native bees in agriculture

Native Bees in Agriculture

Annette M. MeredithUniversity of Marylandmeredith@mdsg.umd.edu

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-honeybeesRespondent preference Nfarmers=102 / Nsci/mgr=89

Agricultural Producers

(%)

Scientists Managers

(%)Native bees 42.2 53.9Non-Apis bees 4.9 3.4Pollen bees 2.9 2.3Pollinating bees 39.2 29.2Solitary bees 2.9 2.2Wild 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

umul

ated

spe

cies

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 N

umbe

r of b

ees

/ tra

nsec

t

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

Questions ?

Annette M. MeredithUniversity of Marylandmeredith@mdsg.umd.edu