Wild, Managed Bees Challenges, Losses and Opportunities in Agrivoltiacs

A graduate research assistant entomologist in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bee Lab informed Auburn area residents about the economic importance of bees Thursday night, Feb. 5.
Paige Myers noted pollination services contribute $16 billion annually to the U.S. food system economy. She was among the presenters at a Conservation Nebraska event at the Auburn Senior Center.
The quality and quantity of many specialty crops are increased by pollination services. Diverse bee communities increase the success of wild plants and crop production, Myers continued.
Bee Diversity Overview
She related there are 400 species in Nebraska, 4,000 in North America and more than 20,000 internationally.
Wild bees: Not managed by humans, native and introduced. Myers stressed their importance to the ecosystem and economy.
Managed: Used for pollination and can be considered livestock. Those include honeybees, bumblebees, and blue orchard and leaf cutter bees.
Social: Many individuals in one nest, cooperative care of young and generational overlap. Examples are honeybees and bumblebees.
Solitary: 75 percent of all species, single female in each nest, provisional brood card vs. one generation per year. Examples are leaf cutter and mason bees.
There are also various nesting types and bees who lay their eggs in other bees’ nests.
Bee Nesting Requirement
The entomologist noted 70 percent of bees nest in the ground. Some need leaves, resin or mud while nesting in stems. Other rest in small cavities, she stated.
Some bees are highly dependent on specific plants, with 20 to 45 percent pollen specialists, Myers noted.
Stressors Causing Bee Decline
Myers said one-quarter of North American bumblebees are decreasing in population. There are six at risk species in Nebraska, she continued. Those include bumblebees, Southern plains, black and yellow and Western.
Pesticides: Some can be extremely harmful to pollinators. Exposure effects include reduced learning, poor brood, and temporary paralysis or death.
Climate change/extreme weather: Earlier thaws, severe storms and droughts and temperatures.
Habitat loss: Less than 1 percent of tall grass prairie remains. More than 90 percent of Nebraska land is devoted to agriculture. Habitat fragmentation and loss influence wild bee abundance and diversity.
How We Can Help
Recommendations by the entomologist are: using pesticides responsibly, providing nesting habitats, getting involved in your community and educating others about pollination and planting native vegetation.