Earth Day: Bees 

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According to the Planet Bee Foundation there are about 1,600 native bee species in California. Pinnacles National Park is home to more than 400 species. Important in the role of pollinators, bee populations have been dropping over the last 20 years. This presents issues for both wild and cultivated plant propagation. 

The National Park Service describes pollinators as anything that carries pollen from the male part of one flower (stamen) to the female part (stigma) of the same or another flower. The movement of pollen must occur for the plant to become fertilized and produce fruits, seeds and young plants. Some plants are self-pollinating, while others are fertilized by pollen carried through wind or water. Still, other flowers are pollinated by animals – such as bees, wasps, moths, butterflies, flies, birds and small mammals, including bats.

According to National Parks, three are three major reasons why are pollinators important: 

• One out of every three bites of food you eat exists because of the efforts of pollinators, including many fruits, vegetables and seeds. Pollinators are not only necessary for our own food but support the food and habitat of animals.
• Healthy ecosystems depend on pollinators. At least 75% of all the flowering plants on earth are pollinated by insects and animals. This amounts to more than 1,200 food crops and 180,000 different types of plants—plants which help stabilize soils, clean the air, supply oxygen and support wildlife.
• In the United States alone, pollination by honey bees contributed to over $19 billion of crop production in 2010, while pollination by other insect pollinators contributed to nearly $10 billion of crop production.

According to Utah State University, some of the reason for decline of bee population are habitat loss, the use of pesticides, climate change, pathogens and poor nutrition (low quality or feeding on sugar water)

The Bee Conservancy lists the following as some of the ways to help stabilize and rebuild bee populations:

• Plant a bee garden 
• Avoid using pesticides 
• Provide trees 
• Provide bee baths
• Ground nesting bumble bees need mulch-free, well-drained, protected soil 
• Leave hollow stems

The bees

Bees belong to the class insecta and family apedea. The California Natural History Field Guide of common bees in the state says some nest underground, in trees and in other vegetation. Many have a nest which includes a queen and workers, some, however, are solidarity. They follow the common insect life cycle from egg to larva to pupa and finally adulthood. Most adult bees are active for two to five weeks.

Bees likely found in San Benito County:

Plastered bees are the most primitive bees still in existence. Most species are solitary. The modest masked bee is an example of this group.

Sweat bees are usefully dark colored though some, the green sweat bees often have a metallic appearance. Some sweat bees forage in the evening and into the night. 

Mining bees are ground nesters and are most common in early spring. Identification of mining bees can be made by seeing dark subantennal sutures (appear as dark lines). Rhus fairy bee is an example of these species of bees. 

Leaf-cutter bees have a distinguishing sign. While most bees carry pollen on their legs these bees carry in on the abdomen. Many of these bees, such as the blue orchard bee are important to farming and fruit orchards. Like honey bees, their nests can be moved from one farm or orchard to the next. Modest pebble bee falls into this group.

Honey bees are found worldwide and only one, the western honey bee, is native to California. As with leaf-cutters these bees are frequently used in agriculture.

Cuckoo bees are named because the female lays her eggs in other bees’ nests. They are named after the common cuckoo, a Eurasian bird that does the same thing. Edwards’s cuckoo nomad bee belongs in this group.

Bumble bees are large stocky ground nesting bees. They appear hairy and can be active during cold or cloudy weather. 

Four bumble bees are candidates for listing on the California endangered species list: western bumble bee, Suckley’s cuckoo bumble bee, Crotch’s bumble bee and Franklin’s bumble bee.

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