Best websites and books about pollinators and native bees

Here are the best websites and books about pollinators and native bees in Michigan:

Web sites

Michigan State University http://nativeplants.msu.edu/publications.htm

Attracting Beneficial Insects With Native Flowering Plants. E-2973

Conserving Native Bees on Farmland. E-2985


Xerces Society http://www.xerces.org/guidelines/

Pollinator-Friendly Parks. How to Enhance Parks, Gardens, and other Greenspaces for Native Pollinator Insects

Pollinators in Natural Areas: A Primer on Habitat Management

Farming for Bees: Guidelines for Providing Native Bee Habitat on Farms


Books

Pollinator Conservation Handbook, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation,

Befriending Bumble Bees, A Practical Guide to Raising Local Bumble Bees, Elaine Evans et al., University of Minnesota Extension,

The Natural History of Bumblebees: A Sourcebook for Investigations, Carol A. Kearns and James D. Thomson, University Press of Colorado, 2001

Early bees

Most ground-nesting bees are called 'solitary' because they don't make hives or have the roles typical of social bees.

However, large numbers may nest in a relatively small area. In part, this is because desirable nest sites (with bare ground and fairly sandy soil) are often localized. The other reason is it serves reproduction.

When males emerge, they buzz around the area looking for females, usually just a few inches above the ground. When a male detects a female, he will follow into a tunnel.

The nest holes are visible in the sandy soil. They are about the diameter of a pencil. Some have small piles of excavated soil but others do not.

Bee Aware - Blogs and brochures focus on native bees

The increasing interest in pollinators is leading to many new resources that share information about native bees and native plants. Here are some of my favorites:

http://bumblebeewatch.blogspot.com (Dave Barr, Hamilton, Ontario)

Nelson DeBarros at Penn State created an interesting brochure "Conserving Wild Bees in Pennsylvania" http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/uf023.pdf

Rachel Winfree's lab at Rutgers has one for New Jersey "Native Bee Benefits"
http://winfreelab.rutgers.edu/documents/NativeBeeBenefits2009.pdf

And finally, for global interest, here is a blog about insects and plants in India

http://ringsofsilverpv.blogspot.com/ (Arati in Bangalore)

Enjoy!

2010 events at Mary Beth Doyle Park

Natural Area Preservation has scheduled several events at Mary Beth Doyle Park in 2010.

Late April & early May - walk the path along Mallets Creek and enjoy the woodland wildflowers. Trout lily, trillium, may apple and other species will be blooming in profusion.

Saturday, June 5, 2010, noon - Celebrate World Environment Day by repairing trails and other stewardship activities.

Thursday, June 17, 2010, 7:00 PM - Join us for a nature hike.

Saturday, October 23, 2010, 10:00 AM - We'll continue our annual tradition of collecting seeds of native grasses at Swift Run, and then distributing them in old field areas at Doyle.

Saturday, November 13, 2010, 9:00 AM - we'll work on trails and other activities to improve the park.

All events are free and open to the public. Wear sturdy shoes and clothes appropriate for outdoor work. Please leave pets at home.

Ride the AATA #7 bus to the Packard entrance, or the #5 to the Platt Rd./Birch Hollow entrance.