b"58 APA|MCO|PIT ENVIRONMENTALAlthough the program at PIT focuses on honeybees, its landstarted placing hives, we strategically picked areas with land the practices benefit other native pollinators, too. For most people,airport wouldnt be using in the long term. And from a beekeeping pollinators mean birds and bees. In fact, the U.S. Department ofstandpoint, we looked at the 8,800 acres on the airport grounds Agriculture says that bats, butterflies, moths, flies, wasps, beetlesand figured out where they could best be placed.and small mammals also play an important role pollinating plantsWhen Shertzer first tried to establish an official bee program for our food production system. Ground maintenance crews atat PIT, his proposal fell flat. He tried again shortly after Christina PIT take a non-invasive approach to managing designated areasCassotis took over as chief executive officer in 2015, and as fate by using no pesticides or herbicides, and mowing just once a yearwould have it, she is the granddaughter of a beekeeper. to maintain native forage for bees and other pollinators. Our program has grown due to Christinas support, Shertzer We often walk through the natural goldenrod fields and lookremarks. She has said time and time again that this is more at the bees: the leaf-cutters, the sweat bees, the honeybees,than just an airport. Were encouraged to be innovative and think Repasky says. Theres so much forage out there. When we ai166134924813_Airport Improvement Ad (Sep '22) (HR).pdf 1 8/24/2022 8:54:11 AM outside the box.Safety ImplicationsAirports that dont have beekeeping programs run the risk of swarms creating safety hazards when bees collect on aircraft wings or in areas near passengers and workers. Alger explains that swarming is a natural reproductive process that occurs when a hive or colony starts to feel overcrowded. About half of the bees leave with the queen to find a new place to live, leaving behind the mother colony, which then produces a new queen. When bees swarm, the ball of workers and their queen are trying to find a suitable new place to live. In the meantime, they can hang off the side of aircraft or end up in other undesirable areas of an airport, Alger warns. Beekeepers can proactively prevent this by establishing swarm traps equipped with pheromones that attract bees. Instead of swarming or colonizing indiscriminately, the bees are attracted to a hive strategically located by a beekeeper. Airports can have a proactive plan in place to provide bees with a place to swarm even before it happens, Alger Were Passionate explains. In the past, the general theory was that About Maximizing placing apiaries on airport property would encourage more swarms on aircraft. On Funding the contrary, Algers research indicates that airports with apiaries tended by professional beekeepers have fewer issues with swarms. The experience at PIT serves as a prime example. Alger urges airports to connect with professionals who are available to assist in the event of a swarm. Beekeepers are also very Discover Savvy skilled at managing colonies in a way to help Airport Programming prevent them from swarming, she adds. Its a win-win situation. In spring, the hives at APA grow from about 10,000 bees to between 50,000 and 60,000. October 2022AirportImprovement.com"