News — Solitary Bees

Each month our Bee Informed Blog highlights current news, science, and research related to solitary bee conservation, food insecurity, and sustainability. 1. We haven't seen a quarter of known bee species since the 1990s This article published by National Geographic highlights the findings of a study published in the journal One Earth which reveals that in recent decades, the number of bee species reported in the wild has declined globally - roughly a 25% reduction of spotted species between 2006 - 2015 on all continents except Australia. The article also discusses the causes of the decline in bee diversity, as well as the importance...

First and foremost, we hope you are staying well. Despite the challenging circumstances of 2020, it was a big year for Crown Bees - not only for our team but for our community of bee raisers who helped provide bee houses and spread awareness of the importance of our solitary bee species. Thank you for making this year possible and for being part of this incredible community. A glance at what you had helped us accomplish in 2020: This year, you installed 4,000 new houses and supplied over 1.2 million unique nesting holes for hardworking bee mothers across the U.S. You raised over 1.2 million...

Each month our Bee Informed Blog highlights current news, science, and research related to solitary bee conservation, food insecurity, and sustainability. 1. How You Can Help Count and Conserve Native Bees New York Times - The U.S. National Native Bee Monitoring Research Coordination Network (RCN). This project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and led by a team of researchers from U.C. Riverside, is a new approach to monitoring native bees. From 2020-2023, native bee biologists from across the U.S. will work together to develop a national plan for native bee monitoring. The plan will include components such as monitoring protocols and the designation...

Native plants are plants that have evolved over hundreds or thousands of years in particular regions or ecosystems. In the United States, only plants found in this country before European settlement are considered native. Native plants provide numerous benefits: Native plants provide nectar, pollen, and seeds that serve as food for native insects, birds, and other animals. Non-natives do not always provide the necessary nutrients for our native animals to thrive. Native plants can help you save money and water. Since native plants are adapted to local soils and climates, they don't require as much water and fertilizer as non-natives....