{"id":909,"date":"2026-09-15T14:00:35","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T12:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/igwildebiene.ch\/cooperation-with-knies-kinderzoo-sg\/"},"modified":"2026-09-15T14:56:47","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T12:56:47","slug":"cooperation-with-knies-kinderzoo-sg","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/igwildebiene.ch\/en\/cooperation-with-knies-kinderzoo-sg\/","title":{"rendered":"Cooperation with Knie\u2019s Kinderzoo (SG)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Background:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

Together with IG WILDE BIENE, Knie\u2019s Kinderzoo is working for the protection of native wild bees. A permanent indoor exhibition with changing exhibits, as well as outdoor sites on the zoo grounds improved for wild bees, inform visitors about the diversity of native wild bees, the threats to them and how they can be supported. Over the coming years, the two outdoor sites established so far are to grow into a wild bee trail.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

The contribution of IG Wilde Biene:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

In \u201cKnies Zauberhut\u201d, the multi-purpose event building newly erected by the Kinderzoo, a small but choice wild bee exhibition was set up with enlarged photographs of wild bees, information boards and display cases. From spring to autumn it informs those interested about the life and death of our wild bees and, with exhibits changing every two months, puts a face to some of the species currently on the wing.<\/p>\n

So that zoo visitors can experience in practice what they have learned in the exhibition, possible sites suitable for improvement for wild bees were identified on the zoo grounds during a site visit. Our president, the animal ecologist Andr\u00e9 Rey, drew up plans of measures for two outdoor sites to begin with, intended to support target species recorded for Rapperswil. These measures were carried out in a highly innovative way by the landscaping professional Marco Riva (Toller Unternehmungen AG).
For the improved sites, IG WILDE BIENE then designed individual information boards with a short portrait of the main target species of each site. Every site board carries a QR code leading those interested to specific web pages with fuller information.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Project responsibility:<\/strong>
Andr\u00e9 Rey<\/a> & J\u00fcrg Sommerhalder<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

The sites:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

\u2022 Wild bee patch # 1
\u2022 Wild bee patch # 2<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

Client:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

Knie\u2019s Kinderzoo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

Knie\u2019s Kinderzoo: wild bee patch # 1<\/h2><\/div><\/div>
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Nesting structures:<\/strong>
\u2022 The loess towers appeal to species that nest in steep faces
\u2022 Heaps of sand are aimed at those that favour a sandy nesting substrate.
\u2022 Patchy areas of gravel and bare earth extend what is on offer for ground nesters.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

Planting:<\/strong>
\u2022 Composites (Asteraceae)
\u2022 Legumes (Fabaceae)
\u2022 Teasel family (Dipsacoideae)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Photo: Between the loess towers and heaps of sand at this newly created site, the plants sown will grow and flower over the coming weeks.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

Target species:<\/strong>
As the main target species of this site we have chosen the large scabious mining bee (Andrena hattorfiana<\/em>). This mining bee flies between May and August in one generation and nests in level and gently sloping ground. It makes no specific demands of the substrate. A pronounced specialist of the teasel family, the large scabious mining bee collects its pollen preferably from field scabious (Knautia<\/em>). Because of this demand for pollen the bee is threatened: over-fertilised meadows and pastures and too intensive a mowing regime in modern farmland are making its host plants, and with them the bee itself, ever rarer.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Female:<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Photo: \u00a9 Andr\u00e9 Rey<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Male:<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Photo: \u00a9 J\u00fcrg Sommerhalder<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

Species at this site:<\/strong>
From here on we will portray wild bee species actually observed at this site.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

>> Back to the project page<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

Knie\u2019s Kinderzoo: wild bee patch # 2<\/h2><\/div><\/div>
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Nesting structures:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>