DEAR JOAN: We have some beautiful handmade birdhouses in our back yard, right off our deck. For many years, we've enjoyed seeing birds build nests and their babies hatching. However, now we have a bumblebee hive in one of the birdhouses. This is the second time this has happened. My question is twofold. In the future, is there anything we can do to prevent or discourage bees from taking up residence in the birdhouses? How long can we expect the bees to be around?
DEAR PAM: The bees likely moved into the birdhouse after the birds had gone. This year when the birds leave, clean out the houses and rub the walls and ceiling of the house with a mild soap. It will keep bees from building a hive, and if what you are calling bees are actually wasps, they won't be able to build their nests there either.
If they truly are bees, the length of stay depends on the type of bee. Keep an eye on the house and note signs that the bees, or wasps, have departed.
Bees are so important to our environment that I don't recommend doing anything to harm them or get rid of them unless they are causing an issue. Let them be -- no pun intended -- if you can. If it's too much, contact a beekeeper in your area about safely removing the colony.
If you actually have wasps, you'll want to get rid of them as they can be aggressive. Try hanging wasp traps or contacting an exterminator.
Help for native birds
I'm always happy to spotlight one of the amazing groups we have in the Bay Area, and Native Bird Connections is certainly one of those.
Native Bird Connections specializes in wildlife education for all ages utilizing live, non-releasable wild raptors. The nonprofit was established in 2000 and is permitted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Volunteers present about 200 programs each year, reaching about 17,000 people.
Right now, Native Bird cares for 16 birds of prey including hawks, owls, eagles and falcons. The birds are victims of physical or psychological impairments that render them incapable of survival in the wild. Volunteers build a trust with the birds, helping them to accept their fate.
And like most nonprofits, they rely on donations and fundraisers to keep the work going.
On Saturday, Native Bird Connections and Bedford Gallery in Walnut Creek are partnering for "Raptor Quick Draw," an event that will feature several artists drawing and painting their impressions of four live raptors, including a rare Leucistic red-tailed hawk in the care of Native Bird Connections.
Visitors to the gallery can watch the artists at work and then bid on their creations in a silent auction. Proceeds will benefit the raptors and the Bedford Gallery's educational programs.
The event coincides with the gallery's current exhibition called "Peaceable Kingdom: Animals Real and Imagined." The show features the works of more than 50 California artists and explores the role animals have played in our shared cultural and artistic imagination.
"Raptor Quick Draw" is Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Bedford Gallery, Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek.
The event is free with admission to the gallery. The cost for adults is $5, youth 13-17 is $3, and kids 12 and younger get in free.
Joan Morris' column runs five days a week in print and online. Contact her at firstname.lastname@example.org; or P.O. Box 8099, Walnut Creek, CA 94596.