McMaster University recognizes that the University and surrounding Hamilton area, including their nature spaces, are situated on traditional territories shared between the Haudenosaunee confederacy and Anishnaabe nations. These lands are protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum belt. The wampum uses the symbolism of a dish to represent the territory, and one spoon to represent that the people are to share the resources of the land and only take what they need.
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Nature @ McMaster

Stop#7 – Indigenous Circle

Located at the Indigenous Circle, the seventh stop on the Bee Trail is made up of five native bee homes, and similarly is constructed from pine wood and filled with paper tubes.  Installed on October 28, 2021, by Facility Services and the Fall 2021 SUSTAIN 3S03 Team, the area is surrounded by White Pine trees, Queen Anne’s Lace, Creeping Thistle, Devil’s Beggar Tick, Goldenrods, Lance-leaf Asters, and White Snakeroot. These plants provide a diverse foraging habitat for native bees. In 2022 a live stream camera was added to monitor the homes.

 

Fun Fact:  Bee societies vary! While honey bees form large colonies with queens, most Ontario native bees are solitary, where each female creates her own nest, gathers food, and cares for her offspring without a hive structure. (1)

 

Species Highlight:

 

References:

  1. Chan S, Raine N. Introduction to Native Pollinators on Farms in Ontario [Internet]. Farms at Work. 2018. Available from: https://farmsatwork.ca/sites/default/files/Fact%20Sheet%20%231%20Introduction%20to%20Native%20Pollinators%20on%20Ontario%20Farms_1.pdf