The Bee's Knees

Nov 04 2024 43 ep. 14 mins 8
The Bee's Knees Podcast artwork

Bees are intelligent, compassionate creatures responsible for 90% of the world’s food. They contribute to sustainable farming, biodiversity, environmental protection, and more. Listen in to learn about the wonderful world of native bees and how you can nurture the literal busy bees of Mother Nature.

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Winter Warriors: How to Help Overwintering Bees

Nov 04 2024 2 mins  
How do native bees survive winter's chill? Discover how you can keep them warm and cozy this winter through simple actions like leaving autumn leaves undisturbed and holding off on your garden cleanup. We’ll also share the importance of perhaps unsightly things like bare soil and dead wood. Listen in to create your own cold-weather refuge for native bees.What's on your buzzy mind

From Fields to Food: The Hidden Impact of Agricultural Intensification

Oct 14 2024 8 mins  
In this episode of The Bee's Knees, we discuss the threats facing wild and native bees with Dr. Yi Zhou, an ecologist and entomologist. The discussion focuses on a study in South China's rice fields that revealed habitat loss as a more significant threat to pollinator diversity than pesticides. Dr. Zhou highlights the importance of conserving semi-natural habitats within agricultur

Highs and Lows: How Elevation and Temperature Impact Bee Survival

Sep 30 2024 14 mins  
In this episode, we dive into Dr. Lindsie McCabe's enlightening study on how changing temperatures impact the survival rates of cavity-nesting bees. Conducting a transplant experiment over three years, Dr. McCabe and her team uncovered how elevation and temperature fluctuations influence bee emergence. Discover why generalist bees are more adaptable to elevation changes compared to

Buzzing into Innovation: A Conversation with BeeMachine's Creator

Sep 16 2024 14 mins  
In this episode of The Bee's Knees, we blend technology, science, and the natural world. Join us as we explore an innovative tool revolutionizing bee conservation – BeeMachine. This cutting-edge app utilizes artificial intelligence to help identify and document various bee species, making it easier for scientists and enthusiasts alike. The app’s founder, Brian Spiesman, shares

Free Spirits: Investigating Free-Living Nordic Honey Bee Colonies

Sep 02 2024 14 mins  
Let’s explore the world of the Nordic honeybee, or Apis mellifera mellifera, a subspecies that once flourished across Southern Scandinavia, Central, and Western Europe. Today, in Sweden, a mere 1,000 of the 160,000 hives still house these native bees, highlighting a pressing need for conservation efforts. Mats Niklasson brings his unique background in forest history and ecologica

Buzzkill: Climate Change and the Looming Threat to Pollinators

Aug 19 2024 21 mins  
We’re exploring the challenges faced by native bees due to rising temperatures and drier conditions. Dr. Melanie Kazenel discusses her research using a 16-year dataset from New Mexico's drylands, revealing that while some bee species show resilience, about half face potential declines. The conversation touches on bee physiology, the importance of bee size in pollination, and the

Floral Foes: How Non-Native Bees Impact Native Ecosystems

Aug 05 2024 14 mins  
What are the indirect effects of honey bee introductions on native bee populations and plant pollination patterns? Dr. Maureen Page joins us to share the unique roles that native bees play in our ecosystems, highlighting their differences from their honey-producing cousins and how these distinctions are vital for the health of our planet. The common camas herb, a key focus of the s

From Bees to Biodiversity: Shaping the Future of Ecosystem Services

Jul 15 2024 14 mins  
How important are rare and declining bee species for pollinating various wildflowers and crops? We’re talking about that in this episode with Dr. Mark Genung who introduces us to ecosystem function theory and the broader implications for biodiversity when we lose species in a community. Our conversation covers significant findings from his recent study, the importance of maintain

Bee Blooms: The Australian Edition

Jul 01 2024 16 mins  
From the temperate regions of Tasmania to the tropical landscapes of Queensland, every corner of Australia offers unique challenges and opportunities for our vital native bees. Today we’re speaking with Dr. Kit Prendergast about the intricate world of Australian bees and their specialized relationships with native flora.What's on your buzzy mind? Send us a text message and let us

Bumble Bees and Pesticides: How Agricultural Practices Threaten Wild Bees

Jun 17 2024 23 mins  
Every day native bees fly and forage under a shadow — the threat from pesticides. Today we’re talking with Dr. Charlie Nicholson who guides us through the dangers that agricultural pesticide use poses to our vital pollinators and introduces us to the concept of post-approval monitoring of these chemicals. We discover there is a pressing need for stronger regulatory measures to