Photo: Nancy Adamson

Farming for Bees Attracting Native Bees into Agro-Ecosystems

Jessa Cruz Pollinator Conservation Specialist The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

What is the Xerces Society?

Photo:s California NRCS and Ed Ross

Since 1971, the Society has worked to protect wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. Major Programs: • Pollinator conservation • Endangered species • Aquatic invertebrates

Xerces blue butterfly (Glaucopsyche xerces), the first U.S. butterfly to go extinct due to human activities

Photos: Paul Jepson; Matthew Shepherd; Heidi Ballard

Pollinator Conservation Program

Conservation, education, research, and advocacy for pollinators and their habitat.

•  85% plant species worldwide require pollinator

•  35% of crop species, worldwide

• One in three mouthfuls of food and drink we consume

•  Value of crops in U.S.: $18 to $27 billion

Importance of Pollinators

Photo: USDA-ARS/Peggy Greb

Importance of Pollinators

Value of Pollinator-Dependent Crops in CA: $11.7 billion (Chaplin-Kramer et al 2011)

Photo: Whole Foods Market

Whole Foods Produce With Bee Pollinated Crops

A third of our crops depend on insect pollinators—primarily bees

Photo: Whole Foods Market

Whole Foods Produce Without Bees

Insects matter!

Photo: Nancy Adamson

Annual losses…

Pre-CCD (1995-2006):

15% - 22% per year

Post-CCD (2006-today):

29% - 36% per year

Honey Bees: Annual Loss Rates

Crop Pollination: Important to Diversify

To improve sustainability of crop pollination in the long-term:

•  Important to diversify the species that we depend on

•  Important to strengthen habitat and pesticide protection for all bees (honey and native)

Photos:Toby Alexander, VT-NRCS; Bob Hammond, CSU Coop Ext

Native Bees are Critical Crop Pollinators

Photos: Doug Walsh, Bob Hammond, Eric Mader, Nancy Adamson

Native Bees and Crop Pollination

Hundreds of species of native bees contribute significantly to crop pollination.

• 60+ species visit CA tomato, sunflower, or watermelon (Kremen et al)

• Value of wild bees to agriculture in CA: $937 million to $2.4 billion (Chaplin-Kramer et al 2011)

Photos: USDA-ARS/Scott Bauer & Edward McCain

Native Bees and Crop Pollination

Photo: Nancy Adamson Garobaldi, L. A. et al.. 2013. Wild pollinators enhance fruit set of crops regardless of honey bee abundance. Science 339 (6127) : 1608-1611.

In a study of 41 crops around the globe, fruit set in all crops signficantly increased with flower visits by wild pollinators vs. only 14% of crops when visited by honey bees.

digger bee on apple

Pollinators and Habitat

When enough habitat is available… California: If enough surrounding area is in natural habitat, growers can achieve full pollination of watermelons by wild bees.

Photos: Mace Vaughan, Nancy Adamson, Jessa Guisse

Kremen, C. et al. 2004. The area requirements of an ecosystem service: crop pollination by native bee communities in California. Ecology Letters 7:1109-1119.

Squash Bees

• Ground-nesting directly at the base of squash plants

•  Active in early morning hours (before sunrise)

•  Pollinate flowers before honey bees begin foraging1

•  67% of 87 sites studied across the U.S. had all pollination needs met by squash bees2

Photo: Eric Mader

Specialist Solitary Bees

Photo: Eric Mader Photo: Eric Mader Photo: Nancy Adamson

1.  Tepedino, V. J. 1981. The pollination efficiency of the squash bee (Peponapis pruinosa) and the honey bee (Apis mellifera) on summer squash (Cucurbita pepo). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 54:359-377.

2.  Jim Cane (USDA ARS Logan Bee Lab). 2011. Personal communication

Example: Blue Orchard Bee

•  250 to 750 females/acre compared to 1 to 2.5 hives of honey bees

• Make contact with anther and stigma on almost every visit

•  Active at low light levels and low temperatures

•  33+ hours foraging in 5 days

•  15+ hours by honey bees

Photos: Eric Mader, Mace Vaughan Bosch, J. and W. Kemp. 2001. How to Manage the Blue Orchard Bee as an Orchard Pollinator. Sustainable Agriculture Network. Beltsville, MD. 88 pp. .

Native Bee Diversity in Agriculture

Example: Cherry tomatoes

When native bees were present, Sungold cherry tomato production almost tripled. Video of buzz pollination: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMvQSx2429U

Buzz Pollination by Native Bees

Greenleaf, S. S.,and C. Kremen. 2006. Wild bee species increase tomato production and respond differently to surrounding land use in Northern California. Biological Conservation 133:81-87.

