Blog Post #1
Follow the wild bees! A few months ago I began the Planet Bee Foundation’s research project to Catalog Wild Bees! My name is Jaime Demick, and I’m working with Planet Bee Foundation to repeat some work here in Alabama that was originally carried out by Dr. Thomas Seeley of Cornell University to locate wild bee colonies. Once located these colonies will not be harmed or disturbed in any way, but instead our purpose is to visit them occasionally and see if they have survived year by year. By locating as many colonies as possible in an area we can do so much science, such as getting an idea of the population of wild bees and determining if they are declining. We will also learn about the individual behaviors of the bees we catch and track.
The start of a new project is so exciting! I ordered and received the equipment to track the wild bees, namely our Bee Box, compass, and marking paint. I’ve put the word out that we need to find places where there are wild bees congregating, and I have permission to be on the property of a few places. Stay tuned to this blog to find out exactly what we are doing in this exciting Planet Bee Foundation project!!
Written By Professor Jaime Demick
Central Alabama Community College
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