PolliNation Podcast

99 – Adam Allington – The Business of Bees

04 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Commercial bee pollination is an integral part of food production in the US. In this episode we catch up with Adam Allington, a reporter with Bloomber...

98 – Bob Falconer – Backyard Pollinator Strips Made Easy

27 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Pollinator strips are exceedingly tricky to establish. This week we drop by Washington County Master Gardener and Master Beekeeper Bob Falconer's hous...

97 Hannah Levenson - Regional bee communities (and the plants they like)

20 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Not all bee communities across a region might use the same flowers. But how might gardeners be better informed about what local bees like? Also, do re...

96 Mia Park - Urban Prairie Restoration for Bees

13 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How do you measure the success of restoration projects for bees? Dr. Mia Park from North Dakota State University catches us up on work she is doing ar...

95 Lincoln Best - The Oregon Bee Atlas

29 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn the role of the Oregon Bee Atlas, how it has grown in only a year, and which plants are best for pollinator biodiversity in Oregon....

94 Aaron Anderson - Which Native Plants Are Best For In Your Garden For Oregon Bees?

15 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn what native plants are best for your garden, both for increasing the health of local pollinators and adding beauty to your garden. ...

93 Dr. Elina L Niño - Pollinating California Almonds

08 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn how growers can improve their pollinator effectiveness, the benefits of certain overwintering solutions, and the key to great queen...

92 Jim Cane - The Weird And Wonderful World of Alfalfa Pollination

01 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn about the two key pollinators of alfalfa seed: the alfalfa leafcutter bee and alkali bee. "If [alfalfa] bloomed in the spring, ther...

91 Pierre Lau - The Everything-You-Wanted-To-Know-About-Pollen Episode

25 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn all about pollen: how to collect and identify it, how it can be used in forensics, and the tools that researchers have developed to...

90 Dr. Casey Delphia - The Bees of Montana

18 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn about Dr. Delphia's bee atlas projects, why Montana is a "black hole" of bee data, and where to find the coolest native bees of Mon...

89 Kim Flottum - The Venerable Tradition of Getting the Word Out About Bees

11 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Learn how Kim Flottum is taking beekeeping education into the future, and how he is following in legendary beekeeping educator Amos Root's footsteps. ...

88 Rebecca Perry and Grace Cope - The Benefits of Golf Course Flower Patches Depends on Course Management

04 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn how golf courses can better serve pollinators and their habitats through curating their plants, flowers, and maintenance schedule. ...

87 Steve Peterson - How To Make Mason Bees Thrive?

25 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn Steve's experience in making and maintaining mason bee nesting blocks, and why he advocates using a wood laminate in its constructi...

86 Dr. Priyadarshini Chakrabarti - The Secret Life of Bee Nutrition

18 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn the importance of sterols in honeybee health, why they are so important, and the research Dr. Priyadarshini Chakrabarti has done on...

85 Lynda Boyer - Producing Native Plants For Bees

04 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn how Heritage Seedlings aids in restoration sites and pollinator health as a Flagship Farm, and the best native plants for your gard...

84 Kathleen Baughman - Nurseries and Pollinators

28 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Learn how Iwasaki Bros. has reduced their environmental impact through Integrated Pest Management (IPM), bee monitoring, and the flagship farm program...

83 Harry Vanderpool - Talking to Pesticide Applicators About Bees

21 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn Harry's effective communication methods, how he builds bridges with others in agriculture, and what he's done for pollinators in th...

82 Sarah Kincaid - Promoting Bee-Friendly Farming

14 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

  Listen in to learn how Sarah and the Flagship Farms program work with farmers to create sustainable ecosystems for pollinators, and how you can par...

81 Dr. Valerie Peters - Climate Change, Pollinators and Coffee

07 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn the intersection between changing tropical climates, pollinator habitats, and the coffee crop, and the impact of mines on pollinato...

80 Dr. Christina Mogren - Bees in Hawaii

31 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn the relationship of pollinators with native flora and fauna of Hawaii, and what is being done to aid local agriculture and beekeepi...

