Pollinators in the Garden: Forging Partnerships for Native Insect Conservation Black

Photo: Steve Hendrix Pollinator Conservation: Opportunities for Public Gardens Scott Hoffman Black Executive Director The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation The Xerces Society is an international nonprofit that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. 4828 SE Hawthorne Boulevard Portland, OR 97215 503-232 6639 www.xerces.org Photo: Larry Orzak

The Xerces Society Conservation, policy, advocacy, education, and research for invertebrates and their habitat. Photos: Paul Jepson; Matthew Shepherd; Heidi Ballard

Pollinators provide a fundamental ecosystem service that enables plants to produce fruits and seeds.
Over 70% of flowering plants require a pollinator to move pollen
35% of crops plants
$20 billion/year of U.S. crops
One in three mouthfuls of food
Importance of Pollinators Photo: USDA-ARS/Peggy Greb

Importance of Pollinators Fruits and seeds are a major part of the diet of about 25% of birds, and of many mammals Photo: NRCS

Photo: Dawn Nichols/iStockphoto Importance of Pollinators Pollinators and the diverse insects associated with good pollinator habitat are food for wildlife

European honey bee is the principal crop pollinator.
Disease, pests, and low honey prices have lead to:
50% decline in managed hives since 1950
70-100% decline in feral colonies
Photo: USDA-ARS/Scott Bauer Honey Bees

In recent years, a third or more of honey bee hives have been lost.
Disease/pathogen?
Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus?
New strain of Nosema ?
Pests?
Poor diet?
Insecticides?
Stress?
Photo: USDA-ARS/Scott Bauer Honey Bees: Colony Collapse Disorder

Photos: Mace Vaughan; Jeff Adams; Dana Ross; Bruce Newhouse Main Groups of Pollinators

Bees: The Most Important Pollinators Photo: Rollin Coville
Collect and transport pollen
Forage in area around nest
Exhibit flower constancy

North America: 4,000 species Native Bee Diversity Photo: Mace Vaughan

Photo: Stephen L. Buchmann Native Bee Diversity

Photos: James Cane; Steve Javorek (Ag Canada); Edward S. Ross Honey bee ( Apis mellifera ) Bumble bee ( Bombus edwardsii ) Leafcutter bee ( Megachile sp.) Polyester bee (Colletes sp) Native Bee Diversity

Photos: Bruce Newhouse; Edward S. Ross; Mace Vaughan; USDA-ARS/Jack Dykinga Metallic sweat bee ( Agapostemon sp.) Yellow-faced bee ( Hylaeus sp.) Mason bee ( Osmia sp.) Sweat bee ( Halictus sp.) Native Bee Diversity

Photos: Dennis Briggs Recognize Habitat: Solitary Bees Mining bee ( Andrena sp.); a year in its underground nest as egg, larva, and pupa before emerging to spend a few weeks as an adult.

Photo: Matthew Shepherd. Drawings: Stephen, Bohart, and Torchio, 1967 Pollinator Habitat: Ground Nesting
Roughly 70% of native bee species nest underground.
Resemble ant-nests from above ground
Nest chambers are lined with waxy glandular secretions
Conserve sandy soil, bare ground

Approximately 30% of native species nest in hollow plant stems, or old beetle borer holes.
Nest tunnel partitions constructed of mud, leaf pieces, or sawdust
Conserve snags, brush piles
Photos: Edward S. Ross; Mike Carter; Matthew Shepherd Pollinator Habitat: Tunnel Nesting

Photos: Elaine Evans
North America has ~45 species of bumble bees .
Social colonies founded by a single queen
Colonies last only one season
Nest may contain 100-300 workers
Commercial production implicated in decline of wild bumble bees
Pollinator Habitat: Bumble bees

Some native bees in decline: Four sister species of bumble bees Native Bees in Decline Yellowbanded Franklin’s Rusty patched Western Photos: Jodi DeLong; Peter L. Schroeder; Johanna James-Heinz; Derrick Ditchburn

Native Bees in Decline

Pollinator Conservation Provide floral resources. Provide for nesting sites. Avoid pesticides. Photo: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University; bugwood.org

Pollinator Habitat: Foraging Needs Photos: Elaine Haug/NRCS, Matthew Shepherd; Mace Vaughan, Eric Mader, Jeff McMillan/NRCS, Berry Botanic Garden

Pollinator Habitat: Nesting needs Photos: Matthew Shepherd; Eric Mader; Sydney A. Cameron Bumble bees (social) Tunnel-nesting bees (solitary) Ground-nesting bees (solitary)

Pollinator Habitat: Butterflies
Butterflies need
Caterpillar hostplants
Safe place to pupate
Overwintering site
Nectar to drink as adults
Photo: Dana Ross

Pesticide use causes significant damage to pollinator insect populations.
Avoid using pesticides
If you do use pesticides:
Minimize their use
Read guidance carefully
Read How to Reduce Bee Poisoning from Pesticides
But be warned: even when bee caution labels are followed there is limited protection for many native bees
Pollinator Habitat: Pesticides

Photo: Rollin Coville Opportunities for Public Gardens Education and outreach Demonstration sites Propagation of native plants Research

Building connections between pollinators and local food systems Master gardeners, native plant societies, urban planners, land managers, and agency staff Photo: Matthew Shepherd Opportunities: Education and Outreach

Opportunities: Demonstration Sites 4-6 blooming species for each season Clump plantings Warm-season bunch grasses At least 45% forbs Photo: Jessa Guisse

Photo: Eric Eldrige/NRCS Opportunities: Plant Propagation Focus on high-value species not currently commercially available Research and documentation of species with unknown propagation requirements Butterfly host plants Xerces/Monarch Joint Venture Milkweed Seed Increase Project

Photo: Logan Lauvray Opportunities: Research Plant-pollinator relationships Propagation requirements of rare species Restoration of habitats

Pollinator Conservation Resource Center
Region-specific information from Extension services, USDA, and other sources
Resources include
Plant Lists
Conservation Guides
Pesticide Guidelines
www.xerces.org/pollinator-resource-center
Xerces Society Resources

Native Plant Producer Directory:
For partnership info with Xerces, contact eric@xerces.org

Speakers Pollinator scientists Photo: Paul Jepson Xerces Society Resources

Thanks to our funders:
Xerces Society members
BLM/Forest Service
Bullitt Foundation
Columbia Foundation
CS Fund
Disney Wildlife Fund
EPA
Goldman Fund
CERES/Greater Milwaukie Foundation
New Land Foundation
NRCS
Organic Farming Research Foundation
Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board
Oregon Zoo
Organic Valley
Panta Rhea Foundation
Turner Foundation
USFWS
Whole Systems Foundation
Wildwood Foundation
WSARE
Thanks to our Funders Photo: Piotr Naskrecki

Pollinators in the Garden: Forging Partnerships for Native Insect Conservation Black

by American Public Gardens Association on Aug 23, 2010

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Pollinators in the Garden: Forging Partnerships for Native Insect Conservation Black — Presentation Transcript