“The Rise of the City Bee—How Urbanites Built the 21st-Century Apiculture” When most of us think of beekeeping we imagine a rural landscape; perhaps a sprawling meadow filled with wildflowers and the wooden box beehives peppered within. However, Claire Cameron’s piece entitled The Rise of the City Bee- How Urbanites Built the 21st-Century Apiculture paints […]

Community & Landscape Ecology: BeeMachine v1.0 An important part of bee conservation for gardeners and growers alike is the construction of bee-friendly spaces. A large part of creating a successful pollinator garden is to choose the right plants that will promote visitation. To do this, researchers have to figure out which plants are “attractive” to […]

Insecticide exposure during brood or early-adult development reduces brain growth and impairs adult learning in bumble bees Social bees such as bumble bees are crucial pollinators whose populations are in decline. One of the reasons for the decline is thought to be exposure to certain pesticides. Commonly used pesticides, such as neonicotinoids, have been shown […]

The Northeast Pollinator IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Working Group has put together a new website with resources for outreach and education related to pollinator ecology and plant-pollinator interactions! This includes lesson plans developed by PSU postdocs and grad students in collaboration with the Penn State Center for Science and the Schools, as well as some […]

Bumble bee on a cone flower.

Pollinators are vital components of natural and agricultural ecosystems. However, both managed and wild populations have environmental and economic value, and both are in decline. Multiple interacting factors cause decline such as pollutants, changes in land use, and climate change. The Entomological Society of America (ESA) has recently updated and rereleased their statement on pollinator [...]

25 Facts About American Wild Bees. 1. No Honey.

Happy World Bee Day! Today marks World Bee Day. May 20 is marked as world bee day because it coincides with the birthday of Anton Janša, a pioneer beekeeper from Slovenia born in 1734. To celebrate World Bee Day, check out the 25 facts about American bees produced by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring [...]

Bumble bee on a cone flower.

As part of a three-part series on Urban Greening, The National Wildlife Magazine has published an article on gardening for bees in urban areas. In it, Laura Tangley describes the research behind gardening for urban bees, the status of pollinators, and what gardeners can do to help bees. She even gives our five-year research project [...]

Drawing of Megachile pluto bee

Excerpt "The world’s largest bee may also be the planet’s most elusive. First discovered in 1859 by the prominent scientist Alfred Russel Wallace, nobody could locate it again, and it was presumed extinct. The female Megachile pluto, shown here in this drawing by Dr H Friese (1911), is covered with velvety black fur but she [...]

Three large fake flowers, with a little girl placing a ball (representing pollen) in the middle of the flower.

The Penn State Center for Pollinator Research is partnering with Discovery Space to develop and expand a new exhibit to educate young children about honey bees.

Honeybee on white clover flower.

As you plan your spring garden, consider adding pollinator-friendly trees and plants to provide food and habitat for bee populations that are in decline across the country and worldwide.

Honeybees on capped honeycomb.

The purpose of this newsletter is to further the understanding of these bee-related problems and issues surrounding the use of neonicotinoid insecticides. UC Davis bee biology expert Elina Niño introduces the subject of bee health and the significant effect of parasitic mites and pathogens in bee decline.

Bee Culture, The Magazine of American Beekeeping, Catch the Buzz, Weighing the Costs and Benefits of Pesticide Use

Surveys of U.S. beekeepers have documented a 28 percent decline (on average) in honey bee colonies each winter during the last ten years, and a 28-45 percent decline (on average) during the full year. In Pennsylvania, beekeepers reported a loss of 52 percent of their colonies over the last winter (2016-2017).

Scientist standing underneath a hexagon with a bee inside.

Surveys of U.S. beekeepers have documented a 28 percent decline (on average) in honey bee colonies each winter during the last ten years, and a 28-45 percent decline (on average) during the full year. In Pennsylvania, beekeepers reported a loss of 52 percent of their colonies over the last winter (2016-2017).

Man speaking at a podium.

Standing in front of one of the more popular exhibits at the Pennsylvania Farm Show—an educational display on the importance of bees to society—state Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today helped unveil a new report intended to support healthy pollinator populations in the face of challenges that have decimated some species.

Group of people seated and listening to a lecture.

Michigan State University Extension and North Carolina State University hosted the second national Protecting Pollinators in Urban Landscapes Conference in Traverse City, Michigan, Oct. 9-11, 2017. Approximately 142 participants with varying professional backgrounds attended the event, including researchers, educators, students, beekeepers, landscapers and arborists.