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Full-Text Articles in Entomology
Foraging Behavior Of Spring Bees And Their Agricultural Implications, Michael D. Gregory
Foraging Behavior Of Spring Bees And Their Agricultural Implications, Michael D. Gregory
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Colony Collapse Disorder has greatly reduced honey bee populations in the last decade. Native bees have been largely neglected in research, and their floral preferences may have agricultural implications because native bees ameliorate the demand to rely solely on non-native bees. In this work, pollinator visitation to flowers with manipulated ultraviolet floral patterns was monitored. Populations of wild showy golden-eye in Colorado, plus cultivar populations of black-eyed Susan and lawn populations of buttercups in Virginia were monitored for pollinator landings to compare preference for unmanipulated ultraviolet-absorptive floral guide preferences. Another number, a proxy for pollen load, was manipulated on strawberry …
Strawberries (Frag X Anan) Are Bigger When Native Mason Bees (Osmia Lignaria) Are Experimentally Added To Small Farms, Laura A. Campbell
Strawberries (Frag X Anan) Are Bigger When Native Mason Bees (Osmia Lignaria) Are Experimentally Added To Small Farms, Laura A. Campbell
Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations
Agriculture is the cornerstone of our economy, and pollination plays a vital role in nearly all non-wind pollinated crops. Declining honey bee populations have caused a more diligent investigation into using solitary bees for crop pollination. The native, solitary Orchard Mason Bee has shown to successfully pollinate almonds and apples, but there has been little work conducted on their effectiveness as a low fruit crop pollinator. This study assesses their effectiveness as a small strawberry farm pollinator, and preferences for nesting materials. Mason bee cocoons and nest homes made with different materials (bamboo, Phragmites, or wood) were supplemented on …