PolliNation Podcast
262 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 days ago - ★★★★★ - 128 ratingsPolliNation is a podcast from Oregon State University Extension Service that tells the stories of researchers, land managers and concerned citizens who are making bold strides to improve the health of pollinators.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
210 - Coffan - What’s going on with Western Monarchs
May 02, 2022 07:00 - 48 minutes - 66.9 MBThe Western monarch butterfly population appears to have recovered from a tremendously low number of butterflies returning to overwintering grounds a few years ago. In this episode we try to understand what still remains unknown about this remarkable migrating butterfly species.
209 - Burgett - Working together in the PNW
April 03, 2022 07:00 - 36 minutes - 50.7 MBThere has been a long tradition of people working together to help bees across state and provincial boundaries in the Pacific Northwest region. In this episode we discover where this cooperative approach came from.
208 - Merissa Moeller - Endangered Species Act 101
March 14, 2022 08:00 - 41 minutes - 57.6 MBThe federal Endangered Species Act is almost 50 years old and it has been a key mechanism for assisting the recovery of many insect pollinators and plant species they depend on. In this episode we get a crash course on how the Act works.
207 - Andony Melathopoulos - How did I get into bees?
March 06, 2022 23:59 - 43 minutes - 59.4 MBThis week the tables get turned on the host of PolliNation as guest host Miranda Jones asks how did Andony get into bees in the first place.
206 - Ellen Topitzhofer - The Holy Grail: Banking Queens Over the Winter
March 01, 2022 08:00 - 46 minutes - 64.4 MBThe holy grail of beekeeping is taking mated queens from the summer and banking them so that they are available the following spring, at a time when queen supply is tight. This week we hear about work underway to figure out how to bank queens through the winter in Oregon.
205 - George Kaufman - What the heck does IPM mean (in blueberries)?
February 16, 2022 10:06 - 26 minutes - 37 MBCreating habitat for beneficial insects is a key part of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). In this episode we hear how an Oregon blueberry farm has gone large scale in creating pollinator hedgerows.
204 - Josée Rousseau - Birds and the bees: How bird data can inform us on where insect pollinators live
January 30, 2022 08:00 - 38 minutes - 52.5 MBThe data we have on the natural history of birds, as well as their ranges, is far richer than for insect pollinators. This week we learned about an innovative approach to use bird data to inform what we know about insect pollinator populations.
203 - Dana Church - How humans changed the world of bumble bees
January 26, 2022 08:00 - 38 minutes - 52.6 MBWhen people think about beekeeping, their minds turn to honey bees. But humans have influenced the course of natural history for other bees as well. This week we hear about a wonderful new book that considers the ways humanity has shaped the fate of bumble bees.
202 - Moyer - Getting Bees Out of the Walls
January 16, 2022 08:00 - 18 minutes - 25 MBSometimes bees will swarm into structures. Getting them out of the structures is not as easy as some on YouTube make it seem. This week we hear about how one bee club has figured out how to easily remove bees from tricky places.
201 - Nico Ardans - What the heck does IPM mean (in nurseries)?
December 31, 2021 08:00 - 31 minutes - 43 MBThis week we start a new series looking into what integrated pest management (IPM), not as a conceptual framework, but on the ground, where pollinators are scooting around and living their lives. This week we head to a commercial nursery.
200 - OSU Pollinator Health Lab - An Expose!
December 06, 2021 03:49 - 41 minutes - 14.3 MBPolliNation has reached 200 episodes. It has also been 5 years since the OSU Pollinator Health Lab came into existence. To mark the occasion we go behind the scenes to see how the Lab came together and its plans for the future.
199 - Kayla Perry - What drives bumble bee community composition?
November 27, 2021 08:00 - 36 minutes - 12.8 MBThe type of insect pollinators you find within a region can vary depending on broad categories of land use. This week we learn about the potential mechanisms that drive this variation, focusing on bumble bees.
198 - James Tracy - Monarch collisions on roadways
November 22, 2021 08:00 - 10 minutes - 3.8 MBMonarch butterflies have been experiencing declines in North America. In this week’s episode we hear about the significance of monarch butterfly collisions on interstates and an innovative method to reduce this source of butterfly mortality.
