More than 600 people attended the open house at the UC Davis Bee Haven as part of the 15th annual UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day. The event, held at the half-acre pollinator demonstration garden next to the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility, provided visitors with opportunities to observe bees up close and learn about their importance.
Samantha Murray, education and garden coordinator for the Bee Haven, and Kian Nikzad, co-program manager of the California Master Beekeeper Program, answered questions from attendees. They identified bee castes in an observation hive and explained pollination’s significance. Beekeeping tools were displayed along with mini-models of bees and threats such as the varroa mite.
Visitors explored art installations including “Miss Bee Haven,” a six-foot mosaic-ceramic sculpture created by Donna Billick, co-founder and former co-director of the UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program. Artworks by students from courses taught by Distinguished Professor Emerita Diane Ullman were also featured.
The Bee Haven is home to more than 200 native plants that attract a range of pollinators including honey bees, native bees, and butterflies. The late Robbin Thorp, Distinguished Professor Emeritus at UC Davis, identified over 80 native bee species in the garden. California is home to approximately 1,600 native bee species.
Elina Niño directs The Haven and serves as professor of Cooperative Extension in apiculture as well as founding director of the California Master Beekeeper Program.
According to its website: “The UC Davis Bee Haven is a half-acre garden that serves as a hub for education, research, and inspiration, and helping individuals create pollinator-friendly spaces. Whether you have a small backyard, a balcony garden, or a larger landscape, you can cultivate a thriving habitat for bees and other pollinators. The garden is here to guide and inspire your journey, providing the knowledge and resources to plan your own pollinator oasis.”
Admission to The Haven is free and it is open from dawn until dusk. Visitors can sign up for newsletters or register for group tours by contacting beehaven@ucdavis.edu.
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), which supports initiatives like The Haven through science-based practices statewide (https://ucanr.edu/), operates offices in every California county along with nine Research and Extension Centers serving diverse ecosystems (https://ucanr.edu/). Affiliated with the University of California (https://ucanr.edu/), UC ANR delivers expertise through research facilities and local outreach programs aimed at supporting community well-being across California (https://ucanr.edu/). Glenda Humiston currently serves as vice president of UC ANR (https://ucanr.edu/).