Bee World
Bee Taxonomy stinger vs. no stinger
Animal Pollinator Species
30,000
approx. different species of bees
Bees approx.
social
Other Vertibrates Midge Carrion Flies Fruit Flies Bats
Global Value
Sunbirds Honey Eaters
parasite
Bumble bees and many other bee species make their nest in holes the ground or in loose grass. Many other bees prefer to nest above ground in twigs, stems and wood. Nest materials include leaf and petal clippings, plant hairs, resins, mud, fine pebbles. Bee hives are constructed by honey bees, and are produced from plant resin and beeswax.
Certain bee species favour different flowering plants over others, and are thus regarded as floral specialists. Less discerning bee species are known as floral generalists.
A type of bee which lacks pollen collecting structures and lays eggs in other bee species’ nests.
total value of crop production reliant on insect pollination
Asia South
circles are sized relative to the ratio of total crop production to crop production reliant on insect pollination
418.4 €
148.9€ an Union Europe
210 200
14.4€
180 170
North Af rica 39 .7€
West A frica 4 8.9€ East Africa So 19.6€ Central Africa 10.1 uth Africa € 19.2€
160 150 140
an 51.1€ nd Caribbe erica a al Am Centr
130 120
210 200
North America 125.7€
190
220
East As ia
South Am erica 1 87.7€
220
420
219.4€
14.2€ 7.8€ 4.2€
5.0€
3.5€
1.7€ 9.3€
14.0€
0.9€
110
190
51.5€
Non EU 67.8€
180 Middle East A sia
63.5€
.9€ ast Asia 167 South E
170 160 150
Cent ral A sia 1 1.8. 4€
11.6€
140 130 120 110
0.7€
100 90
90
11.6€
80
100 80
1.1€
70
1.3€
60
70
Ocean ia 18 .8€
60
50
50
40
40
30
30
Global Flora 20
90%
2:1
10 0
of flowering plants rely on animal pollinators
100%
Almonds
200,000 known flowering plant species are dependent on pollination from 100,000 animal pollinator species worldwide.
2%
Strawberries
90%
Apples
48%
Peaches
90%
Blueberries
Total Production Economic Value (€ billions)
Hummingbirds
Total Production Economic Value (€ billions)
floral vs. specialist floral generalist
Beetles Ants
Butterflies
#€
ground vs. nester twig/wood nester vs. hive nester
Thrips
Moths
420
solitary
Other Animal Pollinators
animal pollinators.
Social bees defer procreation to a singular queen bee and all other females are infertile. Group sizes can range from under a dozen to colonies of hundreds of bees. Solitary bees are species where every female has the ability to procreate. They live in smaller groups, and tend to nest in twigs and in the ground.
vs.
Wasps
100,000 different species of
Honey bees, sweat bees, and bumblebees are famous for their ability to sting, but a large amount of bee species are not equiped with stingers. Stingless bees can mostly be found in sub-tropical and tropical regions.
100%
#%
Brazil Nuts
20 10 0
% of crop production dependent on bee pollination
1%
27%
Grapes
2% 5%
Soy Beans
Peanuts
Oranges
90%
Cashews
90%
Buckwheat
16%
Cotton
Bee Toronto 30
approx. average # of bee nests in a typical Toronto backyard.
Local Citizens
500m 12
typical foraging distance from the hive of a large bee species. The grid on the map is set at 500m intervals.
approx. # of different species 5 - high rises or high asphalt content 20 - wooded areas 30 - suburban homes not close to ravines or parks
# of community bee farms currently run by Foodshare
40 - downtown homes 50 - houses backing onto ravines and parks 70 - large parks
Local Production
320 10,000 30m
# of kg honey that can be produced from the three hives at the Royal York Hotel.
# of honey bees being kept on the 14th floor rooftop garden of the Royal York Hotel.
The minimum legal distance at which a bee farm can be placed from a property line.
23
approx. # of bee species families in Toronto
sti nonge so sti r socialnge gr lita r o ry tw und hi ig/w nes flove n oo ter d flo ral este ne s pa ral pecr ster ra gen ial sit e ist e ra lis t
Local Habitat
1. small carpenter bee ceratina calcarata 2. evening primrose lasioglossum lasioglossum oemotherae 3. the ligated sweet bee halictus ligatus 4. solitary mining bee andrena 5. long-horned bee melissodes druriella 6. white-shouldered triepeolus triepeolus pectoralis 7. virginian carpenter bee xylocopa virginica 8. sphecodes bee sphecodes 9. wool carder bee anthidium manicatum 10. wood nesting augochlora augochlora pura 11. common spring colletes colletes inaequalis 12. bi-coloured agapostemon agopostemon virescens 13. green mason bee osmia 14. small dull green sweet bee lasioglossum dialictus 15. masked bee hylaeus 16. nomad bee nomada 17. black mason bee hoplitis 18. brown-belted bumble bee bombus griseocollis 19. leaf cutter bee megachile 20. domesticated honey bee apis mellifera 21. hoary squash bee peponapis pruinosa
Local Preservation
6
# of steps recommended by York University Professor Laurence Packer in order to maintain healthy bee populations in the city.
