Let’s talk about the challenges wild and native bees face, with a particular focus on habitat loss. Beyond just the scarcity of floral resources, we’re looking at the often-overlooked aspect of nesting site depletion when natural landscapes are transformed for agriculture or urban development. My guest Aaron Bhambra introduces us to lowland heath, an internationally threatened ecosystem, and the tormentil mining bee, an endangered species. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and le...
Mar 18, 2024•14 min•Season 2Ep. 27
The native versus non-native plant debate for native bees is one that demands careful consideration. We talk to Dr. Nicole Seitz who believes that while native plants remain the preferred option for supporting native bees, the inclusion of high-quality pollinator-friendly non-native plants can be good supplementary resources for bees in areas where natural systems are scarce. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more ...
Mar 04, 2024•14 min•Season 2Ep. 26
Fast food for bees? A quick meal isn’t often the healthiest. But a lack of food is one of the biggest threats to bees. However, there’s a bright yellow tasty and nutritious bee food source that unfortunately many of us get rid of because it’s considered a weed. Today, Dr. Philip Donkersly tells us why we should let dandelions, the ever-present blooms of sunshine, thrive. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about...
Feb 19, 2024•14 min•Season 2Ep. 25
Creating a bee-friendly garden is not only rewarding but also essential for supporting bee populations and maintaining biodiversity. By planting a variety of native flowers, considering the nutritional value of plants, and providing nesting places, you can make a significant impact on the well-being of bees in your area. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsl...
Feb 05, 2024•13 min•Season 2Ep. 24
Season 2 is coming on February 6! This season I want us all to Bee Inspired to do a little more to support native bees. Listen now to find out what 2024 has in store for The Bee’s Knees! What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
Jan 08, 2024•2 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Is there one all-powerful pollinator? One that can efficiently pollinate every crop, in every environment, all over the world? Many people believe that the honey bee is such a mighty insect. But actually, wild bees are twice as effective in pollinating crops. Dr. Lucas Garibaldi shares insight from his global study looking at pollination services beyond the honey bee. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about wh...
Dec 18, 2023•9 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Imagine leisurely walking through your local park and stumbling upon a neglected area. The grass is overgrown, there are patches of barren soil, and the flowers appear to be in disarray. But upon closer inspection, you'll see that the space is full of life. Bees are buzzing, butterflies are fluttering, and the flowers are charming. You've found a pollinator plot: a natural piece of land carefully monitored to support the native bee population. In this episode, Anja Proske introduces us to German...
Dec 04, 2023•14 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Native bees and other pollinators are under threat because of widespread pesticide use. But how exactly do these insecticides affect them, and more importantly, the pollination work so critical to our food supply? We talk with researcher Kiah Tasman to find out. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
Nov 20, 2023•12 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Pollinators worldwide are dying, which is extremely worrying, especially for bees. We need bees for their pollination services but also to support biodiversity. We know pesticides have devastating consequences for bees, but how do they affect them in the long term? Today’s guest, Dr. Clara Stuligross, decided to find out. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our news...
Nov 06, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Today’s episode looks at the worldwide decline of pollinators and its effects on human health. Insect pollination is crucial in growing vital and nutritious foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. Unfortunately, many crops are receiving inadequate pollination due to the scarcity and lack of variety of pollinating insects. This impacts our healthy food supply. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more a...
Oct 16, 2023•3 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Gut microbiome and smog. You probably didn’t think you’d be listening to that when you clicked play. We talk a lot about bee health, and today’s episode looks at an underexplored area of pollutants and bee health. We all know about pesticides, but there’s something else they can’t fly away from that is endangering their health: air pollution. Our guest is Dr. Hannah Sampson, who researched black carbon air pollution and its effects on a bee’s gut microbiome. We also talk about where more researc...
Oct 02, 2023•12 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Bees are a crucial part of our ecosystem, and their well-being is vital for the survival of many other species. For bees, having access to food when they wake up from their overwintering stage is one of the most important things. As temperatures continue to rise due to climate change, it's crucial to ensure enough flowering plants are available for bees to forage on in the early stages of their life cycle. Thanks to Dr. Chris Wyver from the University of Reading for joining us today. What's on y...
