree on Hole #2.  This new enclosure allows us to temporarily close the bees inside and protect people during events.  This hive is estimated to have a population of  around 30,000 bees.  Bees are critical to agriculture and ultimately our entire food supply.  So we're trying to do all we can to protect them.  This enclosure goes a long way to help.

We held the annual Stanford Invitational Cross Country Meet this past weekend on the golf course.  We had approximately 3,500 runners plus their support groups in attendance.  This bee hive on Hole #2 had the organizers worried about bee stings and attacks.  We wanted to find some method to protect the honeybees while still being able to run the races.  We turned to local beekeeper Art Hall for a solution.  Art came up with a screening method that included a wooden door.

We basically closed the bees inside while they were roosting (evening) then re-opened the door once the races were complete (late afternoon.)  This worked well as bees should not be enclosed too long, as they need to forage for moisture to stay hydrated.

Now that the Cross Country event is complete, the hive door will remain open.  This will allow the normally docile bees go about their business. Bees are mostly interested in flowers and pollen; not humans.  But in the event that a ball ends up next to the tree and hive, the Rules of Golf do allow a free drop away from a hazardous situation like a bee hive.

Here are a few photos from this year's Cross Country event.  The event went very well.  Stanford took the team titles in both the Men's and Women's Collegiate Divisions, and most importantly, no bee stings or incidents were reported!