Bee study identifies 500 species
The Minnesota bee study was funded until next summer, 2023. Since then the MN DNR and University of MN Bee Lab teamed up to identify as many native bees from existing pinned collections and the field, from the tiniest pinpoint sweat bees to the big bumble bees totaling 500 species. Some of the bees that existed in the old collections can no longer be found.
Excerpt from MPR story: “Minnesota has lost most of the native prairie that once existed in broad swaths across the western part of the state. While researchers can’t recreate those conditions, the loss of prairie likely led to the loss of some bee species dependent on prairie plants.
“Some species are probably much more vulnerable,” said Gerjets, “Especially these specialists that really rely on those (specific) plants. And if those plants or that habitat goes away then they will also go away.”
While understanding the needs of more than 500 species of bees might seem daunting, Portman said in general, helping native bees is not complicated.
“It's pretty straightforward. They need undisturbed habitats, a lot of good floral resources, no pesticides. And if you give them that stuff, most species, really they thrive,” he said.”