Life Sciences Commons^™

Beginner's Guide To Common Native Bees, Cody Zesiger, Elizabeth Cohen, Hannah Jarvis, Lori R. Spears, Ricardo Ramirez

All Current Publications

Utah is a superb place for beginning bee enthusiasts. Over 1,000 species of native bees exist in Utah (Cane, 2015). Southern Utah alone has approximately the same number of bee species as the entire eastern U.S. coast. There are many reasons for appreciating bees and encouraging their presence in the landscape. Specifically, bees are key to a sustainable environment as they are essential pollinators of food and fiber crops. Bees can also be appreciated for their striking diversity in color and size. This fact sheet highlights the different bee species that you may see in Utah.

Making And Managing Wild Bee Hotels, Ann Mull, Lori R. Spears, Sheriden M. Hansen, Andree' Walker Bravo, Ricardo Ramirez, Jaydee Gunnell

All Current Publications

Bee hotels (also called "bee boxes" and "bee blocks") are popular additions to Utah backyards and commercial agriculture alike, adding nesting habitat to aid local pollination efforts and address native pollinator declines. This fact sheet provides information about the construction, placement, and maintenance of bee hotels. It also addresses monitoring of bee enemies.

Factors Contributing To Bee Decline, Ann Mull, Jaydee Gunnell, Sheriden M. Hansen, Ricardo Ramirez, Andree' Walker Bravo, Cody Zesiger, Lori R. Spears

All Current Publications

Bees provide an important ecosystem service by contributing to the pollination of crop and wild plant species. Many factors have been attributed to bee declines, including habitat loss, improper apiary management, pesticide usage, climate change, pests and pathogens, competition among native and introduced bee species, poor nutrition, and other factors (Koh et al., 2016; Goulson et al., 2015; Graves et al., 2020; Soroye et al., 2020). Acting together, these factors intensify the pressure for survival beyond the adaptability of many species. This fact sheet reviews the factors contributing to decline in bee populations and what can be done to protect …

Phylogeny And Population Genetic Analyses Reveals Cryptic Speciation In The Bombus Fervidus Species Complex (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Jonathan B. Koch, Juanita Rodriguez, James P. Pitts, James P. Strange

Ecology Center Publications

Bumble bees (Bombus Latrielle) are significant pollinators of flowering plants due to their large body size, abundant setae, and generalist foraging strategies. However, shared setal coloration patterns among closely and distantly related bumble bee species makes identification notoriously difficult. The advent of molecular genetic techniques has increased our understanding of bumble bee evolution and taxonomy, and enables effective conservation policy and management. Individuals belonging to the North American Bombus fervidus species-complex (SC) are homogenous in body structure but exhibit significant body color phenotype variation across their geographic distribution. Given the uncertainty of the genealogical boundaries within the SC, some …

South American Leaf-Cutter Bees (Genus Megachile) Of The Subgenera Rhyssomegachile And Zonomegachile, With Two New Subgenera (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Víctor H. González, Terry Griswold, Michael S. Engel

All PIRU Publications

Leaf-cutter bees (genus Megachile Latreille) are among the most common and diverse group of bees. However, the identity and taxonomic placement of many species are problematic and species identification is often difficult. Some species are known only from a single specimen or from one of the sexes, and identification keys are not available for many groups. We address these taxonomic issues for the subgenera Rhyssomegachile Mitchell and Zonomegachile Mitchell, two poorly known South American lineages of leaf-cutter bees. We provide comparative diagnoses, redescriptions, illustrated identification keys, new geographical records, and designate needed neotypes for Megachile cara Mitchell, M. gigas Schrottky, …

Habitat Fragmentation And Native Bees: A Premature Verdict?, James H. Cane

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

New Species Of North American Bees Of The Genus Dufourea (Hymenoptera, Halictidae) With Descriptions Of Two Previously Undescribed Females, George E. Bohart

All PIRU Publications

Thirteen new species of halictid bees in the genus Dufourea are described. Also described are females of two species known previously only from males. All are from the Western United States and northern Mexico.

The Bees Of Curlew Valley (Utah And Idaho), George E. Bohart, G. F. Knowlton

All PIRU Publications

In America north of Mexico there are an estimated 4,000 species of bees distributed in approximately 110 genera. In Curlew Valley, 132 species in 33 genera have been identified, and approximately 25 additional unidentified species have been collected. It is likely that at least 225 species in 40 genera should be found eventually. The bee fauna of Curlew Valley can be roughly divided into the following 4 categories on a seasonal basis.

Efficiency Of Alfalfa Pollination By Different Species Of Bees, William P. Nye

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

Introduction Of Small Carpenter Bees Into California For Pollination 1. Release Of Pithitis Smaragdula, Howell V. Daly, George E. Bohart, Robbin W. Thorp

All PIRU Publications

Pithitis smaragdula (F.) is a bright green, small carpenter bee which is widespread in the oriental region and is known to pollinate economically important plants, especially legumes and cucurbits. About 300 bees imported from Ludhiana, India, were released 10 April 1969, at Davis, California. Subsequent collecting during the 1st season confirmed that one or more generations of the bees had been reared and that Trifolium repens L. was visited for pollen. Although the overwintering bees under observation died from unknown causes, and no living bees were found in 1970, it is possible that the bees survived elsewhere. Ecological factors believed …

Management Of Habitats For Wild Bees, George E. Bohart

All PIRU Publications

The North American Bee Fauna is composed of over 5,000 species, most of which are nonsocial and make nest burrows in the soil. About 500 species nest above ground in small cavities such as beetle holes, hollow stems and rock pockets or dig their own tunnels in pithy stems or wood. Also, about 100 social species (bumble bees, stingless bees, and the honey bee) establish their colonies in relatively large cavities, both below and above ground.

The honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) was brought to the New World by European colonists. Consequently, on this continent, it had no influence …

The Evolution Of Parasitism Among Bees, George E. Bohart

Faculty Honor Lectures

Before discussing parasitic bees, I will present a rough outline of the biology of "ordinary" or non-parasitic bees. The superfamily Apoidea (bees) includes perhaps 25,000 or 30,000 species divided into nine families by recent authorities (Stephen, Bohart, Torchio, 1969) . A common biological thread holding this vast assemblage together is the provision by adults of pollen and nectar for their young. Only in the honey bees (the genus Apis which includes four species) are the larvae fed primarily on a different substance (a secretion of the pharyngeal glands) , and even this is derived from pollen and honey eaten by …

The Evolution Of Parasitism Among Bees, George E. Bohart

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

The Biology And External Morphology Of Bees With A Synopsis Of The Genera Of North-Western America, W. P. Stephen, George E. Bohart, P. F. Torchio

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

A Revisional Study Of The Bees Of The Genus Perdita F. Smith, With Special Reference To The Fauna Of The Pacific Coast (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) Part Vll (Including Index To Parts L To Vll), P. H. Timberlake

All PIRU Publications

In the preceding parts of this revision all the groups of the genus Perdita have been tabulated and the species described in more or less detail, with only a few omissions of previously known forms. In this supplementary part many more species are added and the omissions have been rectified. A bibliography of the genus, an index to all trivial names and corrigenda for preceding parts are added.

Breeding Bees To The Crop, William P. Nye, O. Mackensen

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

Breeding Honey Bees To The Crop, William P. Nye

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

How To Feed Bees, William P. Nye, George F. Knowlton

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

How To Destroy Bees In The Home, William P. Nye, George F. Knowlton

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

A Revisional Study Of The Bees Of The Genus Perdita F. Smith, With Special Reference To The Fauna Of The Pacific Coast (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) Part V, P. H. Timberlake

All PIRU Publications

In parts III and IV of this revision the species of the typical subgenus of Perdita belonging in the zonalis, halictoides, and octomaculata groups have been treated. This study is now extended to include the species belonging in that section of Perdita which may be called the ventralis group. In order to facilitate the study of these bees a key to the groups treated in Part III and subsequent parts is here offered. This key may afford some help in classifying the more typical members of the groups, but because of the multiplicity and extreme diversity of these …

Observations On The Behavior Of Bees In A Controlled-Environment Room, William P. Nye

All PIRU Publications

A detailed description is given of a controlled-environment flight room for the study of bee behaviour both in and outside the colony. Experiments demonstrated the ability of a colony to collect pollen, sugar syrup and water in the room, and to rear brood normally, increasing its strength throughout It months in spring. The behaviour of bees collecting powdered pollen from a tray 30 ft. [10 m.l from the hive was influenced by the amount and distribution of light in the room.

A Revisional Study Of The Bees Of The Genus Perdita F. Smith, With Special Reference To The Fauna Of The Pacific Coast (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) Part Iii, P. H. Timberlake

All PIRU Publications

In the two preceding parts of this revision those species of Perdita have been treated that belong to the subgenera Xerophasma, Pseudomacrotera, Macrotera, Cockerellula, Macroteropsis, Macroterella, Heteroperdita, Glossoperdita, Hesperoperdita, Epimacrotera, Cockerellia, Procockerellia, Pentaperdita, Xeromacrotera, Callomacrotera, Hexaperdita, Perditella, Alloperdita, and Pygoperdita. The many species now remaining will be referred to the typical subgenus, although divided into numerous groups. In Part III the systematics of those sections of the typical subgenus designated as the zonalis and halictoides groups will be considered, together with …

Bees. The Nursery, George E. Bohart, William P. Nye

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

Bees. Foraging For Nectar And Pollen, George E. Bohart, William P. Nye

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

Bees: Their Nests And Nesting Sites, George E. Bohart, William P. Nye

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

Bees. Their Place In The World Of Insects, George E. Bohart, William P. Nye

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

Kinds Of Bees, George E. Bohart, William P. Nye

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

Bees. The Tools Of Their Trade, George E. Bohart, William P. Nye

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

Raising Bees, George F. Knowlton, William P. Nye

All PIRU Publications

No abstract provided.

A Revisional Study Of The Bees Of The Genus Perdita F. Smith, With Special Reference To The Fauna Of The Pacific Coast (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) Part I, P. H. Timberlake

All PIRU Publications

The genus Perdita forms one of the most interesting groups of bees of the North American fauna, and is one to which the author has devoted much attention during the last twenty-five years. The privilege of examining specimens of Perdita belonging to the United States National Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, the California Academy of Sciences, the University of California, and the University of Kansas is gratefully acknowledged, as well as the help of many individuals, who during this time have placed their specimens at the author's disposal. Special mention should be made of J. C. Bridwell, J. …