Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Monograph

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Program

Geography

Supervisor

Weis, Tony

Abstract

There is growing scientific evidence showing that many important pollinator species are in decline around the world. Bees are the most important pollinators in many parts of the world, and the combination of population declines in wild bees and widespread health problems among domesticated honey bees have potentially devastating impacts on both ecosystem health and agricultural prospects. Some scientists, native bee advocates, and beekeepers argue that cities can provide a refuge for bees from pesticide-laden rural landscapes, which has contributed to an increase in urban, hobbyist beekeeping and pollinator gardening.

This dissertation employs a multispecies ethnography in two cities in Ontario, London and Toronto, to explore how the knowledges and experiences of urban bee advocates – who I call ‘pollinator people’ – shape the ways in which urban spaces are created, used, and managed. My approach is informed by a range of literatures, most notably urban political ecology and heterodox Marxism. A central argument of this dissertation is that urban, hobbyist beekeeping and pollinator gardening allow people to engage in ‘playful work’, a form of concrete, sensuous human activity that evokes feelings of curiosity and wonder. I also stress the importance of considering interspecies relations, highlighting how many of these pollinator people form strong emotional and embodied relationships with bees.

Some native bee advocates argue that urban honey bees may cause some harm to native, wild bees through floral competition and pathogen transfer. This research suggests that bee-centred beekeeping utilizing organic management practices may help to sustain healthier, more resilient honey bees. Rather than banishing honey bees to rural landscapes of monocultures and pesticides where they are numerous but sickly, an emphasis should be placed on the creation of landscapes of abundance in which healthier honey bees can flourish together with native wild bees. Urban farms and community gardens are some of the most potent sites for landscapes of abundance in which people flourish alongside bees. Additionally, the experiences of beekeepers who collectively keep honey bees in shared apiaries can provide valuable insight into how humans can negotiate agency and autonomy with the animals whose lives they are managing to some degree. These experiences and knowledges can help create multispecies urban commons in which non-human animals, even insects, are integrated and considered within processes of radical democracy.

Summary for Lay Audience

Bees are the most important pollinators in many parts of the world, and the combination of population declines in wild bees and widespread health problems among honey bees have potentially devastating impacts on both ecosystem health and the agricultural industry. Some scientists, native bee advocates, and beekeepers argue that cities can provide a refuge for bees from pesticide-laden rural landscapes, which has contributed to an increase in urban, hobbyist beekeeping and pollinator gardening.

For this research I conducted in-depth interviews with gardeners, urban beekeepers, and bee experts in London, ON and Toronto. I also spent time with beekeepers, gardeners, and bees in beeyards and gardens. I explored how the knowledges and experiences of urban bee advocates – who I call ‘pollinator people’ – shape the ways in which people use spaces that are shared with bees of all species within cities. A central argument of this dissertation is that urban, hobbyist beekeeping and pollinator gardening allow people to engage in ‘playful work’, a form of creative activity with non-human nature that engages with a wide range of senses, evoking feelings of curiosity and wonder. I argue that through playful work pollinator people form transformative relationships of care and consideration with bees, which may extend to other insects.

Some native bee advocates argue that urban honey bees may cause some harm to native, wild bees through competition for pollen and nectar and transfer of harmful pathogens. This research suggests that bee-centred beekeeping, in which beekeepers consider the needs of honey bees and use organic, mindful practices, may help to sustain healthier honey bees. Rather than banishing honey bees to rural, agricultural landscapes where they are numerous but sickly, an emphasis should be placed on the creation of landscapes of abundance, full of a wide variety of vegetation and habitat sources, in which healthier honey bees can thrive together with native wild bees. Urban farms, community gardens, and collective beeyards are commonly-shared and potentially democratic spaces in which people can co-create with bees and other insects.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Download

Share

COinS