Behind recent declines in bee populations are threats as diverse as pesticides, disease, and climate change. And fewer bees could mean a widespread hit to many types of agriculture. We’ll talk with beekeepers and researchers about what they’re seeing, also what the future might hold, and what could be done.
GUESTS:
- Barbara Lawler – president of the New Hampshire Beekeepers Association
- Sandra Rehan – assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of New Hampshire. She directs UNH’s Bee Lab, and leads research on native bees funded by and conducted at N.H. Agricultural Experiment Station facilities.
LINKS:
- UNH opens a 'bee hotel' as part of native bee species study: “This study will establish the first complete diversity assessment of native bees in the region and also provide a better understanding of pollinator diversity and ecology," says Rehan, who leads the study."
- White House announces plan to counter bee decline: '"Honey bee pollination alone adds more than $15 billion in value to agricultural crops each year in the United States," the White House said in a statement announcing the establishment of a multi-agency task force and other measures.'
