Blog
Chemical Free Ways to Eliminate Pests in Your Home
With the highly anticipated change in season comes all the signs of summer we have been waiting for. The urge to complete spring cleaning, fixing up the garden, opening the windows for the first time in months and the less enjoyable visitors – pests. With more and more knowledge about the importance of reducing chemicals in our home and the role insects play in our ecosystem, it’s easy to feel stuck between using chemical pesticides or living with unwanted pests in your home. The good news is, t
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Jun 9th 2022
Solitary Bees in Greenhouses — Pitfalls and Advice
If you have a greenhouse, pollination can be a struggle. After all, 1/3 of the food we eat is dependent on pollinators, and without them, you'll be pollinating your greenhouse plants by hand with a paintbrush. So, it's no wonder that many of our bee raisers ask us if they can raise mason and leafcutter bees in greenhouses, high tunnels, and hoop houses.Bumble bees have historically been the bee of choice for many mid to large size greenhouse growers. However, recent research suggests that cavity
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Jun 7th 2022
A note about the cold, wet spring.
As you may have noticed, much of the country has been experiencing an abnormally long, cool, and wet spring, which has led to a reduction in the number of completed, capped nesting cavities by mason bees.Mason bees are hearty insects that will fly in cooler temperatures and even drizzle. Still, extended periods of temps in the 40s and continuous rain will keep even the most determined mason bees from flying. If that wasn't enough, this year's weather has led to a phenological mismatch. Phenology
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May 27th 2022
Bee Informed: Beenome 100 Project, My Garden of a Thousand Bees, and Cool Spring Reduces Pollination of Cherry Crops
Each month our Bee Informed Blog highlights current news, science, and research related to solitary bee conservation, food insecurity, and sustainability.1. What genetic sequencing can reveal about the secret lives of bees(pbs.org) Bees are, in many ways, the darlings of the insect world. Not only do they play a crucial role in thriving ecosystems, but they’re also harbingers of the worsening consequences of climate change.To bolster our knowledge of bee biology and behavior, a new effort dubbed
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May 26th 2022
Bee Informed: Help Bees With No-Mow May, Stingless Bees Make Medicinal Honey, and Honey Bees Threaten Endangered Seabirds
Each month our Bee Informed Blog highlights current news, science, and research related to solitary bee conservation, food insecurity, and sustainability.1. What you need to know about No-Mow May, the bee-boosting trend sweeping Wisconsin — and the country(wpr.org) Two years ago, Appleton became the first city in the U.S. to adopt "No-Mow May," an initiative designed to boost the population of bees and other pollinators. The idea is to give homeowners the option of letting their lawns get a bit
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Apr 25th 2022