Post on 18-Jan-2016
Blue Orchard Bees Native to California:Possibilities for Use in Almond Pollination
Carolyn Pickel, UC IPMSara Goldman Smith, UC IPMGlen Trostle, USDA Bee Lab
Project Goals
• Locate and acquire wild blue orchard bees (BOBs) from CA locations
– Nest box building and use
– Handling and rearing in local climate
• Emergence under ambient conditions– Offspring of Native CA bees
– Emergence timing without incubation
• Release and re-nesting in almonds
Nest Box construction
• Drilled wood blocks
• Cardboard tubes
• Phragmites reed sections
• Others commercially available
Nest Box placement
• Available pollen & nectar, blooming plants
• Morning sun exposure
• Protection from high heat
• Moist soil, riparian area
Nest box use by wild BOBs
• Almond orchards, Valley floor– Glenn
– Butte
– Sutter
– Colusa
• Riparian habitat, Foothills– Butte
– Elevation 400 – 1,000 ft.
Not much nesting activity
More nesting activity
Nest box use by wild BOBsLong term project: We still have much to learn
• Nesting materials preferences
• Handling of collected nests during delicate egg & larval stages
• Monitor developmental stages and record temperature data
• Protect nests from parasites and predators
• Release offspring for population increase
Full bloom
Mar 5?
Emergence timing under local ambient conditions at 4 locations
Males begin to emerge
Males & Females
100% emerged
Butte Feb 15 March 16
Yolo Feb 21 March 12
Kern March 31 April 8
Kings Feb 3 March 11
N.P. Full bloom
Feb 23
Emergence projectButte data
0
20
40
60
80
100
15-F
eb
20-F
eb
25-F
eb2-
Mar
7-M
ar
12-M
ar
Pe
rce
nt
em
erg
en
ce
0
20
40
60
80
100
Te
mp
era
ture
% Male
% Female
°F, Daily High
Emergence project Bees released in almonds
Emergence projectSuccessful nesting activity!
Homemade release box
Free Download
BOB handbook
PDF file (961 k)
www.sare.org/publications/bob.htm
Cooperators
• Jim Cane, USDA Bee Lab, Logan Utah
Emergence timing data from:
• Tom Gradziel, UC Davis
• Steve Peterson, AgPollen, Ceres CA
• Almond Pollination Co, Bakersfield CA