This document provides an overview of habitat management techniques that can be used to enhance populations of native pollinators and natural enemies in agroecosystems. It discusses the benefits of habitat management for increasing biodiversity, biological pest control, and complementing managed pollinators. Specific techniques explored include planting buckwheat and pollinator seed mixes to provide supplemental food sources, installing trap nests for mason bees, and considering the timing of these efforts to align with pollinator needs. Field studies in wild blueberry crops found promising results with milk carton trap nests for Osmia bees. The document advocates for habitat management as a way to provide more sustainable and cost-effective pollination services to farms.
Presenter: Dr. Marie Haga
Executive Director, Global Crop Diversity Trust.
Facing demographic and climate changes, our best and most important tool to develop a resilient agricultural system is found in the natural diversity of crops and within crops. The Global Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust) works to safeguard the most important collections of crop diversity in genebanks around the world. This global common good will guarantee farmers and plant breeders have access to the raw materials needed to improve our crops, and ultimately, feed the world.
Abstract
Farmers who produce sweetpotato in Ethiopia save planting material on farm during the long dry months. Water stress and virus and weevil pressure during this period are the main causes of both the loss of farm-saved sweetpotato planting material and the country’s shortage of planting material. In other African countries, “Triple S” is a newly emerging root-based sweetpotato planting material conservation technique that has enabled small-scale farmers to conserve planting material for up to 3 months in dry periods. The dry months in Ethiopia last 3–5 months in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR) and 7–9 months in Tigray region, where direct adoption of the original Triple S technique is not feasible. Therefore, the aim of this study is to modify and test root-based sweetpotato planting material conservation methods appropriate for Ethiopia. In SNNPR, 12 farmer research groups compared Triple S techniques with shade conservation and conventional methods. In Tigray, an on-station trial was conducted to test the sprouting potential of different sizes (small, medium, and large) of roots stored in sand-filled containers after different storage periods. Results show that roots stored in sand-filled containers start sprouting 4–6 weeks after first being stored. On average, 82% of roots stored could sprout after 3, 4, and 5 months and be transplanted for vine multiplication. Forty-five days after transplanting, each root gave above-ground fresh vine yields of 883 g, 656 g, 680 g, and 615 g in Dorebafana, Kedidagamela, Humbo, and Mirab-Abaya woredas, respectively. Storing only 40 roots using Triple S can produce enough planting material to plant 400 m2 of land. In addition, the quality of vine produced through Triple S is better than that from farm-saved planting material in terms of being free of viruses and weevil. In our separate experiments to adapt Triple S for 8–9 months during the dry period in Tigray, 61%, 62%, and 52% of roots sprouted after 6 months of storage. The present study confirmed the potential of Triple S to increase the security of sweetpotato planting material in drought-prone areas in Ethiopia. Additional studies are being conducted to refine factors such as age and size of roots and storage and transplanting time.
Mihiretu Cherinet
B4FA 2012 Uganda: Seedbanks and world food security in Uganda - John Wasswa M...b4fa
Presentation by John Wasswa Mulumba, Plant Genetic Resources Centre NARO, Entebbe
Delivered at the B4FA Media Dialogue Workshop, Kampala, Uganda - November 2012
www.b4fa.org
Presenter: Dr. Marie Haga
Executive Director, Global Crop Diversity Trust.
Facing demographic and climate changes, our best and most important tool to develop a resilient agricultural system is found in the natural diversity of crops and within crops. The Global Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust) works to safeguard the most important collections of crop diversity in genebanks around the world. This global common good will guarantee farmers and plant breeders have access to the raw materials needed to improve our crops, and ultimately, feed the world.
