The decline of bee populations worldwide has called attention to better understand the diversity, distribution, and abundance of wild bee pollinators. However, the status of wild bee populations in Pennsylvania is currently unknown. Most counties in the state of Pennsylvania have fewer than 50 bees recorded.
Master Gardeners drying bees prior to identification
The López-Uribe lab is partnering with the Master Gardener program to create the first long-term bee monitoring program in the state, providing a better understanding of the regional bee diversity across the state.
The goals of the program are to:
- train Master Gardeners in bee collection methods, curation, and identification;
- collect standardized data on the abundance and diversity of the bees across the state; and
- provide longitudinal data to identify changes in bee species distribution, diversity, and abundance.
The program offers advanced training to Master Gardeners via a series of webinars, videos, and hands-on field and lab days before project participants lead field collections independently.
In August, Margarita López-Uribe, Assistant Professor of Entomology; Nash Turley, Post Doctoral Researcher; Tom Butzler, Extension Educator; and Dave Biddinger, Research Entomologist provided a day-long training at Shaver's Creek Environmental Center to a select group of ten Master Gardeners. Over 150 Master Gardeners applied to participate in the pilot project. Master Gardeners were trained in bee collection methods, curation, and identification. They were also provided with the tools to begin collecting bees in their home county. The long-term goal is to expand the project and train additional Master Gardeners who will contribute data for the research project.
