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Ag Professionals Receiving Training on Accessible Beekeeping through SARE Grant
Front Royal, VIRGINIA Justin Ruger, a beekeeper and founder of Accessible Beekeeping was granted a $75,589 Southern SARE Professional Development Program Grant to provide the historically underserved community of people with disabilities the knowledge and skills to participate in apiculture to increase their quality of life and independence. He uses YouTube videos and trains organizations at multiple universities and state extensions. Justin lost his […]
Artificial Nesting Sites Attract Native Pollinators
LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia – Artificial nesting sites for pollinators placed in apple orchards have shown to boost native bee populations, according to results of a Georgia Gwinnett College study. In a Southern SARE-funded On-Farm Research Grant project, researchers focused on nesting sites for mason bees and mining bees – the workhorses of the native bee world […]
Take Care to Manage Wetlands for Pollinators
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas – It’s not uncommon for wetlands, especially those enrolled in federal conservation programs, to be actively managed for plant diversity and wildlife habitat. But University of Arkansas researchers have found an additional reason to maintain these ecosystems, particularly when they occur adjacent to croplands: many pollinators call them home. In a Southern Sustainable […]
Wildflowers Draw Native Pollinators to Georgia Apple Orchard, Yields Increase
McCAYSVILLE, Georgia – Joe Dickey’s curiosity about bees nearly matches his affinity for birds. “I’ve loved birds ever since I was a kid because of all their different colors,” said Dickey, as he watches yellow finches fly around three 100X100-foot wildflower plots at his farm, Mountain View Orchards. But it’s the bees that are capturing […]
Artificial Nest Sites Boost Native Bees in Apple Orchards
LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia – Researchers with Georgia Gwinnett College have found that creating artificial nesting sites for native bees helps to increase their abundance – a boon for producers looking to native bee species to pollinate their crops. For several years, zoologist and project coordinator Mark Schlueter and taxonomist Nick Stewart, have been surveying native bees […]
Finding a Fit for Native Pollinators in North Florida Sustainable Farm Management
GAINESVILLE, Florida – Natural landscapes surrounding North-central Florida farms may influence native pollinator diversity along with on-farm vegetation management, according to preliminary results of a University of Florida study. The findings may be useful to farmers interested in encouraging the number and types of native bees that visit their farms. Rosalyn Johnson, a graduate student […]
Looking for the Right Bee for Your Apple Orchards? Say Hello to the Native Mining Bee
LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia – Commercial Georgia apple producers looking for an alternative to the honeybee to pollinate their orchards can say hello to the native mining bee (Andrena crataegi). Georgia Gwinnett College researchers have named the mining bee Georgia’s “apple bee,” for its abundance in north Georgia apple orchards and its efficiency in pollinating blossoms. The […]