197 - Laura Johnson - Bee Health in Vermont
November 08, 2021 08:00 - 29 minutes - 10.2 MBThis week we head to Vermont to hear about the brand new pollinator health position.
196 - Bob Walters - Bee Check
October 24, 2021 07:00 - 30 minutes - 10.6 MBA key principle of state Managed Pollinator Protection plans is to increase communication between beekeepers and pesticide applicators during crop pollination. In this episode, we hear about an initiative to map bee colonies to help applicators find bee colonies in the landscape to help facilitate beekeeper-applicator communication.
195 - Maddie Carpenter - What is the North American honey bee?
October 17, 2021 07:00 - 44 minutes - 15.2 MBHoney bees are not native to North America, but they have been here for hundreds of years. In this episode we dive into the deep history of honey bee importations to North America and learn how molecular technologies can provide insight into the subspecies character of contemporary North American honey bee populations.
194 - Joe Maresh - Oregon State Beekeepers Association Conference
October 04, 2021 07:00 - 50 minutes - 17.5 MBIt’s the 100th anniversary of the Oregon State Beekeepers Association and to celebrate beekeepers are holding a hybrid conference (in person and online). This week we hear about some of the highlights of the conference and what to look forward to.
193 - Laurie Adams and Josette Lewis - California Pollinator Coalition
September 29, 2021 07:00 - 35 minutes - 12.4 MBThis week we hear about an ambitious new initiative in California to increase the adoption of pollinator-friendly practices on working lands.
192 - Lisa DeVetter - Blueberry Pollination Planner
September 20, 2021 07:00 - 24 minutes - 8.4 MBThe blueberry industry is one of the most dynamic fruit sectors in the US. As a consequence, what was recommended for pollination a few decades ago may no longer apply. This week we hear about a new initiative to develop a modern pollination planner for US blueberry growers.
191 - Jen Hayes - Natives v nativars for pollinators
September 14, 2021 07:00 - 31 minutes - 11 MBThere has been an explosion of interest in using native plants for pollinators. Along with this interest there is the question of whether nativars - a natural variant that has been found in the wild and brought into cultivation - are equally beneficial to pollinators. This week we look into an ongoing research project asking this very question.
190 - Maxime Eeraerts - Sweet cherry pollination
August 30, 2021 07:00 - 45 minutes - 15.6 MBBees are key pollinators of sweet cherry. This week we hear about research from Belgium on using other managed bee species to pollinate this crop (other than honey bees), the influence of encouraging pollinator habitat, as well as tips on keeping managed mason bees healthy and happy during cherry pollination.
189 - Spencer Leonard - Fable of the Bees (Part 2)
August 25, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 21.9 MBOne of the most influential books about bees has little to do with bees, but rather reflects on the nature of modern society. Bernard Mandeville (1670-1733) wrote and revised his “Fable of the Bees”, after publishing a poem in 1705 titled “The Grumbling Hive: or, Knaves Turn'd Honest”. The book is considered one the first pieces of modern sociology and was influential for revolutionaries lat
188 - Spencer Leonard - Fable of the Bees (Part 1)
August 16, 2021 07:00 - 50 minutes - 17.4 MBOne of the most influential books about bees has little to do with bees, but rather reflects on the nature of modern society. Bernard Mandeville (1670-1733) wrote and revised his “Fable of the Bees”, after publishing a poem in 1705 titled “The Grumbling Hive: or, Knaves Turn'd Honest”. The book is considered one the first pieces of modern sociology and was influential for revolutionaries later in the 18th Century. We discuss the book as part of a two-part series.
187 - Mace Vaughn - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Pollinators
August 02, 2021 07:00 - 59 minutes - 20.6 MBNatural Resources Conservation Service has a range of programs to support the development of pollinator habitat in working lands. In this episode you’ll get an overview of NRCS programs, how landowners can access them and how, specifically, they can be used to improve habitat for pollinators.
186 - Dean Herzfeld - Where do pesticide applicators get their training?
July 26, 2021 07:00 - 20 minutes - 7.22 MBPesticide applicators across the US needed to become certified and trained. In this episode we explore where this training requirement came from and how it applies to reducing exposure of pollinators to pesticides.
