1. THIS WEEK IN PICTURES
Aaron Scott from Oregon Field Guide was out filming an episode on Oregon bees with the Yamhill Collection team at their Winters Hill site. Winters Hill is also an Oregon Bee Project Flagship Farm. Just look at that magnificent Ceanothus! Great work Yamhill County.
Michael O'Loughlin from the Yamhill team caught this pretty specimen. Atlas taxonomist wrote that the bee is from the genus Nomada, stating: "All female Nomada have the T6 (the 6th tergal segment) truncate like that. T7 in makes is pointed."
Another image from the keen eye of Ed Sullivan. Ed writes: "Grotea Californica. Female on stem, male on leaf. One of the Ichneumon wasps, this female is assessing the nest of a Ceratina bee and will pierce the stem of the plant and place an egg in the nest that will hatch and consume the bee larvae.The stem has "jaw dust" from where the female Ceratina bee has excavated her nest. May 17 (M) & 23 (F), 2018. Portland, Oregon."
Stephanie Hazen wrote: "I ordered glass tubes from a scientific supply house that were about 12 inchs long with an internal diameter of 5/16 inch. I rubber banded the tubes together and my husband, Ray, constructed a box to house the tubes. We mounted the box under the eaves of the house. sure enough, mason bees created mud nests and laid eggs. We got to see the larvae develop, but sadly, parasitic wasps also got in and ate the larvae! This year, I took down the tubes and one tube had the mud walls signifying the nests but this time they are wasps that have provisioned their young with various caterpillars to eat according to Sarah Kincaide of Ore Dept Of Ag. It will be fun to see who exactly hatches out of this nest tube next spring. See video and still photo". https://vimeo.com/273442073
2. NATIONAL POLLINATOR WEEK (JUNE 16-24) - VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
The Oregon Bee Project is organizing the largest national pollinator event in the country, with 20 different events. This is a great opportunity for Atlas volunteers to talk about what they are doing. I know several teams are organizing their own events - Klamath Falls, Central Coast, Grants Pass and Yamhill County. But for those of you without an event of your own, here is a form of events we could still use some volunteers for.
Please complete the survey by Monday 11 June.
3. HOW-IS-THE-ATLAS-DOING - THE SURVEY?
Here is a short survey to figure out where the Atlas is doing well and falling short. It should take 5 min to complete. Start the survey by pressing this link.
4. YOUR QUESTIONS
Q: How are the labels coming?
A: The first wave of labels should be going out early next week.
Q: I am registered for BeeSchool - when do I need to get my payment in?
A: Good question - its coming up very soon - June 11th.
If you are paying tuition only, and do not need lodging or meal cards, please submit your payment here ($100 is listed as a default amount, change this to match what is due for you): http://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/content/oregon-bee-atlas-bee-school-registration
If you are paying for tuition and dorm lodging or meal cards (see details below), please complete our Lodging and Meal Card Registration Form, and then submit your total payment using the link below. Unfortunately the site will not calculate the amount for you automatically. Please total your tuition, lodging, and meal card costs and enter that total on the payment site.
Lodging/Meal Card Registration Form and Cost Calculator:
https://goo.gl/forms/1bsLZs56TkPEg5yw2
Payment Link for Tuition/Lodging/Meal Cards ($100 is listed as a default amount, change this to match the total of what is due for you):
http://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/content/oregon-bee-atlas-bee-school-registration
DORM ROOM LODGING COST (OPTIONAL): $37.50 per night in a double room in West Hall ($29 room fee plus $8.50 linen service). Check-in is on arrival. A phone number will be provided for building access and someone will meet you to give you the building key and meal card (if purchased). Guests may check in a day early (July 8th or July 15th) and stay a night later (July 13th or July 21st), but due to another large event on campus, the lodging will be in a different dorm (the International dorm).
MEAL CARD COST (OPTIONAL): $16.50 per day (All-you-care-to-eat flat fee includes breakfast and lunch options at Marketplace West Dining Facility next door to the dorm).
Q: I keep getting calls about bumble bees and people who want nests removed. What should I say?
A: My experience is that most people can discern a bumble bee from a yellowjacket, so when someone says its a bumble bee, its typically right (but, if they say 'bee' odds are its a yellowjacket). But start by asking for a picture.
Next, let people know that bumble bee nests are not perennial and some colonies finish as early as July. Let them know if the bees are not bugging them, then they should let the nest run its course and then plug the entrance to the nest in the winter.
If they want the bumble bee colony removed, this can be complicated. Ideally you would have some CO2 (both ODA and OSU have a cylinder precisely for this purpose), you go to the nest in the evening and put the bees too sleep before digging them up (yes, CO2 is a great way of putting insects to sleep). Other times, like in the image below, the next is easy to get at and you just need to put a beekeeping suit on and (at night) move it into a box.
An active or abandoned bumble bee nest is a real educational tool. OSU has some boxes if you want to take up responding to these calls.
Michael O'Loughlin was called by a neighbor about a B melanogypus nest built in an aircraft tire.