Communicating our results to a larger audience and seeing our science used in the real world is an important goal in our lab. Currently, our outreach efforts focus on two areas:

1. Evaluating the conservation status and habitat requirements of native bee species that are likely in need of protection. At present we are focusing on rare species and species adapted to mature forest habitats. This work is done in collaboration with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, the National Park Service, and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP).

2. Developing science-based protocols for pollinator restoration as funded through Federal Farm Bill programs. We are testing the efficacy of different pollinator restoration protocols, in collaboration with New Jersey NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service) and the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Often pollinator restorations are done on agricultural lands to promote crop pollination by native bee species, which is another area to which the lab’s research has contributed significantly.

Outreach publications

Bees of the eastern forests:  A popular article that explains why this is such a cool and important topic!

Monitoring Pollinators: This pdf contains instructions and a data form for use in sampling native bee communities to estimate bee biodiversity. The number of bee species in an area the size of a small back yard or garden can be estimated surprisingly well based on the number of individual bees counted during visual observation periods (which is relatively easy),  without identifying the bees to species (which is hard). The reason for this is that where there are lot of individual bees there tend to be lots of species also. These guidelines are based on rarefaction analysis of our lab’s large data sets from pollinator habitat restorations throughout New Jersey.

Restoring Pollinator Habitat: Detailed guide to restoring habitat for pollinators, including lists of New Jersey native plant species that will attract pollinators. Co-published with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

New Jersey Native Bees: A simple visual guide to some of the more common bee species native to New Jersey.

Native bee benefits: An introduction to the most important native crop pollinators in New Jersey with guidelines for habitat management practices that encourage them.