79 Robyn Shephard - Hybrid Vegetable Seed Pollination

24 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to today's episode to learn how hybrid systems work and the steps vegetable seed growers are taking to keep bees healthy during pollination....

78 Emily Erickson - Breeding and The Attractiveness of Garden Plants

17 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Emily Erickson talks about the role of garden plants in bee conservation and how plant breeding may be changing the attractiveness of garden plants to...

77 David Cantlin - More Clover In Your Turf? Lessons from the City of Fife

10 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we hear about the City of Fife's initiative to increase the amount of blooming clover available to bees on their city properties. "Cl...

76 Dr. Chelsea Cook - Honey Bee Scouting and the Virtues of Being Easily Distracted

03 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn how different bees divide up the responsibilities of finding and gathering food, and why they developed this method of foraging. "I...

75 Amy Cox - Eco-lawns and Pollinators

26 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn more about eco-lawns, what brought Amy into this business, and what makes eco-lawns ideal for all different kinds of home owners. "...

74 Lila Westreich - Mason Bees and Landscapes

19 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn more about what drew Lila to Osmia lignaria, and how she is finding the effect of these bees on their landscape, and vice versa. "[...

73 Research Retinue - Is Glyphosate Harmful To Bees?

12 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about the recent research studying the effects of glyphosate on honeybees, and how glyphosate can indirectly affect their gut homogenate. "...

72 Garth Mulkey - Specialty seeds and bees

05 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn how Garth Mulkey helped develop the bee protection protocol for specialty seed growers, and why specialty seed growers need bees. "...

71 Courtney MacInnis and Dr. Steve Pernal - Honey Bee Nosema Disease: An Old Disease With New Twists

22 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn how the small fungus Nosema affects bee colonies, how and where it thrives, and what is being done to stop it in the research commu...

70 Dr. Sara Galbraith - Measuring success: mason bees as an indicator of forest management quality

15 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn how forests are managed, how it affects pollinator habitat, and how bioassays gather essential insights into improving pollinator h...

69 Michelle Flenniken - Bee viruses

08 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn how viruses affect pollinators, how virologists study them, and which ways beekeepers can best protect their colonies from infectio...

68 Project Apis m. - Enhancing the Health of Honey Bees Through Research and Education

24 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn how Project Apis m. has accomplished sustained valuable research for both pollinators and the agriculture and beekeeping industries...

67 Rich Hatfield - PNW Bumble Bee Atlas

17 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to today's episode to learn how the PNW Bumble Bee Atlas is aiding in bee conservation, and how you can participate in pollinator habitat su...

66 Dr. Sarah Lawson - The small carpenter bee and their Cinderella daughters

27 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we learn about the life cycle of Ceratina, and its peculiar strategy of turning the firstborn female into the a nursemaid of the nest...

65 Robert Coffin and Josh Loy - Teeing off with Monarch Butterflies

20 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we learn how to create certified monarch waystations, and how Stewart Meadows integrated the monarch waystations into their golf cour...

64 Mike Rodia - Residential Beekeeping and the Law

13 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in as we talk about residential beekeeping, and the ways you can work with your local government to keep your local hives nuisance-free. "Resid...

63 Lori Weidenhammer - Victory Gardens for Bees

06 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn more about victory gardens, the cultural importance of bees over time, and how artists and scientists work together to educate the ...

62 Sam Droege and the Bee School

30 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn more about how to plant a garden for pollinators using non-native plants, and the complexities of pollinator research in the field....

61 Dale Mitchell - Oregon's pesticide incidence reporting system

23 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to this episode to learn how the Department of Agriculture handles suspected pesticide-related bee incidents, and what they do to prevent th...

60 Dr. Bob Peterson - Alfalfa leafcutting bees and mosquitos.

16 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to today's episode to learn about the uniqueness of leafcutting bees, how they're managed, and how to keep your bees safe in using pesticide...

