Managing bees in the GNG is a constant issue. Although European Honey Bees are an important crop plant pollinator, they are as their name implies “non-native”. Our native bees (which for the most part are solitary, not social) have evolved to pollinate our native plants and play and extremely important roll in preserving the diversity of local flora. The GNG is trying to find a balance in which the European Honey Bee is allowed to thrive, but not allowed to out-compete our native solitary bees.
A swarm of European Honey Bees took up residents in one of the GNG Barn Owl Boxes and was quickly re-located. 
European Honey Bees are not too particular on where they choose to reside. This hive was found using the entrance of an abandoned mammal den on the garden’s east hillside.