Sep 18, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 16
What happens when researchers spot a rare bumblebee at an unusual time of the year? Working with local officials, they ensured plant conditions remained, allowing them to learn more about the Bombus Confusus. Today, we’re talking to one of the researchers, Michal Perlík. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
Sep 04, 2023•15 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Bee hotels can give cavity-nesting bees a place to live. But they can also be excellent research tools when looking at native bee fitness, diversity, and abundance. Today we’re talking with Dr. Kit Prendergast about the benefits of bee hotels. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
Aug 14, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 14
How else can pollen benefit bees? In this episode, we talk about the common eastern bumblebee, bombus impatiens and a gut pathogen called Crithidia bombi. Researchers started out looking at nectar and then moved on to pollen when they weren't seeing the results they wanted. They selected a few plants they thought might be interesting, and one of those plants was the sunflower. This episode is a great look into the world of research, how scientists approach a study, and most importantly, they dis...
Jul 31, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 13
How can wildflower strips be used around farmland to increase plant diversity and attract a wider range of bumblebees and solitary bees? We’re talking about Dr. Rachel Nichol’s research that found a mix of key flower species in a wild bee-focused seed mix can attract a better diversity of pollinators than other types of mixes. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our...
Jul 17, 2023•15 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Do you feel confident in your knowledge of bees? Two universities recently conducted studies to learn more about the public's knowledge and perceptions of bees. With this knowledge, can we craft educational messaging to motivate people to act in the best interests of bees? What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
Jul 03, 2023•4 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Today we're talking about something that has the potential to support bees, biodiversity, and sustainable energy. Pretty impressive, don’t you think? Listen to my conversation with Dr. Zachary Goff-Eldredge, who'll introduce us to the world of pollinator-friendly solar. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
Jun 19, 2023•15 min•Season 1Ep. 10
What do forests offer bees? A lot! Dr. John Mola and I discuss the food resources and nesting sites that forests provide bees year-round. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
Jun 05, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Any habitat for bees is better than no habitat for bees. But we need to consider a few things if we plan to create pollinator habitats as a conservation tool. Today, we’re talking with Dr. Hannah Leverson about how many diverse plants provide the best quality bee resources. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
May 15, 2023•18 min•Season 1Ep. 8
In today’s mini-episode, we take a look at the EU’s New Deal for Pollinators. What’s it about, and what will it do? What is the actual status of pollinators in the European Union? What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
May 01, 2023•5 min•Season 1Ep. 7
A decline in global bee diversity is a troubling trend. Today, biologist Dr. Eduardo Zattera shares with us what he found reviewing worldwide bee data and what it means for ecosystems worldwide. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
Apr 17, 2023•14 min•Season 1Ep. 6
The earth’s temperature keeps rising, and the littlest creatures are often the most affected. Today we’re talking about how drought and extreme heat harms bees. My thanks to Dr. James Hung for joining us this episode. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
Apr 03, 2023•20 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Are you looking to bring more life to your garden? Planting flowers, shrubs, and trees that attract and keep bees is the way to do it. We talk with Dr. Harland Patch about creating a pollinator garden and why it's essential to protecting and nurturing bees. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
Mar 20, 2023•15 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Extreme rainfall is devasting bees and their habitats. Listen now to learn how the recent flooding we’ve seen worldwide can impact bees and how we can help by thinking differently about what we plant. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
Mar 06, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Create a garden of entertainment by inviting bees to make their homes in your yard. Today we’re going to talk about nesting sites for bees and how we can easily create these essential spaces in our backyards. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
Feb 20, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Learn more about native bees, their lifestyle, and how to protect them. Native bees are threatened by a variety of elements, but there are things we can do to support them. Listen now and then head out with your bee goggles on! What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we discussed today and subscribe to our newsletter ....
Feb 06, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Bees are intelligent, compassionate creatures who contribute to sustainable farming, biodiversity, environmental protection, and more. The Bee's Knees will introduce you to the people, programs, and organizations nurturing our buzzing buddies. Listen in to learn about the wonderful world of bees and how you can nurture the literal busy bees of Mother Nature. What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us know! Thanks for listening! Visit our website to learn more about what we disc...
Jan 10, 2023•2 min•Season 1Ep. 1