59 Dr. Hollis Woodard - Bees in dynamic and extreme environments

09 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to today's episode to learn about the bees that evolved in vastly different climates, and why Dr. Woodard's lab studies the way they have ad...

58 Pollinators and their People: The voices of Oregon Pollinator Week 2018

02 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to this special episode to learn how young students can learn about pollinator science and health, and the way education is changing young m...

57 Drs. Margaret Couvillon and Roger Schürch - Measuring bee habitat quality through honey bee dances

25 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen to today's episode to find out what we can learn from bee dances, and how home gardeners can make a difference creating their own pollinator h...

56 Dr. Ramesh Sagili - How to make a lot of honey this year!

18 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode, learn how to keep your bees healthy and productive, what is most important in maintaining your bees, and how to prevent varroa mit...

55 Mimi Jenkins - Watermelon Pollination: How native bees affect watermelon crops

04 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn about Mimi's work studying the pollination of watermelon, and how farmers can improve their crop through cultivating pollinator sys...

54 Ron Miksha - Crop Pollination: Past, Present and Future

28 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn the evolution of migratory beekeepers since the 1970's, and why Ron believes that our current pollination system isn't sustainable....

53 Kelly Rourke - National Pollinator Week

21 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn about National Pollinator Week, how the Pollinator Partnership helps the world's pollinator populations, and how you can take part....

52 OSU Research Retinue - Mowing or mowing less: What helps the bees more?

15 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn about how the ways that we maintain our lawns can help or hinder the abundance and diversity of bees, and affect pollinator health....

51 Heather Higo - Rearing your Own Queens

07 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn more about how you can get started rearing your own queens, the many facets of it's preparation, and Heather's tips in getting star...

50 Lincoln Best - Taxonomy with The Oregon Bee Atlas

30 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn about Lincoln Best's manifesto for native bees and plant communities, and his best practices for volunteers in the Oregon Bee Atlas...

49 A $7 million investment in pollinator health by the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research (FFAR)

23 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to today's episode to learn more about FFAR, the work FFAR is doing to help pollinator research, and how they are helping citizen scientists...

48 Travis Owen - The Amateur Anthecologist

16 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn more about the science of anthecology, how you can develop resources for pollinators, and what makes the honeybee unique to other b...

47 Briana Ezray - Mullerian mimicry and why telling bumble bee species apart by color can be hard.

09 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to this episode to learn more about Mullerian mimicry, it's role in the evolution of bumblebees, and why it is the subject of Briana's resea...

46 A Well-Curated Bee In A Museum Is Worth A Thousand Pictures

26 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn the role of a museum in biodiversity and pollinator research, how citizen scientists can help, and OSU's new grant-funded bee proje...

45 Practicing Good Mason Bee Stewardship... The Bee Buddy Way

19 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn how best to take care of your mason bees, when to place them outside, and how the Bee Buddy program helps the pollinator community....

44 John Gates - Making Nucleus Colonies

12 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn about how John got started with nucleus colonies, how he has influenced other beekeepers, and what he saw change in his bees over t...

43 Mark L. Winston - Listening to Bees

05 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn about Mark's work on bees and their communication, how his publications have impacted beekeepers everywhere, and his upcoming relea...

42 OSU Bee Squad - Honey Bees and Conservation (Research Retinue)

26 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn more about how honeybees affect global regions, which pollinators are the most effective, and how studies could improve their resea...

41 Rose Kachadoorian - What States Are Doing For pollinator Health

19 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn how your local and country agencies have fought for pollinator health, and what changes are taking place with farmers and regulator...

40 Tom Landis - Monarch Butterflies in Southwestern Oregon

12 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn more about the Monarch butterfly, what Monarch waystations are and why they exist, and their unique system of migration. "The adult...

39 Jeff Reardon - Bees in the Legislature

05 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in as we talk about Reardon's landmark bill, what it has done for pollinators, and how he involved the bee-keeping community. "[This bill] is o...

