As part of POLLINATION - new works by Mary Lacy, a pollinator event was held at Karma Birdhouse Gallery on 47 Maple Street Burlington, VT on Feb. 25, 2018. Against the backdrop of Mary's pollination-themed art, the event focused on pollination itself. Speakers included Charlie Nicholson from UVM's Gund Institute, and John Hayden from The Farm Between of Jeffersonville, VT. Following the presentations by Mary, Charlie, and John, all in attendance took part in building their own Bee Barn for NATIVE BEES.
Vermont has about 275 native bee species. Honeybees are not native and do not know how to pollinate tomatoes or eggplant flowers, and do poorly compared to native bees in pollinating many native plants such as pumpkins, blueberries, cherries, and cranberries.
Several of our Bumblebee species are in trouble if not extinct. Bumblebees are particularly effective tomato pollinators due to the bumblebee's buzz pollination (rapidly contract their flight muscles producing vibrations that expel pollen from inside the flower's anthers.) They are also important pollinators of some clovers, a forage crop for cattle. (From Bee Basics USDA Forest Service article)
See resource links (at the bottom of this posting) for what you can do to help pollinators. B happy B healthy B good to Pollinators!
Most native bees are quite different from honeybees and yellow jackets, as they rarely sting gardeners and if they do, the sting tends to be mild.
Many more Pollinator Resource links at the bottom of this posting.
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| Mary Lacy opens up the pollination / Bee Barn event welcoming all. |
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| Note Mary's art on the Karma Birdhouse Gallery walls. (47 Maple St. Burlington, VT). On display through March 2nd. |
Charlie Nicholson explained his work at UVM with other researchers, studying how pollinators deliver their services to Vermont's farms and food systems, the crop production benefits provided by native pollinators, particularly native bees. The goal of the research is to demonstrate incentives for the conservation of pollinators and the land they rely on. (Uvm Gund Institute)
The study examines how landscape patterns and farm management affect the abundance and diversity of native bees visiting highbush blueberry in Vermont. More biodiversity of pollinator (food) plantings and lower pesticide use results in a higher density of pollinators, higher levels of pollination, greater crop yields.
John Hayden of The Farm Between (located in Jeffersonville, VT) related his childhood memory of looking closely into a square foot of ground foliage and dirt, examining for a long period of time, the creatures crawling about. He stressed how much wildlife is within our natural surroundings, yet many of us fail to observe closely enough and for long enough to appreciate what is out there.
John explained the importance of Bio-Diversity (Variability among living organisms). Biodiversity forms the foundation of a vast array of services that critically contribute to human well-being. (from Green Facts).
He spoke of how Neonicotinoid pesticides are killing off bees. (The most commonly used neonicotinoid is imidacloprid which is sold in lawn and garden stores.) And how many native bees either do not sting, or are unlikely to sting unless you grab them; how bees pollinate, how much better native bees are at pollinating than non-native honey bees, and the agricultural and home use of pesticides is causing known harm. Also, there are many unknowns about the long-term effects of pesticides.
John introduced the program he and his wife created, Pollinator Pathways which focuses on pollinator CARE: Conservation, Advocacy, Research and Education and Seeds of Self Reliance supporting schools in Vermont and in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
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| (Native) Solitary Bee Pupae inside bee barn nesting tubes. |
We can ALL help pollinators by planting more native species of flowering plants for blooms throughout the season, reducing lawn area, using clover (food for pollinators) in the grass mix.
To provide pollinator habitats, leave dead trees, logs, and stumps standing, overwintering flower and fruit stems, and brush piles.
Avoid the use of pesticides. (Even some organic pesticides kill bees.)
Buy or build bee houses (bee barns).
Get outside, observe, enjoy, learn about nature, she will amaze, entertain, and delight you!
Additional Resources
Vermont has about 270 native bee species. (Honeybees are not native.) Several of our Bumblebee species are in trouble if not extinct.
