Many people think only of allergies when they hear the word pollen, but pollen plays a vital role in the health of our environment.
Pollen must be transferred from the anther to the stigma of the same or another flower for the plant to produce fruit and seed. While some plants are self- or wind-pollinated, the great majority of flowering plants cannot move pollen without help from an animal pollinator such as a bee or a butterfly. If pollinators disappeared, there could be no more naturally occurring flowers or food.
Pollinators make up a significant portion of the total diversity of species on this planet. Here in the Garden Route, we are blessed to still have many species of butterflies and the world’s toughest bee, Apis mellifera capensis, or the Cape honeybee. You are invited to explore their beauty and enter a new world of fascination at Brenton Bees & Butterflies at 10 am on Saturday, 11 May in Brenton.
Hosted by The Garden Route Branch of The Botanical Society of South Africa, this event will feature inspiring educational talks by environmental educator and honeybee activist Layla Staegemann, and botanical artist and butterfly expert Jill Reid, author of Butterfly Gardening in South Africa. The talks will be followed by a guided walk through the bee and butterfly haven that is our host Christa Le Roux’s
private Brenton sanctuary.
The event is free for members of The Botanical Society of South Africa, and R30 per person for nonmembers.
Raffle tickets to raise funds for the speakers and branch will be on sale, as well as a selection of Honey Child products. As the venue can only host a maximum of 40 people, bookings are absolutely essential. Please RSVP to grbotsoc@gmail.com by Wednesday, 1 May.
