Bees in the Trees

Utah is known for producing some of the best alfalfa hay, seasonal vegetables and nursery products, but none of that would be possible without thanking the bee. The bees’ role as pollinator is of most value to farmers, nursery growers and their urban neighbors. What type of bee to thank depends on the growing situation and while the honeybee is a great pollinator in large open areas, USU research entomologist James Strange says the bumblebee does a much better job at pollinating the greenhouses used by nurseries. Not to be outdone, the blue orchard, alkali and leafcutter bees are well suited for pollinating fields of alfalfa for seed purposes.

From “Bees Keep Vegetation Growing,” by Matt Hargreaves, Utah Farm Bureau, Standard Examiner, April 13, 2007. For more information, contact research entomologist James Strange, with USU’s USDA ARS Bee Biology and Systematics Lab, 435-797-7151.