Did you know that over 400 species of wild bees live in New York State, and honey bees are just one species? Many of these other bees, not just honey bees, provide critical pollination services. This module begins with a general introduction to pollination and society's need for resilient pollination services, particularly in light of threats to honey bee health. It then introduces the general characteristics of wild bees and specifically highlights a few of the most interesting and useful wild bee species. The presenters will outline the multiple threats facing our bees, discuss the specific risks posed by insecticide and fungicide exposure and how pesticides can interact with other stressors that bees face. Finally, mitigation strategies to minimize harm to bees, taking into account their biology, habits, and points of vulnerability, will be discussed.
- Teacher: Katherine Urban-Mead