On today’s show, I chat with bumble bee scientist and author Dave Goulson about hairy-footed flower bees Anthophora plumipes, one of the first bees to emerge in spring, and how to make our gardens more friendly to pollinators.

As humans we have a tidy streak that extends to our home gardens and our farm fields. But our tendency to chop away the dead and keep everything trim and orderly works against pollinator survival.

We also discuss how his landmark letter in Science called for a re-evaluation of neonicotinoids. This was the rallying cry that resulted in a ban of this class of pesticide in many countries. Although its use has been severely limited, chemical companies have quickly rolled out replacements. Banning harmful chemicals, Goulson reports, is a bit like playing whack-a-mole with new versions cropping up as soon as one is removed from the market.

Tune in and learn about the many issues impacting pollinator health and how we can make our landscapes more hospitable.

Learn more about the magazine and about protecting our pollinators at: https://www.2millionblossoms.com/

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2 Million Blossoms - The Podcast is a joint audio production of Protect Our Pollinators, LLC and  Growing Planet Media, LLC