gaines day stevenspoint-bee-talk-5-21-14-final
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The Buzz on Bees
Hannah Gaines DayDepartment of Entomology
University of Wisconsin, Madison
H. Gaines Day
H. Gaines DayR. Mallinger
Protecting wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat since 1971.
Major Programs: •Pollinator conservation•Endangered species • Aquatic invertebrates
www.funet.fi
Advocacy, Education, Restoration, and Applied Research
Outline
• Pollination and Pollinators• Biology and natural history of bees• Resource requirements of native
bees• Crop pollination by bees• Threats to native bees• Native bee conservation strategies• Further resources
Pollination
• Transfer of pollen from anthers to stigma
• Wind, gravity, or animal mediated
© Bruce Newhouse
Pollinators
• Birds, bats, bees, moths, butterflies
Pollinators
• Birds, bats, bees, moths, butterflies• Bees are the MOST IMPORTANT
pollinators– Actively collect pollen– Floral constancy– Branched hairs
• 85% of all flowering plants • 35% of global crop production
R. Winfree
How important are bees?
Poor fruit set resulting from poor pollination
Poor pollination
One in every three bites you eat is dependent on insect pollination.
One in every three bites you eat is dependent on insect pollination.
One in every three bites you eat is dependent on insect pollination.
With bees
Without bees
Bees and Wisconsin agriculture
Outline
• Pollination and Pollinators• Biology and natural history of bees
What is a bee?
• Hymenoptera– Ants, bees, wasps
•6 legs, 4 wings• Vegetarian
– Provision nests with pollen
• Great pollinators!– Pollen sticks to
feather-like hairs
Bees versus wasps
• Carnivorous• Simple hairs• More aggressive• Examples: yellow
jackets, hornets, paper wasps
Bees versus flies
• Feed on decaying matter, feces, and blood
• Also feed on nectar • 2 wings, short stubby
antennae• Prominent eyes• Examples: house flies,
hover flies
Native bees versus honey bees• Single, non-native species• Perennial colony with queen• Wax hives• Produce honey
Honey bees are not native, but• Generalist pollinators• “Easy” to manage• Work well with modern agricultural
system
Social behavior of bees
• Solitary (majority of species)• Social (only 10%)
– Honey bees (NOT native)– Bumble bees
Solitary bee life cycleSpring
Summer
Fall
Winter
(Photos: Dennis Briggs)
Social bee life cycle (bumble bee)Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Nesting behavior of bees
GroundStem
S. Camarzine
Cavity
Ground nesting (~70% of bees)
P.Westrich
Ground nesting (~70% of bees)
K. Ullmann
© Edward Ross
Stem nesting (~30% of bees)
K. Ullmann
Silk cocoons with dormant bees inside
Mud cap closure
Larva
Pupa
Adult
Pollen mass
Egg
Mud wall
Cross-section of silk cocoons
Stem nesting
Stem nesting bees
www.pestweb.comwww.warrenphotographic.co.uk
• Leaf-cutter bees (Megachile sp.)
Stem nesting bees
• Leaf-cutter bees (Megachile addenda)
Stem nesting bees
www.agf.gov.bc.ca
T. Stoehr
• Mason bees (Osmia sp.)
Stem nesting bees
• Mason bees (Osmia avosetta)
J. Rozen, AMNH
Stem nesting bees
• Mason bees (Osmia avosetta)
J. Rozen, AMNH
Stem nesting bees
• Mason bees (Osmia avosetta)
J. R
oze
n,
AM
NH
Stem nesting bees
• Mason bees (Osmia avosetta)
J. Rozen, AMNH
S. Camarzine
Cavity nesting (bumble bees)
K. Ullmann
Cavity nesting (bumble bees)• 45 species in North America• Annual colony with 100-300 workers• Specialist pollinators of red clover,
blueberry, cranberry, eggplant, tomato
Photos:Eric Mader, Elaine Evans
How many bees are there?
