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<H1 class=headline>Bee foster program creating buzz</H1>
<H5 class=byline><A title=http://www.cbc.ca/news/credit.html href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/credit.html">CBC News</A> </H5>
<H4 class=posted>Posted: May 13, 2011 7:54 AM MT </H4>
<H4 class=lastupdated>Last Updated: May 13, 2011 9:19 AM MT </H4></DIV>
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<H2 class=metanav><A title=http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2011/01/04/bumblebee-population-delines.html href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2011/01/04/bumblebee-population-delines.html">Bumblebee
species 'in trouble': U.S. study</A> </H2>
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<H4>External Links</H4>
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<DT><A title=http://www.thepollinatorfoundation.org/ href="http://www.thepollinatorfoundation.org/" target=_new>Community
Pollinator Foundation</A> </DT></DL>
<P><EM>(Note:CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of
external links.)</EM></P></DIV><!-- END EXTERNAL LINKS --></DIV><!-- LINK BUNDLE - FOOTNOTE --><!-- END LINK BUNDLE - FOOTNOTE -->
<H2 class=metanav>A new foster program in Calgary will pair unwanted bee
colonies with willing homeowners.</H2></DIV>
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<P>A bee advocacy group has been fielding calls over the past year from
concerned urbanites finding bumblebee nests in problem locations, such as under
the porch.</P>
<P>Volunteers with the Community Pollinator Foundation are going to try and find
new homes for bees in such circumstances.</P>
<P>"It's not a good thing to destroy bumble bee colonies because basically
bumblebees are extremely beneficial," said Robin Owen, a professor at Mount
Royal University. "The idea is to take these colonies, put them in boxes and
move them, hopefully not too far, so other people can look after them."</P>
<P>He is leading a research project connected to the foster program and will
collect more information on the habits of Calgary bees.<SPAN class="photo right" style="WIDTH: 222px"><IMG alt="A bumblebee leaves a flower after gathering pollen. " src="http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2011/05/13/cgy-bumblebee-ap.jpg"><EM>A
bumblebee leaves a flower after gathering pollen. </EM><EM class=credit>Tony
Dejak/Associated Press</EM></SPAN></P>
<P>Calgary has more than 20 species of bumblebees, some gentler than others, he
said.</P>
<P>"They really won't do you any harm unless you threaten them directly."</P>
<P>Owen blames the decline of bumblebees in recent years mostly on habitat loss
and pesticide use.</P></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>