Abstract
Farmers who produce sweetpotato in Ethiopia save planting material on farm during the long dry months. Water stress and virus and weevil pressure during this period are the main causes of both the loss of farm-saved sweetpotato planting material and the country’s shortage of planting material. In other African countries, “Triple S” is a newly emerging root-based sweetpotato planting material conservation technique that has enabled small-scale farmers to conserve planting material for up to 3 months in dry periods. The dry months in Ethiopia last 3–5 months in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR) and 7–9 months in Tigray region, where direct adoption of the original Triple S technique is not feasible. Therefore, the aim of this study is to modify and test root-based sweetpotato planting material conservation methods appropriate for Ethiopia. In SNNPR, 12 farmer research groups compared Triple S techniques with shade conservation and conventional methods. In Tigray, an on-station trial was conducted to test the sprouting potential of different sizes (small, medium, and large) of roots stored in sand-filled containers after different storage periods. Results show that roots stored in sand-filled containers start sprouting 4–6 weeks after first being stored. On average, 82% of roots stored could sprout after 3, 4, and 5 months and be transplanted for vine multiplication. Forty-five days after transplanting, each root gave above-ground fresh vine yields of 883 g, 656 g, 680 g, and 615 g in Dorebafana, Kedidagamela, Humbo, and Mirab-Abaya woredas, respectively. Storing only 40 roots using Triple S can produce enough planting material to plant 400 m2 of land. In addition, the quality of vine produced through Triple S is better than that from farm-saved planting material in terms of being free of viruses and weevil. In our separate experiments to adapt Triple S for 8–9 months during the dry period in Tigray, 61%, 62%, and 52% of roots sprouted after 6 months of storage. The present study confirmed the potential of Triple S to increase the security of sweetpotato planting material in drought-prone areas in Ethiopia. Additional studies are being conducted to refine factors such as age and size of roots and storage and transplanting time.
Mihiretu Cherinet
B4FA 2012 Uganda: Seedbanks and world food security in Uganda - John Wasswa M...b4fa
Presentation by John Wasswa Mulumba, Plant Genetic Resources Centre NARO, Entebbe
Delivered at the B4FA Media Dialogue Workshop, Kampala, Uganda - November 2012
www.b4fa.org
Abstract
Production potential of sweetpotato is not realised in most regions experiencing dry spells after the growing season in sub-Saharan Africa due to lack of planting material at the beginning of the rainy season. Identifying cultivars with ability to survive a 4- to 7-month dry spell is worthwhile in improving the sweetpotato seed system in these regions. The objective of the study was to estimate survival of vines under drought stress in a collection of sweetpotato clones. Three treatments (different harvesting times set as 5, 9, and 11 months after planting) were established at Umbeluzi, Nwallate, and Gurué in February 2015. In each treatment, 37 sweetpotato clones (18 released varieties, 8 landraces, 2 check clones, and 9 foreign introductions) were evaluated in a randomised complete block design with two replications. Data collected on storage root and vine yield, virus infection, vine length, and number of sprouts were subjected to analysis of variance using SAS 1996. Clone performance varied significantly within treatments. There was a significant drop in vine yield as the harvesting period increased from 5 months at all sites. Introduced variety ‘Resisto’ had long stems but no vines remaining after 9 months at all sites. Length and thickness of vine in a clone could be traits responsible for drought tolerance in sweetpotato. Spatial soil differences affected survival of vines. Most clones could not survive after 7 months at Gurué where the soils are lighter in texture and have low capacity to retain water. At Gurué, the inability to survive for long periods was exacerbated by virus infection. Gurué is an important site for virus screening in the breeding programme. A 6–8% significant increase of storage root yield between the 5 and 9 months’ harvest was recorded at Umbeluzi and Nwallate, respectively. Vines partitioned photosynthates to storage roots during prolonged dry spells— another indication of survival. The ability of some clones to reach 9 and 11 months with few vines at Umbeluzi and Nwallate offers a source of planting material for the subsequent season. This planting material is also an important source of food for farmers since home storage of roots usually does not go beyond 3 months. The rates of sprouting were also significantly different among clones. The released varieties group sprouted earlier than others; ‘Melinda’ was the earliest. Total biomass and plant architecture are key to vine survival under long dry spells in sweetpotato.
