June 2014
Parkallen
News In this issue… • Meet your Community League • Garden Update • Hall Happenings • Classified
Full house for Community Consultation Thank you to everyone who came out for the Parkallen Community Consultation. We had a great discussion and heard some fantastic ideas. Over 100 people took our online survey and indicated wide support for the garden initiatives. We are pleased to advise that we are proceeding with the following projects:
Completion of the Parkallen Community Garden Wild Wings project This project is fully funded by the World Wildlife Fund and includes the addition of a bee house, bat box for the Little Brown bat, an owl box and birdhouses for native birds.
Questions from survey: Is there a risk that birdseed will grow in the park ?
The birdseed used in the park will be sterilized and will not germinate and spread. Do Little Brown bats pose any risk? With a population between 1 and 1.5 million, Little Brown bats are very common in Alberta and pose very little risk to humans. They only come out at night and eat a strict insect diet. It is not a good idea to handle bats, or any other wild animal. I am worried about bee allergies – so solitary bees sting? Like many insects, solitary bees are able to sting. But unlike bumble bees or honey bees, they are not aggressive and they never swarm. If you step on a solitary bee it may sting you. People who are allergic to common bees may be sensitive to solitary bee stings as well.
Where else would I find solitary bees? Are they unusual? Solitary bees are probably in your garden right now. But you may not recognize them as bees since they do not look like their more common cousins. Solitary bees are essential pollinators and are used by farmers everywhere to pollinate crops.
Some facts about bats Bats are flying mammals. Bats can see quite well. Bats seldom transmit disease to other animals or humans, but bats are wild animals and should not be disturbed, in case they are carrying certain diseases. The little brown bat is a harmless insect eater.