Hello fellow Tennessee Extension Master Gardeners,
We Master Gardeners of Davidson County (MGofDC) have added a new endeavor to our program this year and want to share this exciting initiative
with all of you! It is called “Finding and Identifying Our Local Native Bees”.
In collaboration with David Cook, our Extension Agent for Davidson County and our Master Gardener Coordinator, we wanted to reach out to MG groups across the state to share our efforts in this area.
Why:
1.
An educational program for our members. It also provides us with another vital educational topic we will take to residents within our respective communities. Bottom line, we will learn how to track, identify, report, and analyze native
bee activity in our respective location(s).
2.
Program will ultimately identify which native bees have the best potential for improving regional crop production.
When:
1.
In April, David first introduced this program to his 2018 Intern class.
2.
We then introduced it to our Master Gardeners at the April monthly meeting.
How:
1.
We contacted Jay Williams, Farm Operations Director at Crown Bees. He introduced us to their “Native Bee Network (NBN) program. We chose this company because it is a national program. (Their program helps the
nation find, identify, propagate, and they use native hole-nesting bees to improve crop production by each region.)
2.
It is important to mention that Jay and his family own a farm in Williamson County. It is a honey bee farm! (Yes, native bees and honey bees working together!!)
3.
We started this program by selling fifty (50) native bee huts to our Interns and Certified members. Crown Bees sell their huts for a price close to their cost. Their intent is to ensure it is economically feasible for all involved.
(When we run out we will purchase more from them!)
What:
1.
Simply install hut(s), observe, report, and
analyze.
Phase l. Install the Native Bee Huts in various locations. Quality holes in the functional house are placed out in the early spring. The holes are available to bees through the entire spring/summer/fall. Store in a dry outdoor
temperature location for the winter. Count filled holes, take pictures and again report findings. Simply observe what is happening and by using your smartphone, enter pictures and information through CrownBees’s web application (http://bit.ly/NBNnest).
(Additionally, as a team we will be able to see where all fifty of our huts are located throughout Davidson County!) The filled holes are stored locally and placed out in the same location the following spring. After three (3) years, we expect the more prolific
bees to have continued to nest in these locations.
Phase 2. We will be able to analyze the data collected over this three-year period, with our Extension Agent (David Cook), to determine which bee(s) has (have) the best potential for regional crops.
Phase 3. Propagate and research bee characteristics for best crop production.
Phase 4. Place these bees in regional crops!
As Master Gardeners in Davidson County, we are excited to be involved in this very worthwhile program with Crown Bees. However, the sheer power of having this program initiated across our entire region would have a profound impact on our
orchards, agricultural crops and residential gardens.
If you are interested in starting this program, please contact:
Caroll Marrero, UT Extension Master Gardener, Davidson County Volunteer (2009), phone (615) 554-3344;
[log in to unmask]. (Education Team Member)
David Cook, Davidson County Extension Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator, phone (615) 289-3400;
[log in to unmask]
Jay Williams, Farm Operations Director, Crown Bees, phone (310) 990-5074;
[log in to unmask]. Jay lives in Williamson County.