Jun 13, 2016, 13:45 PM by Fred Speer

Pollinator health has been a much-discussed topic in recent years – not only here in California, but across the country. There is no discounting the vital contributions that honey bees and other pollinators – including butterflies, birds, bats, and beetles – make to our state’s environment and economy.

For example, did you know that approximately 1,000 plants, grown for food, beverages, fibers, spices, and medicines, need to be pollinated in order to produce the necessary resources?

So many of the food items on our dinner table , a large number of them grown in California’s rich agriculture regions – which include apples, strawberries, blueberries, chocolate, melons, peaches, figs, tomatoes, pumpkins, and almonds – are produced with the help of pollinators?

Government and private research shows that pollination by honey bees and other insects produces nearly $20 billion of products annually in the United States.

The Clark Man, the National Pest Management Association, and its member companies across the United States are committed to promoting pollinator health. To call attention to this important topic we recognize June 20-26 as National Pollinator Week.

How can you promote pollinator health in your neighborhood or community? By purchasing local honey, you’ll help support community beekeepers. And by planting flowers in your yard that are attractive to pollinators, you’ll help support the pollinators themselves.

Clark Pest Control is also committed to protecting the public’s health, and would like to remind people that not all stinging insects can live in harmony around your house. Certain species of wasps, hornets, and yellowjackets, along with Africanized honey bees, can pose a serious health threat, should you get stung and have an allergic reaction.

In May, a swarm of bees broke away from a hive that was being handled by an experienced beekeeper in the East Bay city of Concord. Bees aggressively attacked residents, swirled around cars stopped in traffic, and harassed police officers trying to help. Two neighborhood dogs died after suffering more than 50 stings from the insects. Read the complete story at http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/How-bee-rampage-terrorized-neighborhood-killed-2-7470176.php

This incident is a reminder to to call a licensed pest management professional should you find a stinging insect nest in or around your home. A trained professional can properly identify the species, and then can remove the nest safely and eliminate the threat, if needed. The Clark Man would like to strongly remind you not to attempt to remove the nest yourself.

If you are having a problem with stinging insects around your home, please call or text (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) or drop me an email at clarkcares@clarkpest.com to schedule an inspection.

Until next time, I’m the Clark Man and thanks for helping me keep unwanted pests out of your home.