San Francisco man dons bee suit as part of his mission to save the city's bees
In a city where you can see just about anything, a man in a bee suit on a one-wheeler still manages to turn heads.
It looks like a plea for attention, and it is — just not from people. Shalaco McGee is trying to attract bees.
"When I see weeds, I spread seeds. sprinkle, sprinkle," McGee said.
He calls himself Mr. Bloom, and he has made it his mission to plant wildflowers in the forgotten corners of the city. His method of choice is an old Parmesan shaker filled with native wildflowers, the kind that make San Francisco bees feel right at home.
"This is a great way to connect and learn about the world around you and help support it just with the flick of the wrist," he said.
It's a little bit of costume, a little bit of armor, and just ridiculous enough to work.
Asked what the bees thought of his attire, he said, "Who knows? The world doesn't revolve around me. Those are busy bees."
It started with a simple idea: beautify the city and bring back the bees. And somewhere between the sidewalk and the seed tosses, it took root.
Before long, his started blooming too, with nearly a million followers watching the city come back to life, and not a moment too soon. shows bees aren't buzzing like they used to; more than 22 percent of native pollinators in North America are now at an elevated risk of extinction.
But not everyone is on board with this kind of behavior. Daniel Montes of San Francisco's Rec and Parks Department said a little buzz can be a good thing, but only to a point.
"It's not something we encourage. But it's great to see the enthusiasm and the passion, and it's great to see that he's inspiring people," said Montes.
That might sting, but it hasn't stopped Mr. Bloom from suiting up.
"It's beautiful. I'm just here being myself," he said.