185 - Kathleen Law - Keeping Bees Safe During Blueberries
July 13, 2021 07:00 - 23 minutes - 8.19 MBHighbush blueberry is the largest pollinated crop in Oregon and one of the top crops in the US as a whole. Beekeepers report that their colonies can sometimes experience difficulties when pollinating this crop. In this episode we hear about how to keep bees healthy in blueberry production systems.
184 - Steve Javorek - Bee Habitat in Lowbush Blueberry
June 23, 2021 07:00 - 52 minutes - 17.9 MBLowbush blueberry growers in Atlantic Canada have been increasing bee habitat around their fields by encouraging existing plant communities. In this episode we learn how they do this and the incredible bees that pollinate this crop.
183 - Pollinator Partnership - National Pollinator Week (and Beyond)
June 14, 2021 07:00 - 46 minutes - 15.8 MBWith National Pollinator week next week, we caught up with staff at Pollinator Partnership (P2) to learn about what’s happening to celebrate the week, but also to catch up on growing P2 initiatives; Bee Friendly Farming and the Pollinator Stewards program.
182 - Miranda Jones - The Great Oregon Squash Bee Hunt
June 08, 2021 04:31 - 18 minutes - 6.24 MBSquash bees were never known to Oregon until a few years ago. This summer Oregonians may see the squash bee Peponapis pruinosa for the first time. Learn about these bees and how to track them in the state on this episode.
181- Jim Cane - Pollination of raspberries and other caneberries
May 09, 2021 07:00 - 33 minutes - 11.7 MBRaspberries are not nearly as difficult to pollinate as self-incompatible tree fruit or blueberries. But getting consistent fruit quality still requires finesse. In this episode we cover the pollination requirements of these berries, some of the bees that visit (and nest) in these crops and how to ensure a consistent level of pollination.
180- Glyn Stephens - Splitting your booming colonies
May 02, 2021 07:00 - 41 minutes - 14.3 MBYour honey bees have expanded many fold this spring. Now is the opportunity to split your colonies in half and get two colonies. In this episode we learn all the tricks associated with reliable and quick spring (and summer) and division of colonies.
179- Michael Branstetter - The deep history of the mason bees
April 25, 2021 07:00 - 55 minutes - 19.2 MBMason bees in the subgenus Osmia emerged sometime before the ice-age, likely in Europe and Asia, but they radiated into North America early on in their history, resulting in one of the most beloved solitary bees, the blue orchard bee. In this episode, we dive into the evolutionary history of this subgenus.
178- Anna Ashby and Amber Reece - 10 beekeeping questions you were too afraid to ask
April 18, 2021 07:00 - 54 minutes - 18.6 MBStarting to keep bees can be overwhelming. To help you get started we have two Oregon Master Beekeepers answer the 10 most common questions that beginners ask.
177- Olivia Messinger Carril - A field guide to the common bees of North America?
April 11, 2021 07:00 - 41 minutes - 14.4 MBMichael O’Loughlin and his family farm a total of 200 acres in Yamhill County. The O'Loughlin Farms and garden is a private research station tracking onsite precipitation, testing slug biocontrol, and studying beetle predation and Northwestern garter and ringneck populations. Michael has been a Master Gardener since 2014 and Oregon Bee Atlas since 2018. Since then, he has mentored new Master Gardener students, participated on the Yamhill County Master Gardener insect committee, taught classe...
176- Fred Weisensee - The pollinator plants you need!
April 04, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 22 MBWith people either reving up to start or spruce up their pollinator garden, we sat down with a local nursery owner about some of the plants he most recommends for bloom across the year.
175 - Marie Vicksta and Michael O'Loughlin - Pollinator Habitat on County Roadsides
March 28, 2021 07:00 - 34 minutes - 11.9 MBThis week we hear how Soil and Water Conservation Districts are working to establish cost-effective and pollinator habitat on County roadsides.
174 -Veronica Wignall - Whacking bees for science: Competitive exclusion between honey bees and bumblebees in the UK
March 21, 2021 07:00 - 30 minutes - 10.6 MBHoney bees and native social bees are important crop pollinators and key parts of healthy native plant ecology. However, it’s very difficult to examine how these groups of bees interact in the floral landscape. In this episode, we discuss competition between bumble bees and honey bees in an landscape where they are both native, the UK, to uncover what influences they have on each other and the floral resources they share.
