Check out the Great Sunflower Project at http://www.greatsunflower.org/.
Many studies have been done on our agricultural bee populations and in recent times the commercial beekeepers have experienced colony collapse. What scientists had not studied on a large scale was how the wild bees were doing and what effect that has on pollination of garden plants, crops and wild plants
In 2008, this project was started as a way to gather information about our urban, suburban and rural bee populations. We wanted to enlist people all over the US and Canada to observe their bees and be citizen scientists. We asked them to plant "Lemon Queen" sunflowers in their gardens so we could standardize study of bee activity and provide more resources for bees. Sunflowers are relatively easy to grow and are wildly attactive to bees. Since 2008, we have expanded the list of plants studied to include Bee balm, Cosmos, Rosemary, Tickseed, and Purple coneflower.
So far we've found that the on average our gardeners are likely to see a bee pollinate every 2.6 minutes. Surprisingly, over 20% of our gardens never saw a bee! We want to thank all of our citizen scientists for being our observers.
If you care about the decline in pollinating bees, consider participating in the Great Sunflower Project, in which San Francisco State University biologists are gathering information about bee populations in urban, suburban and rural areas.
All you have to do is grow a 'Lemon Queen' sunflower and periodically record the number of bees it attracts during a 15-minute period, and submit your data online, including a description of your garden. Sign up at the Great Sunflower Project. You don't have to be a bee expert; no special knowledge is required.
I have to figure that Gotmeaders can assist in this effort to add to bee population information throughout the country. It's in our interest too as meadmakers. Bees: Responsible for Every Third Bite of Food.
Buzzer
Many studies have been done on our agricultural bee populations and in recent times the commercial beekeepers have experienced colony collapse. What scientists had not studied on a large scale was how the wild bees were doing and what effect that has on pollination of garden plants, crops and wild plants
In 2008, this project was started as a way to gather information about our urban, suburban and rural bee populations. We wanted to enlist people all over the US and Canada to observe their bees and be citizen scientists. We asked them to plant "Lemon Queen" sunflowers in their gardens so we could standardize study of bee activity and provide more resources for bees. Sunflowers are relatively easy to grow and are wildly attactive to bees. Since 2008, we have expanded the list of plants studied to include Bee balm, Cosmos, Rosemary, Tickseed, and Purple coneflower.
So far we've found that the on average our gardeners are likely to see a bee pollinate every 2.6 minutes. Surprisingly, over 20% of our gardens never saw a bee! We want to thank all of our citizen scientists for being our observers.
If you care about the decline in pollinating bees, consider participating in the Great Sunflower Project, in which San Francisco State University biologists are gathering information about bee populations in urban, suburban and rural areas.
All you have to do is grow a 'Lemon Queen' sunflower and periodically record the number of bees it attracts during a 15-minute period, and submit your data online, including a description of your garden. Sign up at the Great Sunflower Project. You don't have to be a bee expert; no special knowledge is required.
I have to figure that Gotmeaders can assist in this effort to add to bee population information throughout the country. It's in our interest too as meadmakers. Bees: Responsible for Every Third Bite of Food.
Buzzer