For this edition of "Bug Talk" Lisa and Rhonda are joined by special guest Dr. Barb Abraham, an ecology professor, bee researcher and Chair of the Bee City USA - Hampton steering committee. Today they're talking about native bees. Did you know that you can have an average of 100 different bee species in your yard? And that native bees typically are not aggressive and do not sting? You may have seen some that look like gnats, flies or wasps and not even realized they were actually bees! Learn how you can support your native bee populations by avoiding pesticides, offering a consistent water source, a providing nesting habitat. 

Recommended Bee Books: All of these are profusely illustrated with stunning photographs...

Holm, Heather. 2017. Bees. An identification and native plant forage guide. Pollination Press, LLC. Minnesota.

Holm, Heather. 2014.  Pollinators of native plants. Pollination Press, LLC. Minnesota

Embry, Paige. 2018. Our native bees. Timber Press. Portland, OR.

Frey, Kate and Gretchen LeBuhn. 2016. The bee-friendly garden. Ten Speed Press. Berkeley.

Wilson, JS and OM Carrill. 2016. The bees in your backyard. Princeton University Press. Princeton and Oxford.

Xerces Society. 2016.100 plants to feed the bees. Storey Publishing. North Adams, MA.

Xerces Society.2011. Attracting native pollinators. Storey Publishing. North Adams, MA.

This one is heavy reading for the avid apiphile, few colored illustrations... 

Danforth, BN, Minckley, RL, and JL Neff. The solitary bees. Biology, evolution, conservation. Princeton University Press. Princeton and Oxford.

Other Links & Mentions

Bee City USA - Hampton, VA:  Website  Facebook

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

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The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social!