173 - Jessica Rendon - Japanese beetle (is no friend of pollinators)
March 14, 2021 08:00 - 24 minutes - 8.49 MBJapanese beetle is a devastating exotic pest. Eradication efforts are underway across the US, including in Oregon. We hear about what is involved with eradication and how it can be done in a way that minimizes impacts to pollinators.
172 - Theresa Pitts-Singer - Where next for managed solitary bees
March 07, 2021 23:01 - 52 minutes - 18 MBManaged solitary bees have been a part of crop pollination in the Western US for decades, particularly in alfalfa seed production. But over the last decade, the use of these bees has expanded. We look at the recent expansion and where it might lead in this episode.
171 - Brittany Goodrich - How pollinator markets work
February 28, 2021 08:00 - 42 minutes - 14.6 MBRenting a honey bee colony for pollination seems simple enough, but frequently colonies are contracted months before pollination and a lot can go wrong from the time a contract is inked to when bees are delivered. In this episode we take a deep dive into the fascinating world of beekeepers, growers and pollination brokers.
170 - Halie Cousineau - School gardens and pollinators
February 21, 2021 08:00 - 30 minutes - 10.5 MBGardens are increasingly appearing in schools. In this episode we learn about strategies to use these gardens to introduce pollinators into school curriculum.
169 - Al Shay - Moving your pollinator garden up a notch
February 14, 2021 08:00 - 59 minutes - 20.5 MBThere is an almost inexhaustible amount of options for pollinator gardens. But this can not only be a cause for invigoration, but also confusion. This episode will set you straight on how to take your pollinator garden to the next level.
168 - Carolyn Breece and Ellen Topitzhofer - Late Winter Hive Management
February 07, 2021 08:00 - 39 minutes - 13.5 MBCarolyn Breece and Ellen Topitzhofer support the field research of the OSU Honey Bee Lab. Together they manage the lab’s 80 research and educational colonies, preparing them for experiments, and collecting data. They also teach classes and workshops to community beekeepers, OSU undergraduates, and Oregon Master Beekeeper participants.
167 - Linda Hardison - Oregon Flora… reloaded
January 31, 2021 08:00 - 27 minutes - 9.55 MBThere have been two exciting developments with Oregon Flora. The first is vol 2 of the flora, which includes an amazing section on Oregon pollinators. The second is there new website, which allows you to do amazing searches for Oregon plant communities.
166 - Alison McAfee - Queens don’t like it too hot or cold
January 24, 2021 08:00 - 37 minutes - 12.9 MBHoney bee queens are durable insects, but new research shows that the sperm they store can become quickly degraded by temperature extremes.
165 - Zach Portman - When pan traps might not pan out (for bee surveys).
January 17, 2021 08:00 - 40 minutes - 14 MBPan traps are one of the key methods for surveying for native bees. They are cheap and easy to use, and they aren’t subject to the collector bias of studies that rely on netting. This week we hear about the limitations associated with using pan traps.
164 - Chris Looney - Hornets and invasive bumble bees in Washington
January 10, 2021 08:00 - 45 minutes - 15.5 MBWashington contended with two invasive insects in 2020. The first is well-known, Asian Giant Hornet, but the second less so, the common eastern bumble bee. We caught up with the Washington Department of Agriculture for an update on both insects.
163 - Ian Tait - 2020 Year in Review
January 03, 2021 08:00 - 56 minutes - 19.4 MBIt was hard to keep track of developments in bee health in 2020 because so much else was going on. In this episode we catch-you-up with a guest who wrote a post per day for since January showcasing what was new in bee health.
162 - Katie Buckley - Washington’s Pollinator Health Task Force
December 06, 2020 09:10 - 37 minutes - 13.1 MBThe Washington State Legislature just received a set of ground-breaking recommendations on pollinator health from the state’s Pollinator Health Task Force. In this episode we hear about what is being recommended and the next steps towards addressing those recommendations.
161 - Kate LeCroy- Exotic Mason Bees
December 02, 2020 21:49 - 46 minutes - 15.8 MBStem nesting bees like mason bees are particularly amenable to being introduced to distant lands. In this episode we hear about research looking into the impact of these introductions on native bee populations.