Tails of the City: Hānai Hives Teaches the Art of Beekeeping
“We don’t think of bees as family the way we think of our ‘ohana, but we truly depend on them for our whole food system,” beekeeper Katie Metzger says.
Teaching people about their vital role is a goal of Hānai Hives, the North Shore-based program Metzger founded in 2020, which raises Western honeybees and offers beekeeper mentorships. Its aim is to combat the population decline of bees caused by disease, climate change and pesticides. Members can adopt a hive at one of the organization’s apiaries and learn how to analyze colony health, keep pests out, supplement food and harvest honey. Its Sunset Beach apiary also offers tours for the bee curious.
“It’s easy to forget that crops can’t make it to our plates without first being pollinated. Seeing bees hard at work helps people connect the dots. A light goes off, and they appreciate it much more,” Metzger says.