Maria I. Andrade
DIVERSIFOOD Final Congress - Session 2 - Underutilizated/forgotten crops: mul...diversifoodproject
"Underutilizated/forgotten crops: multi-actor and on farm evaluation": Keynote by Ambrogio Costanzo, ORC, UK
"Participatory assessment of local and traditional varieties of wheat in South Spain" by Maria Carrascosa, RAS, Spain
"Re-discovering ancient wheat population for organic farming in Hungary" by Dóra Drexler, ÖMKI, Hungary
"Lathyrus sativus and L. cicera germplasm characterization and breeding" by Diego Rubiales, CSIC, Spain
"Antinutritive ingredients in grain legume species for organic fodder" by Gilles Altmann, IBLA, Luxembourg
"Resistance screening of pea against a complex of root pathogens" by Lukas Wille, FiBL, Switzerland
"The Honeycomb Selection Designs in Participatory Breeding trials with cowpea" by Dionysia Fasoula, ARI, Cyprus
"Microbial communities and plant breeding: challenges and perspectives" by Michalis Omirou, ARI, Cyprus
"Chickpea genotypes response on drought and its impact on mycorrhizal symbiosis" by Athanasia-Eleni Kavadia, ARI, Cyprus
"Mobilising still diversity for minor cereals in West of France"
by Estelle Serpolay, ITAB, France
Re-collection to assess temporal variation in wild barley diversity in JordanBioversity International
Presentation delivered by Dr Imke Thormann at the International Agrobiodiversity Congress 2016, held in Delhi, India, 6-9 November.
Imke Thormann's presentation focused on crop wild relative genetic erosion and how it can be studied.
Find out more about the India Agrobiodiversity Congress:
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/iac2016/
Forage diversity – an essential resource to support forage developmentILRI
Forage diversity is an essential resource for selection and breeding of superior forages for use in smallholder farming to alleviate these constraints. The forages collection maintained at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) includes about 19,000 accessions of forages from over 1400 species of forage grasses, legumes, fodder trees and shrubs as a global public good, held in trust under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
Biocultural heritage territories and the in situ conservation of plant geneti...ExternalEvents
Biocultural heritage territories and the in situ conservation of plant genetic resources: China case, from PPB to Farmer Seed Network
Yiching Song - Center for Chinese Agricultural Plicy (CCAP)/Chinese Acadamy of Sciences (CAS)
Abstract
Production potential of sweetpotato is not realised in most regions experiencing dry spells after the growing season in sub-Saharan Africa due to lack of planting material at the beginning of the rainy season. Identifying cultivars with ability to survive a 4- to 7-month dry spell is worthwhile in improving the sweetpotato seed system in these regions. The objective of the study was to estimate survival of vines under drought stress in a collection of sweetpotato clones. Three treatments (different harvesting times set as 5, 9, and 11 months after planting) were established at Umbeluzi, Nwallate, and Gurué in February 2015. In each treatment, 37 sweetpotato clones (18 released varieties, 8 landraces, 2 check clones, and 9 foreign introductions) were evaluated in a randomised complete block design with two replications. Data collected on storage root and vine yield, virus infection, vine length, and number of sprouts were subjected to analysis of variance using SAS 1996. Clone performance varied significantly within treatments. There was a significant drop in vine yield as the harvesting period increased from 5 months at all sites. Introduced variety ‘Resisto’ had long stems but no vines remaining after 9 months at all sites. Length and thickness of vine in a clone could be traits responsible for drought tolerance in sweetpotato. Spatial soil differences affected survival of vines. Most clones could not survive after 7 months at Gurué where the soils are lighter in texture and have low capacity to retain water. At Gurué, the inability to survive for long periods was exacerbated by virus infection. Gurué is an important site for virus screening in the breeding programme. A 6–8% significant increase of storage root yield between the 5 and 9 months’ harvest was recorded at Umbeluzi and Nwallate, respectively. Vines partitioned photosynthates to storage roots during prolonged dry spells— another indication of survival. The ability of some clones to reach 9 and 11 months with few vines at Umbeluzi and Nwallate offers a source of planting material for the subsequent season. This planting material is also an important source of food for farmers since home storage of roots usually does not go beyond 3 months. The rates of sprouting were also significantly different among clones. The released varieties group sprouted earlier than others; ‘Melinda’ was the earliest. Total biomass and plant architecture are key to vine survival under long dry spells in sweetpotato.
