The Bee Conservancy

We're looking forward to joining this buzzworthy convo! Hope to see you on 3/4!

The deadline to submit a project proposal for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation Mid-Atlantic Monarch and Pollinator Habitat Kit Program is February 16th! This program provides pollinator habitat plants to shared spaces and community projects, prioritizing the New Jersey, NYC, and Philadelphia regions. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/eFTYJX2s

Ever noticed a bee with bright yellow or orange clumps on her back legs? Those are pollen baskets, also known as corbiculae! Female bees use these nifty baskets to collect pollen, which they mix with a touch of nectar to feed their offspring. Instead of heading back to the nest after every stop, they pack the pollen into these specially designed baskets on their hind legs. The pollen “baskets” are actually just shallow cavities surrounded by long, curved hairs that keep the pollen in place. Fun fact: not all bees have pollen baskets! While many species collect pollen with scopal hairs, only honey bees, bumblebees, stingless bees, and orchid bees use corbiculae. Check out these colorful photos of pollen baskets that we’ve spotted over the 2024 season at our bee sanctuary sites. Impressive sights of efficiency and dedication in action! #NatureFacts #Pollination #thebeeconservancy #bees #savethebees #pollinatorplants #pollen #pollenpockets #PollenBaskets Photo credits to the TBC Team

Active bumblebees spotted in Scotland indicate bumblebees are starting nest building early due to climate change, despite cold and snowy weather ahead. https://lnkd.in/d4XSdSbr

Turns out, anywhere you plant native pollinator-friendly plants, the bees will come! A study found that tiny patches of garden can help pollinators, even if the surrounding area has few resources for them. This article suggests plants from the mint family (Lamiaceae), the sunflower family (Asteraceae), and the pea family (Fabaceae), for a diverse diet. https://lnkd.in/dCRvQh9u

To remind us of warmer days… A spotlight on our buzzing The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey pollinator gardens on Staten Island! On Staten Island, The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey operates four bridges. Near the Goethals and Bayonne Bridges, over 40 species of native perennials were planted in 2023. Over 175 seedlings sprouted from the original plantings in 2024, turning these urban spaces into thriving ecosystems. Plants like Wild Indigo (Baptisia tinctoria) and Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) are attracting monarch butterflies, furrow bees, and many more pollinators. Check out these snapshots: -Furrow Bee (Lasioglossum) covered in pollen on Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium). -A snapshot of the Staten Island site mid-season! -Brown-Belted Bumble Bee (Bombus griseocollis) foraging on Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). -New plantings in their very early stages. -Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens) visiting Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve). -Monarch Butterfly on Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). Our incredible partnership with The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey has blossomed into something truly special. Together, we've planted over 1,500 perennial native plants across six sites in New York City and New Jersey, creating vibrant habitats that are a haven for pollinators! We’re incredibly grateful to the Greenbelt Native Plant Center for their donation of native plants to these Staten Island gardens to help expansion. And a huge thank you to The New York Community Trust for supporting our collaboration and vision with The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey! Together, we're making NYC a greener, more pollinator-friendly place. Want to learn more about our habitat initiatives and how we're transforming urban spaces? Click on this link: https://lnkd.in/eEymKsdN Photo credits to the TBC Team (Jennifer Palmer and Hanna Giedraitis) #PollinatorGardens #StatenIsland #GoethalsBridge #BayonneBridge #PANYNJ #NativePlants #PollinatorCorridors #Beegarden #MonarchButterflies #FurrowBee #BumbleBee #SaveTheBees #NYCGreenSpaces #BeeTheChange #GreenbeltNursery #NYCommunityTrust

Two exciting grant opportunities are now open for applications through Pollinator Partnership! 1. Honey Bee Health Grants: The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) is currently seeking proposals for research related to improving the health of honey bees. Proposals should focus on research to understand, manage, suppress, and eradicate Varroa mites, small hive beetles, and other pests, pathogens, and diseases contributing to colony losses. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/dGmBTZAP 2. Imperiled Bombus Conservation Grants: The Imperiled Bombus Conservation Task Force is seeking proposals for research on improving the recovery and persistence of imperiled Bombus species. Proposals should focus on evaluating the effects of stressors on bumble bees, enhancing knowledge of bumble bees historical/current geographical distribution, biology, and ecology, contributing to improved monitoring practices, or utilizing emerging techniques to best conserve imperiled bumble bees. Learn more?here: https://lnkd.in/dAqearjn

How does your garden grow? With everyone lending a hand! This year, The Bee Conservancy joined forces with a wide range of friends to gift and to install new edible and native plant beds at NYCHA’s Pulse Community Garden at Farragut Houses in Brooklyn! With the help of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) team and volunteer groups from Green City Force and New York University School of Law, TBC built five new raised beds (two for food, three for native pollinator plants), and hosted a community beautification day to prime and paint the site. We enjoyed exploring the garden with tours from resident farmer John S., and did a Bee a Buddy comic book reading for youth! This pilot was made possible by our friends at Zarbee's who sponsor our food justice programming and a generous grant from the Foxwynd Foundation. And, thanks to the The New York Community Trust , we look forward to continuing our partnership with the New York City Housing Authority to build pollinator habitat in the years to come. #CommunityGarden #BeeConservation #GreenSpaces #bees #pollinators #savethebees #beethesolution #urbanbees #nycha Photo Credits to the TBC Team

A new species of mining bee was discovered in Oklahoma and Texas! Read below to learn more about its discovery and documentation. https://lnkd.in/dcwGffjV

As The Bee Conservancy reflects on what we’re thankful for this year, our hearts are abuzz with gratitude for the amazing people who surround us. -To the gardeners: thank you for creating nourishing pollinator habitat that builds biodiversity and climate readiness. -To the educators and organizers: thank you for inspiring generations of environmental stewards to love and care for nature -To the researchers and scientists: thank you for tackling big questions for our smallest, most vulnerable allies. -To the amplifiers and coalitions: thank you for lending your voice to make our pollinators' challenges heard. -To the decision-makers: thank you for playing the long game and enacting changes that benefit bees and beyond. -To the volunteers: thank you for lending your time and energy to support all of the above. -To the friends, families, and communities: thank you for the love, support, and space you offer to get the work done. -To the donors and supporters: thank you for your resources and generosity to keep the mission alive. -We are in this together and could not be more proud to walk alongside you all. Wishing you and yours a hap-bee and healthy holiday season! With gratitude, The Bee Conservancy Team #Thankful #Pollinators #BeeConservation #ClimateReady #Biodiversity #SaveTheBees #HabitatRestoration #EnvironmentalStewards #BeeKind #BeeTheChange #NatureLovers #SustainableLiving #BeeSanctuary #BeeLove #BeeCommunity #BeeHappy #HolidayGratitude #EcoWarriors #BeeSupporters #TogetherForBees