Making moves in Philly City Council to save honeybees

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 A honeybee collects nectar from a fruit tree. (AP file photo)

A honeybee collects nectar from a fruit tree. (AP file photo)

A city councilman wants Philadelphia to get busy on regulations for removing honey bees from a residence. And he’s not talking about extermination.

The bill would require a minimum of two hours of training for those paid to clear a hive or swarm of honeybees without harming them.

Councilman Curtis Jones, who sponsored the bill, said it’s part of a national effort to support the bees so vital in pollination and, therefore, food production.

“If there was one animal we need to take a look at, it’s the honeybee,” he said. “Because they provide a way for pollination to make sure that we eat.”

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Jones says he’s learned about the environment through the nature centers and other parkland in the district he represents.

“To remove bees non-lethally, which is by the use of smoke and other means, allows for those bees, that colony, to live,” he said.

Jones said keeping the bees alive means more locally grown produce, helping cut down on travel time for foods we eat everyday.

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