1. Grow bee-friendly plants, preferably native species (see below images) 2. Provide nest sites for bees 3. Do not use pesticides Cardinal Flower
Bee Balm
Lupine
English Lavender Nasturtium
4. Buy organic food whenever possible 5. Walk on the grass (improves habitat for ground nesters) 6. Encourage bee-friendly practices at various governmental levels
Sage Zinnia
Cosmos
Mint Fuchsia
Phlox Honey Suckle
Bee Life A Day in the Life The typical North American backyard is inhabited or visited by roughly 30 different species of bees. “A Day in the Life” explores some of the basic actions and behaviours performed by bees on a daily basis. With a greater understanding of how bees live among us we can start to adapt and change our living habits in order to create an environement we can both thrive in.
Honey Bees drink nectar from the side of some plants.
Honey Bee
Bumble Bees snap open the floral head and exchange pollen while they sip on the nectar.
Solit ary B ee
Mov eme nt
The dance is used to help communicate new and various sites in order to find a new home.
The Bee Dance- discoverd by Karl Von Frisch.
Commun icatio n
40°
Foraging
Nectar C ollect ionn The dance is described by a figure 8. The central part of the 8 is disected by 2 lines. While moving along this line the bee waggles its body. Different waggles symbolize different things.
The Alkali Bee nest consists of a series of tunnels The Mason Bee builds their nest with pebbles and held together by glandular secretions Trees
The Leaf Cutter Bee makes its home in the hollows of leaves
Pebbles Leaves
The dance is used to help communicate different food sources to the colony
Hone y Be e
Hygene i n t h e Hive Honey Bees are able to detect larvae that die. Genetics show that different bees have different capabilities. Some are able to uncap but not able to remove the dead larvae and vice versa with others who cannot uncap. This act helps to prevent the spread of disease within the Hive.
Dea
Pollen sac with egg
Solitary B ee
Ground
Habitta t
Trees
Leaves
Colony sizes can reach into the thousands
th
The Honey Bee, unlike the solitary bee lives in a communal hive
Dise a se The Honey Bee will depart from the hive if sick. Leaving to die on its own preventing the spread of sickness
The Carpenter Bee deposits its eggs in holes burrowed through wood
Bee Threats Bee Killers Varroa Mite
Fungi Nosema ceranae
An external parasitic mite that attacks honey bees. It attaches at the body of the bee and weakens the bee by sucking hemolymph, in the process s[reading RNA
A small, unicellular parasite that mainly affects Apis cerana, the Asiatic honey bee. Known to kill a bee after 8 days.
Pesticides
35
CCD
Bee Rentals
Bees trucked around the country to pollinate fields causes bee confusion and exhaustion, contributing to early death.
A phenomenon in which worker bees from a beehive or European honey bee colony abruptly disappear.
45% Bee Miles
# of states reporting cases of bee colony collapse disorder.
Research has shown that bees can be negatively affected by electromagnetic radiation. Cellphone towers are the main source of such radiation.
Colony Collapse Disorder
Much of the decline in bee populations is attributed to widespread of pesticides in farming pracice.
Bee Collapse
Electro-Magnetic Radiation
5.9
2.4
average bee popula# of millions of man# of millions of manloss as reported by aged of honey beeagricultural colonies industrial complex. aged honey Duetion to declining bee populations and the demand the US It bee colonies beekeeper.s in 1947.the United States in order to pollinate in 2005 is now Common for bee’s to be trucked throughout a wide range of crops at different points in the growing season.
Bee Rental
3&4
Example of an annual route for bee rentals, shipped across the country following the bloom seasons of different crops
The Dakotas for Alfalfa and Clovers Late June - Early July
Yellow indicates states where cases of CCD have been reported
Maine
N. Dakota N. Dakota to S. Dakota 210 +/- mi
Bee Miles Due to declining bee populations and the demand of the US agricultural industrial complex. It is now Common for bee’s to be trucked throughout the United States in order to pollinate a wide range of crops at different points in the growing season.
3&4
The Dakotas for Alfalfa and Clovers Late June - Early July
Maine
N. Dakota N. Dakota to S. Dakota 210 +/- mi
2
California
S. Dakota
California
6
California for Almonds February
6
Missouri to California
S. Dakota to Missouri 450 +/- mi
2
S. Dakota
Missouri to California
Maine for Blueberries and Cranberries Mid-May
S. Dakota to Missouri 450 +/- mi
Maine for Blueberries and Cranberries Mid-May
Maine to N. Dakota 1900 +/- mi
1500 +/- mi
Maine to N. Dakota 1900 +/- mi
1500 +/- mi
Missouri
Missouri
5 for Almonds California February
Florida to Maine
5
1400 +/- mi
Missouri for Goldenrod Late August - September
Florida
1
Florida to Maine 1400 +/- mi
Missouri for Goldenrod Late August - September
Florida for a wide variety of Citrus Fruits March - April
Total 5460 Miles Transport trucks act as an extension to normal bee foraging radii
Commercial Bee Hives
Florida
Transport Trucks act as an extension of the bee’s normal foraging radius.
5460
# of miles typically travelled by bee colony rentals loaded onto flatbed trucks.
Miles 64.40Total 5460140
average price (USD) to rent one bee colony on the East Coast of the USA.
average price (USD) to rent one bee colony in California for almond pollination. Almond trees are 100% reliant on bee pollination. Transport trucks act as an extension to normal bee foraging radii
1
Florida for a wide variety of Citrus Fruits March - April
I-35
highway where on May 2010 a major collision occured between several vehicles and a truck carrying 17 million bees. Commercial Bee Hives