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Pollinators! And their importance in the garden
Bart RennerNorth Carolina Cooperative
Extension ServiceApril 3, 2013
The Honeybee• Brought over from
Europe about 400 years ago
• Most popular, easiest to work with.
• Major pollinator! “busy as a bee”
Image: http://matoa.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/519742656_0b2323bc8e.jpg
Bumble Bees• More than 40
species in North America
• Generalists• Nest underground,
rodent burrow, flower pots, etc…
• sonicate, or “buzz pollinate”= better tomatoes!
Carpenter bees• 500 species worldwide• “semi-solitary” • Usually seeing the
eastern carpenter bee here in NC
• Males cannot sting, females can but generally don’t.
• Prefer open faced flowersImage: J.K. Barnes. University of Arkansas.
Carpenter bees
Andrenid (mining) bees• Over 2000 species• Solitary, females
dig burrows in ground
• Lay egg on large ball of pollen at the end of tunnel
Andrenid (mining) bees
Image: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRiOLIaQcSzlv1USTihgp4k0hjSOPNGbDjOabcwywI2UIZOKeKp
Anthophorini- “digger bees”
Digger bees
Images: Copyright © 2009 Jim MooreAnd http://bugguide.net/images/cache/
Squash bees
• Few know species (about 20)• Oligoleges: Focus almost
entirely on cucurbits• Generally active 1 hour
before honeybeesImage: http://extension.psu.edu/susag/news/2011/Jan-2011/1-squash-bees/image_galleryzoomAnd: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/squashbees/peponapis_male.jpg
Squash Bees
Images: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Eucera_nigrescens_MHNT.jpg/619px-Eucera_nigrescens_MHNT.jpgAnd http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Female_Tetraloniella_sp_edit1.jpg/800px-Female_Tetraloniella_sp_edit1.jpg
Leaf Cutter bee
Leaf cutter bees
Leaf cutter bees
Leaf cutter bees (nests)
Images: http://completegarden.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/leaf-cutter-bee-bamboo-cut-open-chambers3.jpgAnd http://www.christinefarmer.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/leafcutter_bees_emerging_christine_farmer_web.jpg
Mason Bees• 300 species world wide,
140 in North America• Make compartments of
mud in their hollow nests
• Great spring pollinators, very efficient fruit tree pollinators
• Handle cold well.
Images: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Osmia_rufa_couple_%28aka%29.jpg/800px-Osmia_rufa_couple_%28aka%29.jpgAnd
Mason bees- Pollinator of the month!
• Blue Orchard Mason Bee- (Osmia lignaria)
Image: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/images/masonbees/Osmia_sp.jpg
Mason Bees
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PM8we4QcI3w/S7ovOp-6WJI/AAAAAAAAAS0/jvp3aD8wAaI/s320/Mason-Bees1.jpgAnd http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Masonegg.jpg
Sweat bees• More than 2000
known species• Nest in ground • Some are
vespertine, or crepuscular.
• Attracted to salt in human sweat/ tears
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweat_bee
Sweat bees
Plasterer bee• Over 2000 known
species• Solitary, but nest
in aggregations. • Line inside of nest
with secretions from mouth
• Dries into cellophane-like lining.
Image:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasterer_bee
Plasterer bees
Image: © Copyright John Ascher, 2006-2010 Colletes daviesanus, plasterer beeAnd : http://old.termiguardusa.com/Plasterer-Bees.jpg
Birds, bats, ants, moths, beetles, etc.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Colibri-thalassinus-001-edit.jpg/800px-Colibri-thalassinus-001-edit.jpg, http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs32/i/2008/203/3/b/Pollen_Covered_Ant_by_craftworker.jpghttp://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/assets_c/2010/05/sn-bats-thumb-800xauto-3176.jpghttp://www.sciencepartners.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/speciality.jpg
The Honey Bee- interesting facts• 1 hive may have 60,000 individuals• Honey bees have foraging adults throughout
the flowering season• Some vegetables require 12 visits/ flower to
set fruit. • Honey bees can fly at speeds of up to 15 miles
per hour. • A single honeybee worker produces about
1/12th teaspoon honey in her lifetime
The Honey Bee- interesting facts• The hive must produce 40-60lbs of honey to
live through the winter• A queen honeybee stores a lifetime’s worth
of sperm• A queen bee can lay 1,500-2,000 eggs in a
day, and a million in her life• Honeybees have an amazing communication
system
Economic Impact of bees• Bee-dependent crops account for $47.1 billion
every year, of which $14.6 billion is attributable to honey bee pollination
• In NC bees are responsible for $185 million in added fresh produce a year.
• Over 100 crops in North America require a visit from a pollinator
• Affect 1/3 of agricultural production• NC honey producers make $6 million a year
Fruits and veggies that need bees
Image: http://www.beehappyplants.co.uk/userfiles/products/e_220-1.jpg
Tips to encourage bees in your garden • Plant a garden instead of a mowing a lawn!• Replace parts of lawn with native flowers• Try using non-hybridized flowers• Plan for blossoms year round (click here)• Set up native bee homes• Give them some water!
Common Garden Pesticides that may harm honeybees
• Orthene (Acephate)• Seven (Carbaryl)• Diazinon (Spectracide, others)• Bayer systemic (Imidacloprid), which gets into the pollen,
may cause disorientation and death in bees• Ambush, Pounce (Permethrin)• Crossfire, Raid Flying Insect Killer (Resmethrin)• Read more:
http://www.northcoastgardening.com/2010/05/honeybee-safe-pesticides/#ixzz2OrWq79aZ
Safe only if sprayed at dawn or dusk, when bees aren’t active• Spinosad (insecticide)• Pyrethrum (insecticide)• Neem oil (fungicide, insecticide)
Honeybee-safe pesticides• Sulfur (fungicide)• Serenade (biological fungicide)• Insecticidal soap• Petroleum-based oils• B.T. (Bacillus thuringiensis) -biological control
for caterpillars• Herbicides like Roundup and 2,4-D
Threats• Varroa Mites
Threats- disease
http://www.apicoltoreitaliano.it/image/apicoltuPeste_Americana.jpg
Threats- loss of habitat
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3NQIpliSntM/T1K5B57ZdHI/AAAAAAAABRM/1PDPBN6VWI4/s1600/urban+sprawl.jpg
Questions?
