Each living creature of the earth works together to create a balance; however, this balance can be disrupted by the smallest of changes. The use of pesticides, deforestation, and the cutting down of native crops are just a few acts that can destroy the balance. In Pennsylvania, these changes are affecting the native bee population; being any species of bee besides a honey bee.

On Wednesday, October 21, the Biology Colloquium series presented by Millersville Alumni John Baker, from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at Penn State University, to discuss The Pennsylvania Native Bee Survey. Baker provided awareness of the bee population and answered the question, “Why should we study bees?”

The reason to study bees is clear: it is a profitable and safe way to manage crops. It is estimated that there is a three billion dollar profit in the U.S. attributed to pollination of non-managed bees. They are important pollinators of native plants, especially the honey bee, which are five times more efficient at pollination than native bees. Bees also make a good source of food. Most importantly, bee diversity is a measure of environmental health. “If you don’t have bees pollinating plants, some of these plants are going to go away,” said Baker.

According to the 2006 National Academy of Sciences report, the status of pollinators in North America is declining. Little is known about unmanaged pollinators, which include moths, butterflies, bees, and beetles, but the diseases found in managed bees are starting to spill over to the native bee populations.

The Native Bee Survey at Penn State created a list of goals to find a set of bee species, develop baseline diversity and abundance data, and adopt or establish a maintainance procedure.

The 2005 Native Bee Survey discovered 342 species of bee recorded with a potential 525 species, more than two-thirds of these species have not been seen in over 60 years.

They have collected more than 7500 specimens in the survey. They do this by using paper cups of white, blue, and yellow colors that are filled with soapy water. They then leave the cups out for 24 hours.

Baker also informed the audience about the Citizens Scientists Monitoring Projects, supported by Haagan-Daz ice cream. The goal of these projects is to educate people on the native pollinators. There are two groups that help support these projects; the Department of Agriculture, and the Penn State Master Gardeners. These groups create gardens that house native plants to attract native pollinators, without the use of pesticides. Two-thirds of the U.S. is covered with these gardens.

The Department of Agriculture put together a monitoring guide to help others classify the bees. They go to the gardens once a month and observe the bees in the morning and afternoon. They record weather patterns such as wind and sunlight. Bees do not usually come out on windy days or overcast weather. Their goal is to provide information so anyone can plug their information into an algorithm to determine the health of a garden.

Baker concluded his lecture with information on the Lithurgus Chrysurus, a bee that was found in Lehigh, Northhamptin, and Monroe Counties Pa. These bees pose a severe problem to humans because they nest in soft wood, such as porches, in large groups. They even “…chew through vinyl siding to get to wood,” said Baker. These bees are everywhere because they pollinate on the knapweed, a common weed, allowing the bees to spread.

For more information on this topic, you can contact John Baker at jbaker67@rocketmail.com.

Each living creature of the earth works together to create a balance; however, this balance can be disrupted by the smallest of changes. The use of pesticides, deforestation, and the cutting down of native crops are just a few acts that can destroy the balance. In Pennsylvania, these changes are affecting the native bee population; being any species of bee besides a honey bee.

On Wednesday, October 21, the Biology Colloquium series presented by Millersville Alumni John Baker, from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at Penn State University, to discuss The Pennsylvania Native Bee Survey. Baker provided awareness of the bee population and answered the question, “Why should we study bees?”

The reason to study bees is clear: it is a profitable and safe way to manage crops. It is estimated that there is a three billion dollar profit in the U.S. attributed to pollination of non-managed bees. They are important pollinators of native plants, especially the honey bee, which are five times more efficient at pollination than native bees. Bees also make a good source of food. Most importantly, bee diversity is a measure of environmental health. “If you don’t have bees pollinating plants, some of these plants are going to go away,” said Baker.

According to the 2006 National Academy of Sciences report, the status of pollinators in North America is declining. Little is known about unmanaged pollinators, which include moths, butterflies, bees, and beetles, but the diseases found in managed bees are starting to spill over to the native bee populations.

The Native Bee Survey at Penn State created a list of goals to find a set of bee species, develop baseline diversity and abundance data, and adopt or establish a maintainance procedure.

The 2005 Native Bee Survey discovered 342 species of bee recorded with a potential 525 species, more than two-thirds of these species have not been seen in over 60 years.

They have collected more than 7500 specimens in the survey. They do this by using paper cups of white, blue, and yellow colors that are filled with soapy water. They then leave the cups out for 24 hours.

Baker also informed the audience about the Citizens Scientists Monitoring Projects, supported by Haagan-Daz ice cream. The goal of these projects is to educate people on the native pollinators. There are two groups that help support these projects; the Department of Agriculture, and the Penn State Master Gardeners. These groups create gardens that house native plants to attract native pollinators, without the use of pesticides. Two-thirds of the U.S. is covered with these gardens.

The Department of Agriculture put together a monitoring guide to help others classify the bees. They go to the gardens once a month and observe the bees in the morning and afternoon. They record weather patterns such as wind and sunlight. Bees do not usually come out on windy days or overcast weather. Their goal is to provide information so anyone can plug their information into an algorithm to determine the health of a garden.

Baker concluded his lecture with information on the Lithurgus Chrysurus, a bee that was found in Lehigh, Northhamptin, and Monroe Counties Pa. These bees pose a severe problem to humans because they nest in soft wood, such as porches, in large groups. They even “…chew through vinyl siding to get to wood,” said Baker. These bees are everywhere because they pollinate on the knapweed, a common weed, allowing the bees to spread.

For more information on this topic, you can contact John Baker at jbaker67@rocketmail.com.