38 Dr. Ramesh Sagili - The Elusive Secrets of Honey Bee Nutrition and Controlling Varroa Mites

29 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in as we talk about honey bee nutrition, what beekeepers need to know about nutrition supplements and sterols, and what Ramesh has learned abou...

37 Alison Center - North American Butterfly Association

22 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in as we talk about butterflies, their fascinating relationship with nature, and how you can plant your garden to attract more butterflies. "Th...

36 John Gruszka - Independence From Packaged Honey Bees: the Case of Saskatchewan, Canada

15 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to hear about the history of pollinators in Northern Canada, wintering techniques, and how packages of bees have changed the beekeeping indu...

35 BEEvent - Oregon's Pollinator Conference

08 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn more about the BEEvent, Oregon's pollinator conference, and what this event provides gardeners and pollinator enthusiasts of all ki...

34 Dr. Gail Langellotto - What Pollinators Need From Gardeners in Urban Habitats

01 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn about ground nesting bees, the potential problems of plant lists, and how to maximize the benefits of urban landscapes for pollinat...

33 Mehmet Ali Döke - How Honey Bees Survive The Winter

26 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn about the effect of the winter season on bee populations, how bees have adapted, and what beekeepers can do to protect their coloni...

32 Matt Arrington - Highbush Blueberries and Honeybees

18 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn about highbush blueberries, and how honeybees can greatly benefit the pollination and harvest of your plants. "[Blueberries] are bl...

31 Doug Sponsler - The Risk of Pesticides to Honey Bees and Ecotoxicology

04 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in as we go over pesticide's effects on pollinators, the difficulties in testing, and the advantages certain insects have in fighting pesticide...

30 Steve Frank - Navigating Urban Environments For Pollinators

27 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn about how urban environments affect pollinators, what homeowners and civil planners can do to improve them, and which plants and tr...

29 Alan Turanski - Saving The Bee Through Pollinator Awareness

20 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in as we talk about the Alan's work with GloryBee, their raising of bee awareness, and how beginning beekeepers can get started. "At the beginn...

28 Al Shay - Urban Landscapes for People and Pollinators

13 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Find out more about what you can do for pollinators at your own home, and how Al blends aesthetic and functional aspects of landscaping and pollinator...

27 Sarah Johnson - On Bumblebee Watch with Citizen Scientists

06 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in as we talk about the bee population of Canada, her new captive breeding project, and how citizen science positively impacts her research. "H...

26 Skyler Burrows - Bringing Taxonomy to Citizen Scientists

30 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we will learn about Skyler's work with pollinators, his projects with citizen scientists, and how you can get started in taxonomy....

25 Dr. Dewey M. Caron - Managing and Preventing Varroa Mites

23 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to this episode to learn about how you can keep your colonies safe from varroa mites, and what tools you can use to prevent and manage them....

24 Kristen Healy - Mosquito Abatement and Pollinators

16 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

We will be talking about mosquito abatement techniques, their effect on pollinator health, and the research Kristen's team has done to keep them safe....

23 George Hansen - Beekeeper Built Bee Habitat

09 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn George's experience as a land manager, good practice in cultivating pollinator habitats, and his work in the advocacy of pollinator...

22 Oregon Flora Project - Making A New Natural Resource

02 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in to learn more about the Oregon Flora Project, and the amazing benefits their research and data collection has on pollinators. "The Oregon Fl...

21 Dr. Jim Rivers - Seeing The Forest For The Bees

18 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Jim Rivers is a vertebrate ecologist and leader of the Forest Animal Ecology Lab at Oregon State University. With broad research interests that ar...

20 Erin Udal - Bringing Bees To The People

11 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Erin Udal leads community pollinator conservation projects out of Vancouver, BC and was formerly the Program Manager and Pollinator Specialist with th...

19 David Phipps - Golf Courses as Pollinator Habitat

28 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

David Phipps is considered one of the Northwest's leaders in golf course environmental stewardship and innovation. While working as the superintendent...

