Glenview's Kohl Children's Museum to set world record on World Honey Bee Day Aug. 19
The public is invited to help the Kohl Children's Museum in Glenview raise awareness for "World Honey Bee Day" by breaking the record for "The World's Largest Waggle Dance" on Saturday, August 19, at 10 a.m.
According to Stephanie Bynum, Kohl Children's Museum Vice President of Programs, the idea was inspired by what beekeepers call the bee's "waggle dance" a communication method used by honey bees.
"Bees are amazing insects and use the waggle dance to communicate with the rest of the hive," Emily Van Dam, Education Specialist at the Museum, said. "By performing this figure-eight dance, honey bees share information about the direction and distance to patches of flowers yielding nectar and pollen, to water sources, or to new nest-site locations with other members of the colony."
Bynum said the Museum conducts regular "Bee-ology" programming in conjunction with their new Honeybee Hideout exhibit, and the Waggle Dance has proven very popular with the kids (and adults) who attend.
"The current world record is held by a school in England," Bynum said. "We would need to get more than 300 people dressed in black and yellow performing simultaneous waggle dancing for at least five minutes to set the new record."
A special guest will bee on hand to serve as the official witness, supervise the attempt, and certify the participant count and length of the dance. The Museum will then send off witness statements and photographic evidence before the attempt can be confirmed.
Started in 2009, World Honey Bee Day recognizes the contribution that honey bees make to our everyday lives, as well as educating us about the different steps that we can take to protect this vital species.
In addition to the Waggle Dance World Record attempt, the Museum will be helping to educate visitors about bees and other pollinators, with hands-on activities and live, close-circuit video of the working honey bee hive on the Museum campus. Activities include: a Bee Plus Scavenger Hunt; a model honey bee hive box to discover what ' s inside a honey bee's home; a live demonstration of beehive frames inspection; information about how honey bees interact with their environment; and how climate change is affecting honeybees and our native pollinators
The Museum's beekeeper, Willie Pilipauskas, owner of Willie's Honey Company in McHenry, will be on hand to greet guests and answer questions about all things apian.
While world record setting will be the big buzz on the day, Bynum pointed out that the Waggle Dance, along with the Museum's regular bee programming and Honey Bee Hideout exhibit help children and their caregivers raise awareness regarding the risks that honey bees all around the world face and the steps that we can take in order to help them.
The Museum's Honey Bee Hideout exhibit, sponsored by Rose Pest Solutions, has proven to be extremely popular with Museum guests since it opened last August.
"The exhibit has been an incredibly interactive educational hub to get kids and their guardians thinking about where our food comes from, why we should care about protecting pollinators, and most of all, it helps kids face their fears about insects," Janelle Iaccino, Rose Pest Solutions' Marketing Director, said. "It's been awesome to develop year-round programming around these topics using all the elements of this well-curated exhibit."
For Rose, managing pests is about the balance of nature and human impact. Iaccino spends a lot of time in the communities they serve teaching about the importance of honey bees, butterflies, and dozens of other native pollinators.
About Kohl Children's Museum
Kohl Children's Museum (KCM) is on a mission to create learning experiences that spark imagination and curiosity. Since 1985, KCM has been a place for children, families, educators, and caregivers to learn through play while engaging in enriching, STEAM-based activities. The Museum's 17 interactive indoor exhibits and two acres of outdoor park provide the backdrop for children between birth and eight years of age to learn and grow through self-directed play. Each area of the Museum and all of its educational programs are grounded in early childhood research, and designed to nurture holistic child development, including cognitive, social, emotional, creative, and physical skills. In recognition for its outstanding exhibits and impact on Chicagoland families, Kohl Children's Museum was recently featured in USA Today's 10 Best Children's Museums in North America competition. Kohl Children's Museum is located at 2100 Patriot Blvd. in Glenview.
For information, visit the Museum's website at www.kcmgc.org or call (847) 832-6600.
About Rose Pest Solutions, LLC
Since 1860, Rose Pest Solutions has been trusted in the Midwest to keep homes and businesses free from insects, rodents and more. Using cutting-edge technology, environmentally friendly methods, and personalized unique solutions, Rose and its sister company Franklin Pest Solutions are dedicated to creating and maintaining healthier living environments. Owned by the Dold Family, Rose Pest Solutions proudly serves communities in all of Chicagoland, the Greater Milwaukee area, the Greater Rockford region and South Central Wisconsin. Franklin Pest Solutions proudly serves Indiana and Kentucky. For more information, see www.rosepestcontrol.com and www.franklinpestsolutions.com or call 800-GOT PESTS?
About Willie's Honey Company
Willie's Honey Company is a small business, owned and operated by Willie Pilipauskas, located in Northern Illinois' Lake/Mchenry counties area. They strive to provide high-quality hive products, bees, and learning opportunities at an affordable price. With nearly two decades of experience, they offer a variety of services, including tax assessments, bee removal, pollination services, and consulting. All of their hive products are 100% natural, unpasteurized, and local. They are proud members of the Illinois Queen Initiative (IQI) and are working hard to breed local bees that thrive in Northern Illinois.