Maria I. Andrade
DIVERSIFOOD Final Congress - Session 2 - Underutilizated/forgotten crops: mul...diversifoodproject
"Underutilizated/forgotten crops: multi-actor and on farm evaluation": Keynote by Ambrogio Costanzo, ORC, UK
"Participatory assessment of local and traditional varieties of wheat in South Spain" by Maria Carrascosa, RAS, Spain
"Re-discovering ancient wheat population for organic farming in Hungary" by Dóra Drexler, ÖMKI, Hungary
"Lathyrus sativus and L. cicera germplasm characterization and breeding" by Diego Rubiales, CSIC, Spain
"Antinutritive ingredients in grain legume species for organic fodder" by Gilles Altmann, IBLA, Luxembourg
"Resistance screening of pea against a complex of root pathogens" by Lukas Wille, FiBL, Switzerland
"The Honeycomb Selection Designs in Participatory Breeding trials with cowpea" by Dionysia Fasoula, ARI, Cyprus
"Microbial communities and plant breeding: challenges and perspectives" by Michalis Omirou, ARI, Cyprus
"Chickpea genotypes response on drought and its impact on mycorrhizal symbiosis" by Athanasia-Eleni Kavadia, ARI, Cyprus
"Mobilising still diversity for minor cereals in West of France"
by Estelle Serpolay, ITAB, France
Re-collection to assess temporal variation in wild barley diversity in JordanBioversity International
Presentation delivered by Dr Imke Thormann at the International Agrobiodiversity Congress 2016, held in Delhi, India, 6-9 November.
Imke Thormann's presentation focused on crop wild relative genetic erosion and how it can be studied.
Find out more about the India Agrobiodiversity Congress:
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/iac2016/
Forage diversity – an essential resource to support forage developmentILRI
Forage diversity is an essential resource for selection and breeding of superior forages for use in smallholder farming to alleviate these constraints. The forages collection maintained at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) includes about 19,000 accessions of forages from over 1400 species of forage grasses, legumes, fodder trees and shrubs as a global public good, held in trust under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
Biocultural heritage territories and the in situ conservation of plant geneti...ExternalEvents
Biocultural heritage territories and the in situ conservation of plant genetic resources: China case, from PPB to Farmer Seed Network
Yiching Song - Center for Chinese Agricultural Plicy (CCAP)/Chinese Acadamy of Sciences (CAS)
Life on earth is dependent on plants, which are a crucial component of all ecosystems. Not only they are the basis of world food, but also can provide us fuel, clothes and medicine and play a major role in atmosphere and water purification and prevention of soil erosion. Plants are part of our natural heritage and it is our responsibility to preserve and protect them for future generations.
It is estimated that up to 100,000 plants, representing more than one third of all the world's plant species, are currently threatened or face extinction in the wild. In Europe, particularly, biodiversity is seriously threatened. Biotechnological approaches offer several conservation possibilities which have the potential to support in situ protection strategies and provide complementary conservation options.
Small-scale farming of Edible Insects & Potential Contributions to Community ...Thomas Weigel
This presentation was held at AIDF's Asia Food Security Summit 2014 in Jakarta. It takes a look at edible insect farming from a food and nutrition security perspective and Veterinarians without Borders' (VWB) work on insects in Laos.
Farming of edible insects has big potential to ease the double burden of poverty and malnutrition. In many countries people love insects, and farmed insects are an excellent source of valuable protein, fats, and micro-nutrients. Insect farming is easy to learn, requires minimal time and money, and provides food for families. Insect farming has also significant advantages over the collection of wild insects in terms of improved availability, accessibility, and utilization of insects.
Environmentally sustainable, insects have a much better feed conversion and produce significantly less greenhouse gases than conventional livestock. Moreover, the sales of insects and insect products can provide additional income for poor people.
VWB has launched 2 cricket farming projects in Central Laos, involving a total of 36 households in two provinces, working mostly with women household members.