Read ***The State of the Bees by Nancy Hayden for a list of what you can do to help improve the conditions so that pollinators thrive.
*** The Life of a Vermont Bee (BTV Parks and Rec)
*** Bee Basics: An Introduction to Our Native Bees. USDA Forest Service publication.
Learn about Native Bees Crown Bees articles.
Building a Backup Bee (Commercial Scale)
The Best Pollinator (Mason (Orchard) Bee.
Vt Wildflower Farm. (sells wildflower seeds and perennials)
How Local Landscapes Affect Pollination. John Nicholson (Video)
Native Bees of New England (UNH)
Farming for Bees - Guidelines for providing native habitat for bees on farms. (Xerces Society)
Status and Trends of Wild Insect Pollinators in Vermont and Beyond. (Uvm)
BUILDING BEE BARNS or Bee Hotels or Bee Blocks for Native Bees. Note: Blue Orchard or Mason bees require clayish-like mud near the bee barn or bee house.
*Building and Managing Bee Hotels for Wild Bees
Michigan State University Extension
*How to build a mason (Blue Orchard Bee) bee block Audubon - Bring on the Bees
* Keeping the Bees - Bee Hotels
*How to construct a wood mason (Blue Orchard Bee) bee house. Penn State Extension
*Crown Bees bee company. The website has lots of Mason (Blue Orchard Bee) bee info and items for sale. They even buy mason bees. And if you sign up for their newsletter you get periodic timely info. on caring for your mason bees and other mason bee tips.
Wild Flowers and Vermont's Food System by Taylor Ricketts, UVM
Getting Started with Wild Pollinators by Vermont Land Trust
How to fight Insectagedon with native plants
Go Native. by Vermont Invasives
Gardening with Native Plants. Nature Conservancy
Vermont Atlas of Life Vermont Center of EcoStudies
Rearing Insect Pollinators. Seed Savers Exchange
Wildflowers Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Id native plants by state.
US Wildflowers Thumbnail list (with photos) and index.
Bee Decline Linked to Combination of Stressors.
Dancing Bee Gardens - Info on Honey. Raw honey, properties of honey, healing with...
Are Chickadee Nests the Key to an Effective Bumble Bee Nest Box?
Flower Friendly Farms Boost Bee Populations.
USDA Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory
Managing Alternative Pollinators (PDF handbook)
Five facts about bumblebees, and how to help them.
Value of endangered bumblebees weighed in Vermont.
Four Facts about Native Bees in Your Backyard
Six fast facts about pollinating bats
Louie Schwartzberg: The hidden beauty of pollination. The first half is a talk, then an excellent video of pollinators doing their thing.
Climate change puts the squeeze on bumblebees.
VT Bumblebees in trouble.
A VT keeper of Native Bees
Want to save the bees? Popular Science article
Nests for Native Bees. From www.xerces.org
Can you pick the bees out of this insect lineup? NY Times article
Pollinator Friendly Lawns
Solitary Mason Bees (Blue Orchard Bees) Growing a Greener World. (Video)
Mason (Blue Orchard Bees) bees Micro Documentary. Premies.com (Video)
Handbook for beekeepers. (170 pages)
Why bees are disappearing (TED Talk - video)
Mason (Blue Orchard Bees) bees Micro Documentary. Premies.com (Video)
Handbook for beekeepers. (170 pages)
Why bees are disappearing (TED Talk - video)
Crown Bees bee company. Web site has lots of Mason bee info and items for sale. They even buy mason bees. And if you sign up for their newsletter you get periodic timely info. on caring for your mason bees and other mason bee tips.
Managing Alternative Pollinators (PDF handbook) Mason bees - pg 54
The Little World. Video that follows a female Mason Bee through her life as she raises a new generation.
Solitary Bees
Solitary Bees
Butterflies
Save the Monarchs - What you can do to help US Fish & Wildlife Service
PROMOTE AND EDUCATE FOR POLLINATORS ~Bernie
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