• ~20,000 species worldwide• ~4000 species native to North
America• ~500 species native to Wisconsin
Photos: James Cane; Steve Javorek (Ag Canada); Edward S. Ross
Honey bee (Apis mellifera)
Bumble bee (Bombus edwardsii) Leafcutter bee (Megachile sp.)
Polyester bee (Colletes sp)
Photos: Bruce Newhouse; Edward S. Ross; Mace Vaughan; USDA-ARS/Jack Dykinga
Metallic sweat bee (Agapostemon sp.) Yellow-faced bee (Hylaeus sp.)
Mason bee (Osmia sp.) Sweat bee (Halictus sp.)
Metallic sweat bee (Agapostemon sp.)
Mason bee (Osmia sp.)
Sunflower bee (Svastra sp.)
Long-horned bee (Mellisodes sp.)
Photo: Bob Hammond, CSU Coop Ext
Photo: Bob Hammond, CSU Coop Ext
Carpenter bee (Xylocopa sp.)
Photo: Gene Barickman, IL NRCS
Photo: Stephen L. Buchmann
Bee diversity in Wisconsin
• Cranberry ~180 species (H. Gaines Day, unpubl.)
• Pickling cucumber ~60 species (Lowenstein et al. 2012)
• Apple ~70 species (R. Mallinger, unpubl.)
Outline
• Pollination and Pollinators• Biology and natural history of bees• Resource requirements of native
bees
Resource requirements
• Flower availability– Early spring through fall
• Nesting resources– Undisturbed soil, woody habitat, or nest
boxes
Landscapes
• Some landscapes already provide adequate resources.
A. Bennett
Landscapes
• Some do not.
A. Bennett
Why is the landscape important?• Central place foragers• Flight distance proportional to size of
bee
Photo: Stephen L. Buchmann
Outline
• Pollination and Pollinators• Biology and natural history of bees• Resource requirements of native
bees• Crop pollination by bees
Crop pollination by bees
• One in every three bites…
Crop pollination by bees
Photo: USDA-ARS/Scott Bauer
H. RosnerScientific American 2013
US Agriculture – vast monocultures
www.gallery.photo.net
Modern agricultural landscapes are food deserts for bees.
Honey bee decline
• Mites, disease, Colony Collapse Disorder
Photo: USDA-ARS/Scott Bauer
Varroa mite
Acceptable range
Honey bee rental rates (almond)
BEFORE CCD
Honey bee rental rates (almond)
AFTER CCD
Colony Collapse Disorder
• Disease/pathogen?• Viruses?• Pests?• Stress?• Not cell phones
or Bt crops (Duan et al. 2008)
• Insecticide exposure?– Neonicotinoids?
• Poor diet?
Colony Collapse Disorder
• Disease/pathogen?• Viruses?• Pests?• Stress?• Not cell phones
or Bt crops (Duan et al. 2008)
• Insecticide exposure?– Neonicotinoids?
• Poor diet?
Systemic pesticides (e.g. neonicotinoids)
• Benefits– Very effective– Less toxic to birds and mammals– Effective longer
Systemic pesticides (e.g. neonicotinoids)
• Benefits– Very effective– Less toxic to birds and mammals– Effective longer
• Drawbacks– Present in nectar and pollen– Remain in environment longer– Toxic to bees
What makes systemic pesticides different?
Traditional pesticides
Traditional pesticides
Traditional pesticides
Traditional pesticides
X
Traditional pesticides
Traditional pesticides
Systemic pesticides
Systemic pesticides
Systemic pesticides
Systemic pesticides
X
Systemic pesticides
Systemic pesticides
Systemic pesticides
Systemic pesticides (e.g., neonicotinoids)
• Commonly used in commercial nurseries – ASK BEFORE BUYING PLANTS WHETHER THEY HAVE BEEN TREATED
Systemic pesticides (e.g., neonicotinoids)
• Active ingredients to avoid:– Imidachloprid– Clothianidin– Thiamethoxam
Colony Collapse Disorder
• Disease/pathogen?• Viruses?• Pests?• Stress?• Not cell phones
or Bt crops (Duan et al. 2008)
• Insecticide exposure?
