HOWARD — "Save the bees" is a popular slogan for both environmentalists and the Internet. For Ken Sikora, it's more than a slogan. It's a lifestyle, and he said it's one he hopes more people will partake in.
"Without the bees, a lot of plants wouldn’t produce anything," Sikora said.
Sikora has dedicated the last twenty-five years to beekeeping and learning all the buzz about bees. He spends a few days a week caring for the bees by preparing the bees for pollination, inspecting the eggs, and splitting the hives.
There are roughly 50,000 bees in the bee colony he is currently caring for.
However, Sikora's bee duties go beyond the colony. He has five pollinator gardens, all within a quarter-mile of his house. Sikora and his wife, Judy, maintain the gardens to attract pollinators like bees, as the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says several bee and pollinator species are on the decline.
Now, he's urging others to join in with him. Sikora said bees are crucial to the food chain, and he's even opened his gardens to the community, hoping others will be inspired to start their own.
"That's what it is. Passion on something, and then perseverance," Sikora said.
Sikora said "not everyone realizes how dire the situation is" and someone doesn't have to be a beekeeper to make a difference.
