Riverhead's Big Bee takes the sting out of recycling

The Town of Riverhead unveiled its newest “litter critter” last week: a 4-by-7-foot wire sculpture of a bee designed to collect plastic bottles and cans.

The sculpture, known as the Big Bee, sits in front of the River and Roots Community Garden in downtown Riverhead. 

This is the second installation in Riverhead in a growing series of public art pieces aimed at raising environmental awareness and encouraging recycling.

“It’s just a great way to get a lot of people to do a little bit to help the environment instead of a few people doing a whole lot,” said Riverhead Parks and Recreation Director Ashley Schandel at a news conference Tuesday to introduce the sculpture.

The bee-themed design was chosen to complement the educational features of the adjacent park and pollinator garden, where bee trivia highlights the importance of pollinators.

The project was led by the Riverhead Anti-Litter Committee, chaired by Joanne Rizzo, and made possible through collaboration with local artist Clayton Orehek, Riverhead Town Councilwoman Joann Waski, the North Fork Environmental Council and the town’s Parks and Recreation Department.

Rizzo credited former committee chair Deborah Wetzel with introducing the litter critter concept to Riverhead, having found inspiration from similar sculptures on social media.

“We are so proud to bring these litter critters to our community,” Rizzo said at the news conference. “It’s a way for children to learn the importance of being part of the solution.”

Orehek, who also built the town’s first litter critter in the shape of a fish at Iron Pier Beach last year, repurposed previous project materials to create the Big Bee.

Its wings are made of water bottles, the antennae are fashioned from vintage glass doorknobs, and the head is filled with crushed plastic bottles.

The Big Bee is designed for public interaction: residents can insert plastic bottles into the body of the sculpture near its head, and the sculpture can be emptied from the bottom. A broom is located inside to aid in cleanouts.

A sign featuring a QR code next to the sculpture directs visitors to information about the importance of recycling and the role bees play in the ecosystem.

Riverhead’s Parks and Recreation Department will oversee regular maintenance and recycling of the collected materials on an “as-needed basis,” according to Lisa Gavales, board member of the North Fork Environmental Council.

The NFEC raised $4,500 to support the creation of the Big Bee, according to Gavales, of South Jamesport. She said the first litter critter at Iron Pier Beach has already diverted “thousands of bottles and cans” from the trash and nearby waterways.

“It was really clear that it was working,” Gavales told Newsday, noting that the sculpture was often filled with around 300 to 400 bottles every other week or two.

She also said the NFEC is looking to expand the litter critter initiative to Greenport and Southold, although funding and logistics are still in early stages.

“We’re just so grateful that we’re able to do these nice, creative things,” Rizzo said during the bee's unveiling.