VWB's action-research approach involves the support of farmers to improve family diets, income, and also value-added foods such as cricket noodles. VWB is also studying the impact of cricket farming on child and maternal nutrition.
B4FA 2012 Tanzania: Genetics, plant breeding and agriculture - Tina Barsbyb4fa
Presentation at the November 2012 dialogue workshop of the Biosciences for Farming in Africa media fellowship programme in Arusha, Tanzania.
Please see www.b4fa.org for more information
Honeybees are essential pollinators, playing a crucial role in our food security and biodiversity. However, they face various threats like Colony Collapse Disorder and habitat loss. We can all help by planting bee-friendly gardens, avoiding harmful pesticides, and supporting local beekeepers.
Vermitechnology means rearing of earthworms. earthworm is friend of farmer. earthworm is doing a great job and also produced a good organic manure is called vermicompost. vermicompost is a biofertilzer. which is enhancing soil qualities. This is explained earthworm biology, importance and preparation of vermicompost, vermiwash, panchgavya and their importance.
Characterization and the Kinetics of drying at the drying oven and with micro...Open Access Research Paper
The objective of this work is to contribute to valorization de Nephelium lappaceum by the characterization of kinetics of drying of seeds of Nephelium lappaceum. The seeds were dehydrated until a constant mass respectively in a drying oven and a microwawe oven. The temperatures and the powers of drying are respectively: 50, 60 and 70°C and 140, 280 and 420 W. The results show that the curves of drying of seeds of Nephelium lappaceum do not present a phase of constant kinetics. The coefficients of diffusion vary between 2.09.10-8 to 2.98. 10-8m-2/s in the interval of 50°C at 70°C and between 4.83×10-07 at 9.04×10-07 m-8/s for the powers going of 140 W with 420 W the relation between Arrhenius and a value of energy of activation of 16.49 kJ. mol-1 expressed the effect of the temperature on effective diffusivity.
UNDERSTANDING WHAT GREEN WASHING IS!.pdfJulietMogola
Many companies today use green washing to lure the public into thinking they are conserving the environment but in real sense they are doing more harm. There have been such several cases from very big companies here in Kenya and also globally. This ranges from various sectors from manufacturing and goes to consumer products. Educating people on greenwashing will enable people to make better choices based on their analysis and not on what they see on marketing sites.
Diabetes is a rapidly and serious health problem in Pakistan. This chronic condition is associated with serious long-term complications, including higher risk of heart disease and stroke. Aggressive treatment of hypertension and hyperlipideamia can result in a substantial reduction in cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes 1. Consequently pharmacist-led diabetes cardiovascular risk (DCVR) clinics have been established in both primary and secondary care sites in NHS Lothian during the past five years. An audit of the pharmaceutical care delivery at the clinics was conducted in order to evaluate practice and to standardize the pharmacists’ documentation of outcomes. Pharmaceutical care issues (PCI) and patient details were collected both prospectively and retrospectively from three DCVR clinics. The PCI`s were categorized according to a triangularised system consisting of multiple categories. These were ‘checks’, ‘changes’ (‘change in drug therapy process’ and ‘change in drug therapy’), ‘drug therapy problems’ and ‘quality assurance descriptors’ (‘timer perspective’ and ‘degree of change’). A verified medication assessment tool (MAT) for patients with chronic cardiovascular disease was applied to the patients from one of the clinics. The tool was used to quantify PCI`s and pharmacist actions that were centered on implementing or enforcing clinical guideline standards. A database was developed to be used as an assessment tool and to standardize the documentation of achievement of outcomes. Feedback on the audit of the pharmaceutical care delivery and the database was received from the DCVR clinic pharmacist at a focus group meeting.
WRI’s brand new “Food Service Playbook for Promoting Sustainable Food Choices” gives food service operators the very latest strategies for creating dining environments that empower consumers to choose sustainable, plant-rich dishes. This research builds off our first guide for food service, now with industry experience and insights from nearly 350 academic trials.
Artificial Reefs by Kuddle Life Foundation - May 2024punit537210
Situated in Pondicherry, India, Kuddle Life Foundation is a charitable, non-profit and non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to improving the living standards of coastal communities and simultaneously placing a strong emphasis on the protection of marine ecosystems.
