native bees in agriculture annette m. meredith university of maryland [email protected]
TRANSCRIPT
Pollinators
• Pollinate crops and wild plants
• Vectors for genetic exchange
• Essential for obligate mutualisms
• Habitat provides other ecosystem services
• Biodiversity value
Pollinators in Peril?
Pollinator Decline
• Habitat loss due to land use change• Parasites, disease• Pesticides, herbicides• Nonnative pollinators• Monocultures• GM crops• Climate change• Protected lands limited
Honeybees
Photo: Keith Delaplane
Colony Collapse Disorder
CCD Affected States
Native Pollinators
What is a bee?
Which one is a bee?
Overcoming Aversion to Bees
Term for Non-honeybees
Respondent preference Nfarmers=102 / Nsci/mgr=89
Agricultural Producers
(%)
Scientists Managers
(%)
Native bees 42.2 53.9
Non-Apis bees 4.9 3.4
Pollen bees 2.9 2.3
Pollinating bees 39.2 29.2
Solitary bees 2.9 2.2
Wild bees 7.9 9.0
Native Bee Diversity
Native Bee Census
• 12 mixed vegetable farms (MD, PA, WV)
• 11 CSAs, 1 former farm
• <15 acres
• 6 habitat types
Species by Sampling Effort
0.00 50.00 100.00 150.00
Samples
20.00
40.00
60.00
Acc
um
ula
ted
sp
ecie
s
Native Bee Census• >3100 bees• 5 families• 26 genera• 81 species• >96% in crop non-Apis• Halictids dominate• Total abundance, mean abundance and
species richness greatest in July compared to June/August
Native Bee CensusA
vera
ge
Nu
mb
er
of
be
es
/ tr
an
sect
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
7.00
June July August
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
June July August
Crop Law n Meadow Shrub Forest Wetland
Agapostemon virescens (Females)
Halictus ligatus(Females)
n=128
n=441
Bees on Farms
ForageNest Sites
Sweat Bees• Halictidae
Digger Bees• Andrena, Colletes…
Bumblebees• Bombus
Alkali Bees• Nomia melanderi
Squash Bees• Peponapsis pruinosa
Leafcutter Bees• Megachile
Carpenter Bees• Xylocopa, Ceratina
Mason Bees• Osmia
Polyester Bees• Colletes
Bee Identification
http://www.discoverlife.org/
Bee Keys with Photos
Bumblebee ID
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/080128.htm
Bumblebee Wallet Guide
Bumblebee Wallet Guide
Acknowledgements
FarmsAvian Mead Organics, Calvert Farm, Calvert's Gift, Colchester Farm,
Cromwell Valley CSA, Eating w/ the Seasons, Even’ Star Organic, Fresh and Local, Fulton Farm, Good Fortune Farm, Mt. Pleasant, One Straw Farm
GuidanceMichael Paolisso, Sam Droege, David Inouye, Fredrika Moser,
Trish Steinhilber, Lori Lynch, Tom Simpson, T’ai Roulston, David Carr, Holly Menninger, Julianna Tuell, Jennifer Reed, Quinn McFrederick, Esther Julier
Field AssistanceJacquelyn DeLacerda, Carlos Robles, Holly Menninger, Cara Fiore,
Clair Keene, Renee Crane, Crystal Bennett, Eric Elton, Norah Warchola, Kevin Barry, Lila Warren, Josie Huber, Melissa Zwick, Maria Van Dyke, Kristin Henderson
Maryland Sea Grant
University of Virginia Blandy Experimental Farm
USDA Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
Funding
