Nesting Preferences of Stem Nesting Bees in Southwest Michigan Agriculture Fields

Abstract

Bees of the Megachilidae family nest in pre existing cavities, it is possible for farmers to supply nesting material and trap bees that can be released the following year in agricultural plots. However more information is needed on the various preferences of these types of bees. For the last two decades invertebrate and vertebrate pollinators worldwide have been in decline due to habitat loss and alteration, invasive flora and fauna, pesticides, and fragmentation of habitat

European honey bees have been in decline since the 1980’s because of the varroa and the tracheal mite and more recently Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)

Managed European honey bees pollinate $10 billion worth of crops every year

Wild bees can take over pollination responsibilities of honey bees I hypothesized that stem nesting Megachilidae bees would prefer to nest in the mixed nest trap because this type of nest trap had more diverse nesting material. Specifically, I predicted that the bees would prefer to nest in the sumac substrate found in this nest trap. I also believed that the medium used to nest in would be a stronger determining factor for the bees than the size of the holes. I also expected for there to be more bee nests found in the small hole than in the large hole size and more bee nests present in nest traps facing east rather than those that were not facing east.