Navy Pier's Hidden Hives
An Unexpected Urban Oasis
Nestled behind Navy Pier’s bustling Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion lies an unexpected oasis: five thriving bee hives, each teeming with 50,000 to 80,000 bees during the height of summer. This hidden gem not only supports urban biodiversity but also contributes to Chicago’s impressive honey production, surpassing the state average. While most visitors might not notice these industrious insects, their presence is crucial in transforming the local flora into delectable, city-harvested honey.
Chicago’s urban apiaries produce honey at a rate that exceeds the Illinois average, thanks partly to the diverse plant life surrounding Navy Pier. The hives, meticulously managed with frames set at precise distances, allow bees to build up their combs efficiently. As they gather nectar from a variety of local flowers and trees, including the fragrant Linden trees, they create a unique honey that reflects the rich botanical tapestry of the city.
Hive Management & Honey Production
Over the past six years, these five hives—located directly behind the Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion—have thrived under the care of beekeepers. Each hive hosts one queen, and during peak summer months, the hive population swells significantly. The honey produced is deeply influenced by the bees’ diet of local blooms, with darker honey typically indicating a more robust flavor. Propolis, a resinous substance collected by bees from tree sap, further enriches the hive by providing antifungal benefits and bolstering the colony’s immunity.
While the bees are essential to this fascinating urban honey production, their stings can be quite painful, with venom that continues to affect the body long after the initial sting. Despite this, their role in pollination and honey-making is invaluable, demonstrating how even the smallest creatures contribute significantly to our urban environment and food systems.
Nature & City Life in Harmony
Bee hives behind Navy Pier not only embody the resilience of nature amidst a bustling urban landscape but also highlight Chicago’s remarkable capacity for honey production. These hives, thriving with thousands of bees, transform local flora into honey that surpasses the state average in flavor and quality. From the careful arrangement of frames to the rich, dark honey produced from diverse city flowers, the story of these bees reflects a harmonious blend of nature and city life.
The connection between the bees, Chicago’s ecosystem, and Navy Pier is a testament to the remarkable synergy between urban spaces and nature. As we appreciate their role in our urban ecosystem, it becomes clear that even in a metropolitan environment, the natural world continues to flourish and contributes in surprising and delightful ways.