One of the key areas we work in is Artificial Reefs. This presentation captures our journey so far and our learnings. We hope you get as excited about marine conservation and artificial reefs as we are.
Please visit our website: https://kuddlelife.org
Our Instagram channel:
@kuddlelifefoundation
Our Linkedin Page:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/kuddlelifefoundation/
and write to us if you have any questions:
info@kuddlelife.org
Natural farming @ Dr. Siddhartha S. Jena.pptxsidjena70
A brief about organic farming/ Natural farming/ Zero budget natural farming/ Subash Palekar Natural farming which keeps us and environment safe and healthy. Next gen Agricultural practices of chemical free farming.
"Understanding the Carbon Cycle: Processes, Human Impacts, and Strategies for...MMariSelvam4
The carbon cycle is a critical component of Earth's environmental system, governing the movement and transformation of carbon through various reservoirs, including the atmosphere, oceans, soil, and living organisms. This complex cycle involves several key processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and carbon sequestration, each contributing to the regulation of carbon levels on the planet.
Human activities, particularly fossil fuel combustion and deforestation, have significantly altered the natural carbon cycle, leading to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and driving climate change. Understanding the intricacies of the carbon cycle is essential for assessing the impacts of these changes and developing effective mitigation strategies.
By studying the carbon cycle, scientists can identify carbon sources and sinks, measure carbon fluxes, and predict future trends. This knowledge is crucial for crafting policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions, enhancing carbon storage, and promoting sustainable practices. The carbon cycle's interplay with climate systems, ecosystems, and human activities underscores its importance in maintaining a stable and healthy planet.
In-depth exploration of the carbon cycle reveals the delicate balance required to sustain life and the urgent need to address anthropogenic influences. Through research, education, and policy, we can work towards restoring equilibrium in the carbon cycle and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.
5. Outline
• What is habitat management?
• How does it work?
• What are some benefits of habitat management?
• Native pollinators in Atlantic Canada
• Natural enemies
• Biology
• Their needs
• How do we start thinking like them?
16. What are natural
enemies?
• beneficial insects,
parasitoids, predators
• Involved in pest control
• E.g. beetles, wasps
• Similar needs as pollinators
17. Why are natural enemies
important?
• Biological control
• Dual purpose- pollination
• Nature takes care of itself
Image from
atlanticpestsolutions.net
Image from ipm.iastate.edu
19. Solitary vs Social Bees
• Most bees are solitary
• Cavity nesting, ground nesting
• Some are social
- Honey bees ! hives
- Bumble bees ! rodent holes
20. Nesting
• Trees, stems, reeds,
under rocks, in old
cars, in roof eaves,
milk cartons
• Proximity of water
• Parasites- nesting
aggregation
• Soil tillage
23. How can we manage
nesting?
• Tubes for cavity-nesters
• Soil conditions for
ground-nesters
24. How can we manage food?
• Floral plantings along field edge
• Marginal land, ditches, etc have also been used
• Provides habitat in addition to food at valuable
times
25. • Annual and perennial wildflowers
• Growing interest in “native flowers”
• Important to have diversity of flowers- tongue
length, nectar rewards
26. • Important to note that bees and other pollinators need
food throughout the season- before and after crop
bloom
28. Foraging Range
• Depends on body size,
species
• Affects foraging & access to
flowers
• Ranges from ~100 m to 5 km
29. Emergence, Phenology
• Spring vs later in the season
• Varying adult life spans- weeks to months to years
• What happens if required flowers aren’t blooming at
the right time? Climate change? Evolution? Tongue
length example
41. • Many crops require pollinators for fruit set
• Pollinator services from managed bees = high input
costs
• Native pollinators are efficient, effective and already
present (Javorek et al. 2002)
Background
42. • Native pollinators provide
important ‘free’ services
• Populations could be
increased to become more
economically important
43. Lowbush Blueberry
• Requires cross pollination
• Pollination services can be #1 cost (honey bees, other
managed bees)
• Unique cropping system (crop vs sprout)
• Opportunity to enhance agroecosystem for pollinators
44.