Photos: Nancy Adamson

Photo: Anne Berblinger

Native bees are very efficient:

• Active earlier and later in the day

• Collect both pollen and nectar

• Buzz pollinate

• No rental fees

Photo: Nancy Adamson

Benefits of Native bees

mining bee on blueberry

How can we better support pollinators?

Strengthen habitat and pesticide protection to support diverse pollinators--

• Plant & conserve native plants for food and shelter

• Reduce pesticide use

Photos: Nancy Adamson

Photos: Matthew Shepherd; Mace Vaughan, Tim During, Berry Botanic Garden

Supporting Pollinators: Floral Resources

Floral Resources: •  Abundant pollen and nectar •  Preferred by bees •  Focus on native plants •  Bloom throughout the year

Ground nesting native bees need access to the soil

• Friable soil

• Sloped areas, native bunch grasses or low –growing shrubs

Photos: Mace Vaughan, Matthew Shepherd

Supporting Pollinators: Nesting Areas

Protect Ground-Nesting Bees

•  Reduce tillage •  No-till farms hosted three

times more native squash bees than did conventional farms

Photos: USDA-NRCS, Bob Hammond, CO Coop Ext

Shuler, et al. 2005. Farming Practices Influence Wild Pollinator Populations on Squash and Pumpkin. Journal of Economic Entomology. 98(3):790-795

Supporting Pollinators: Reducing Tillage

Retain or create tunnel-nest sites •  Protect snags wherever

possible • Create brush piles •  Plant pithy-stemmed plants •  Provide artificial nests

Photos: Mace Vaughan; Katharina Ullman and Nancy Adamson

Supporting Pollinators: Nesting Areas

Insecticide use causes significant damage to pollinator populations

• Avoid using insecticides

If you do use insecticides:

• Minimize their use • Use active ingredients with

least impact on bees • Avoid powder formulations • Don’t spray on plants in bloom • Spray at night and when dry • Minimize drift

Supporting Pollinators: Managing Insecticides

Case Study: Habitat for Pollinators

Pollinator plantings in California almonds

Even in areas with little surrounding natural habitat, planting strips of natural vegetation increased pollinator populations and subsequent visitation of adjacent orchard crops (Klein et al, 2012)

Case Study: Habitat for Pollinators

Muir Glen / Olam Processing: Project Bombus •  Xerces planted a mile-long pollinator hedgerow •  Planted F2012 •  Monitoring by Dr Neal Williams, UCD

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Control Site Project Bombus Site

July 2013 Pollinator Totals

# of Bees (native and honey)

Dr. N. Williams and K. Ward, UC Davis

Case Study: Project Bombus

Habitat exports pollinators into adjacent crops

Graph: Lora Morandin *Morandin et. al in press

•  More wild bees present on farms with native plant habitat

•  Habitat is a “source” not a “sink” for pollinators of nearby crops

Habitat and Crop Pollination

Weedy Hedgerow

Habitat and Crop Pollination

Photo: Brett Blaauw

Pollinator Habitat Cost Analysis

Research by Brett Blaauw and Dr. Rufus Isaacs, Michigan State University

Costs of Establishing Habitat A Michigan Case Study

Year 3: Researchers observed 12% higher blueberry yields in fields adjacent to wildflower plantings. Cost of establishing wildflowers is repaid in 3 to 4 years

Resources for Pollinator Conservation

Farm Bill support for pollinator habitat YES, WE HAVE A 2014 FARM BILL!!!! IN NRCS: http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov/

Practices for Pollinators • Tree/Shrub Establishment • Conservation Cover • Hedgerow Planting • Field Border • Restoration and Management of

Rare or Declining Habitats • Range Planting • Upland Wildlife Habitat

Management • Pest Management • Early Successional Habitat

Development/ Management

Pollinator Hedgerow

Conservation Cover

Field Border

Cover Crop

Photo: Nancy Adamson

Many excellent scientists, conservationists, and farmers

Financial support from § Xerces Society Members § NRCS: West & East National Tech

Centers, Ag Wildlife Conservation Center

§ Turner Foundation § CS Fund § Sarah K. de Coizart Article TENTH

Perpetual Charitable Trust. § Dudley Foundation § Bullitt Foundation § Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund § Richard and Rhoda Goldman

Foundation § Panta Rhea Foundation § Gaia Fund § Bill Healy Foundation § Bradshaw-Knight Foundation § Wildwood Foundation § Organic Valley § & many others…

Thank You!

andrenid bee on apple

Photo: Nancy Adamson

Questions?

Jessa Cruz jessa@xerces.org www.xerces.org