18 Lynn Royce – Bees in The Trees

14 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Lynn A. Royce, Ph.D. did her doctoral research on tracheal mites of honey bees and has studied pollinators for over 30 years. She is a passionate sci...

17 Ellie Andrews – The Sociology of Pollinator Health

07 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Ellie Andrews is a PhD student in Development/Rural Sociology at Cornell University. As honey bees across the US face a range of challenges, keeping b...

16 Ellen Topitzhofer – Honey Bee Parasite Spread in Pollination

31 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Ellen Topitzhofer works for the Bee Informed Partnership, an innovative organization across the U.S. that works with commercial bee keepers to tackle ...

15 Jen Holt - How to Become a Master Beekeeper

24 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Jen Holt is the brand new Coordinator for the Oregon Master Beekeeper Program at OSU. In this episode, we'll learn about how Jen got interested in bee...

14 Jessa Kay Cruz - Creating Pollinator Habitat Around Farms

17 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Bee habitat in agricultural landscapes is key element in any good strategy for pollinator health. But farmers have a lot going on and may not have cle...

13 Ruth Marsh - Repairing Bees with Art

10 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Ruth Marsh is a multidisciplinary artist based out of Halifax, NS. Her work uses absurd and often comically deadpan narratives to address loss, absenc...

12 Scott MacIvor - The Bees of Toronto

03 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Scott is an Assistant Professor of Urban Ecology at the University of Toronto at Scarborough in the Department of Biological Sciences. Scott is also a...

11 Laura Taylor - Pollinator Restoration in Soil and Water Conservation Districts

26 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Laura Taylor works for The West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District. In this episode, find what happens when a local government wants to do...

10 Aimee Code - Using Pesticides around Bee Habitat

19 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Aimee Code is the Pesticide Program Director at the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. During her career she has worked in urban and agric...

09 Dr. Meghan Milbrath – Northern Bee Breeding Network

12 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Meghan Milbrath began working bees with her father as a child over 20 years ago, and now owns and manages The Sand Hill Apiary, a small livestock ...

08 Sujaya Rao - Contrary Perspective to Native Bee Declines in Agricultural Landscapes: The Willamette Valley Experience

05 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the podcast talk about bumblebees in agriculture. Dr. Sujaya Rao is a Professor in Entomology at Oregon State University. Her research covers...

07 Sarah Common – Hive for Humanity: Keeping People Healthy with Bees

30 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the show we explore bees and their social impact. In 2012, Sarah Common co-founded Hives for Humanity Society, alongside her mother, Julia, i...

06 Dr. Dave Smitley - Protecting Pollinators in Urban Landscapes

26 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Dave Smitley is a professor and researcher at Michigan State University. He works with the turf grass and nursery industries to deal with emerging...

05 Mike Burgett - Honeybee Pollination Markets

24 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Burgett is the Emeritus Professor of Entomology at OSU, where he has taught since 1974. He has conducted a huge amount of work on apiculture rese...

04 Dr. David Lowenstein - Wild Pollinators in Urban Areas

22 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. David Lowenstein is a post-doc researcher at Oregon State University's Department of Horticulture. Today we talk about his fascinating research on...

03 Dr. Joseph Wilson - The Bees in Your Backyard

19 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Utah, Dr. Joseph Wilson has coauthored a marvelous book called The Bees in Your Backyard. We discu...

02 Dr. Elaine Evans - Citizen Science and Surveying Bumblebees

17 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is all about getting the public involved in surveying and identifying different species of bees. Dr Elaine Evans is our guest. She's t...

01 Francis Ratnieks - The Benefits of Bees in Urban Areas

15 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

"A hairy vegetarian wasp." That's how professor Francis Ratnieks of the University of Sussex describes the bee. Professor Ratnieks has done a lot of r...

00 Welcome to PolliNation

24 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

PolliNation is a podcast from Oregon State University Extension Service that tells the stories of researchers, land managers and concerned citizens wh...