45. • Techniques to boost native
pollinators & natural enemies
• Focused on habitat and food
Objectives
52. Challenges
• Producer inputs
!tillage, seed, management (no spray), need to plant
each year, perhaps 2x per season
• Drought
• Deer
• Economic benefits?
• Conservation benefits?
59. • Trap nests for Osmia species (Hymenoptera:
Megachilidae)
• Cavity-nesting bee, readily accepts artificial nests
• Known to be good pollinators
Habitat Management for Mason Bees
60. • Solitary
• 8-9 species involved in blueberry (Stubbs et al. 1997)
• Queen lays eggs on pollen provision, larva ! pupa !
emerges the next year (Torchio 1989; Bosch et al. 2001)
• Linear sequence of ‘cells’
Osmia Biology
61. • Adult life span! 3- 5 weeks
• Can fly @ low temps and emerge early in season
• Need mud to ‘cap’ their nests, so water source important
Osmia Biology
www.bugguide.net
62. • What species are involved?
• Does nesting uptake differ from crop field
to sprout field?
• When does nesting occur?
• Are nests parasitized?
Questions
63. • 80 trap nests in 4 fields (64 wooden, 16
milk cartons)
• Placed 10 m apart along field edge
and facing the sun, supported on
stakes
• Set out 22 April in crop fields in
northeastern Nova Scotia
Materials & Methods- 2014
64. Wooden Trap Nests
• Examined different hole
diameters, rain cover,
burning
• Tubes were 10 cm deep
65. • 12 tubes/ 2L carton
• Tubes = 15 cm long
• Varying diameters (7 and 9 mm)
• Tubes from rolled white paper + newspaper and placed
through high-density polystyrene foam; spray foam
insulation to support tubes (Sheffield et al. 2007)
• Cartons painted white
Milk Cartons
67. • Focused on milk cartons only
• Compared crop and sprout
Materials & Methods-
2015
68. • Modified design
• 16 tubes instead of 12
• All the same diameter (7 mm)
• Added plastic straws
Milk Cartons- 2015
69. • 26/32 milk cartons had capped nests (81%)
• 4 milk cartons were removed due to bear
damage
Results & Discussion-
2015
70. Question: Crop vs Sprout
• No significant difference
• Trade offs for nearby
crop/sprout rotations
(bees & pests)
71. Question: Timing
Phenology of Osmia Nesting in 2015
Total#CappedNests
0
35
70
105
140
Date
12-Jun 26-Jun 1-Jul 10-Jul 17-Jul 22-Jul 31-Jul
• Blueberry Bloom
72. Question: Timing
• Capped nests appeared
after blueberry bloom had
finished
• Not all tubes were capped
at the ends
• Queens likely nested in
more than one tube
73. • TBD, as well as species
of Osmia
Question: Parasitism
74. • Why are milk cartons attractive?
-Longer tubes
-Smell?
-Pink Styrofoam? White carton?
• Landscape factors- water sources, previous populations,
food throughout season
Discussion 2015
75. Implications for Industry &
Science
• Better understanding of Osmia nesting
biology & involvement in wild blueberry
• Nests could be moved to crop fields
requiring pollinators
• Practical, inexpensive technique
76. Implications for Industry
& Science
• More efficient pollination
• Biodiversity conservation
• Alternative & complement to managed bees
78. Global Importance
• $ for farmers in Europe who implement
bee-friendly practices
• Marketing strategy for US farms “bee
friendly farms”
• “bee friendly” product labeling
79. Community Engagement
• Fact sheets for blueberry production
• OP seed mix fact sheet
• 4H pollinator project development
• Grower field days
• Industry meetings
• Schools
• Garden Clubs
80. Agvocate Challenge
• We need more positive ag stories!
• First blossom, bees, tractors, people
• Use opportunity to share
81.
82. Resources
• Lawrence Packer Lab, York
University
• Sheila Colla- online resources
• Nova Scotia Dept of Ag handout
re: bees
• Discover Life
• Bug Guide