• Poor diet?
Honey bee decline and diet
=
Honey bee decline and diet
• Bees diet is made of pollen and nectar• Diverse diet = healthier bees, stronger
immune system
Honey bee decline and diet
=
Native bees and crop pollination- Native bees provide insurance
against honey bee decline - Efficient crop pollinators
R. Winfree
Native bees and crop pollination• Active earlier in
season and day • Collect both pollen
and nectar• Buzz pollination• No rental fees• Keep honey bees
moving
Photo: Bob Hammond, CSU Coop Ext
Photo: Rachael WinfreeWinfree, R. et al.. 2008. Wild bee pollinators provide the majority of crop visitation across land-use gradients in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, USA. Journal of Applied Ecology 45:793-802.
Watermelon in New Jersey
Photo: Mace VaughanKremen, C. et al. 2004. The area requirements of an ecosystem service: crop pollination by native bee communities in California. Ecology Letters 7:1109-1119.
Watermelon in California
Fruit set increases with bee diversity
Klein et al. 2003
Outline
• Pollination and Pollinators• Biology and natural history of bees• Resource requirements of native
bees• Crop pollination by bees• Threats to native bees
Native bees also in decline
© Derrick Ditchburn
© Johanna James-Heinz
© Jodi DeLong
© Peter Schroeder
Yellow-bandedFranklin’s
Rusty-patchWestern
Images: The Xerces Society
Native bees also in decline
- Yellow Banded Bumble Bee (Bombus terricolla) once very common, now gone
Native bee decline
Pesticide exposure
Loss of habitat
Disease and pathogens
Outline
• Pollination and Pollinators• Biology and natural history of bees• Resource requirements of native
bees• Crop pollination by bees• Threats to native bees• Native bee conservation strategies
Pollinators need habitat
Photo: Rollin Coville
• Nesting• Foraging
What can you do to help?
• Identify and preserve bee habitat already present in your area.
© NRCS Lynn Betts
What can you do to help?
• Identify and preserve bee habitat already present in your area.
• Provide flowers and nesting resources.
K. UllmannPhoto: Bob Hammond, CO Coop Ext
Floral resources - diversity
Floral resources - timing
TAXA APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEP OCT
Colletes (inaequalis, validis)Andrena
Augochlora pura
Augochlorella striataHalictus (females)
Lasioglossum (females)Osmia
Bombus © Data from Steve Javorek, Agriculture Canada
• Bee flight periods in Nova Scotia
Floral resources
• How to select good bee plants– Locally native plants are better for
native bees– Minimum of 3 blooming plants at all
times throughout the season (spring, summer, fall)
– PLANT IN CLUMPS FOR BEST RESULT!
Protecting the bees• Restrict insecticide use
•Use active ingredients with least impact on bees
•Spray at night
•Consider alternatives
•Restrict herbicide use
K. Ullmann
Small actions by many people can make a big difference.
Further resources
The Xerces Society (www.xerces.org)
Further resources
The Xerces Society (www.xerces.org)– Pollinator Conservation Resource
Center•Plant lists•Conservation
guidelines•Pesticide
guidelines
Further resources
The Xerces Society (www.xerces.org)– Attracting Native Pollinators:
Protecting North America’s Bees and Butterflies•Natural history•Creating habitat•Bee identification•Plant lists
Further resources
Honey bee health• Bee Informed Partnership
(www.beeinformed.org)• Project Apis m
(www.projectapism.org)
Further resources
Insect identification• Bug Guide (www.bugguide.net)• Discover Life (www.discoverlife.org)
Get involved!
The Great Sunflower Project (www.greatsunflower.org)
Get involved!
Bee Spotter (http://beespotter.mste.uiuc.edu/)
Gratton Lab at UW-Madisongratton.entomology.wisc.edu
My contact information:Email: [email protected]: 774-392-0498