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: hgaines@gmail.comCell: 774-392-0498