With this wild and unprecedented year coming to a close, it seems appropriate to reflect on the original stories covered by the Bee Report over the past 12 months. So tell me: what are your five favorite Bee Report stories from 2020?
As a thank you, I’ll be choosing two respondents (completely at random) to each receive a bee book of their choosing from the list below. Or the winners can gift the book to someone else! (Chances are I’ll need to limit shipping to North America only. But if a respondent from Australia, Europe or other locales happens to be chosen, let’s see what we can work out for you.)
Instructions: Select five – and only five – of the print or podcast stories listed below. Then provide your thoughts on what bee-related topics you think the Bee Report should be paying attention to in 2021. Finally, enter your name and email address so you have an opportunity to be chosen for a book. Please get your responses to me by Dec. 31, 2020 (just one submission per person). I will share the results in the first newsletter of 2021. Thanks!
THE STORIES
December
Fuzzy questions: How do we define native vs. non-native bees?
Surprise! Exotic leafcutter bee found in downtown Chicago
November
Open for comment: EPA considering approval of brand new insecticide
How will bees fare under a Biden administration?
October
The mass-migrating flight of the bumble bee
Social then solitary – then social again?
This will go down on your permanent record: Food retailers get graded on their pollinator policies
Do bees even care if UV pigmentation is changing in flowers?
Protecting a thistle in New Mexico could be a big win for bees
September
“So many unknowns”: How will the wildfires impact bee populations?
August
Pop quiz! What do you know about bees and soil?
Name that Bumble Bee: Maybe machines can get pretty good at identifying images of bees
Bombus intelligentes: Let’s start talking more about how smart and aware bees actually are
Buzz power: How well a flower transmits vibrations might make it more attractive to a bee
July
Artificial intelligence: Tool or distraction for bee taxonomy?
“We’re not alone”: How racism can exist in entomology – and how we can change it (podcast)
Listening to bees: What might we be missing out on?
June
No Mow May: Count all the flowers and bees (podcast)
Flowers are like dirty doorknobs: Spreading disease among bees (podcast)
May
Last Resort: Captive breeding for bee conservation (podcast)
Save the chimney bees! A true story about rescuing native bees (podcast)
April
Entobarbie: Getting up close with insects and being awed by them
Zach Portman: Taxonomy is a living science. Taxonomists deserve a living wage (podcast)
Kristen Brochu: The noxious relationship between pumpkin pollen and bumble bees (podcast)
Scott McArt: A discussion of recent news stories about pesticides and bee health (podcast)
March
Joe Wilson: Creating a children’s book and effective science communication (podcast)
Karin Gastreich: The prairie bees of Kansas City (podcast)
Sheila Colla: Planning for the future of the rusty patched bumble bee (podcast)
Hollis Woodard: Creating a national native bee monitoring network (podcast)
February
Sarina Jepsen: Xerces Society seeks to join lawsuit to protect four California bumble bees (podcast)
January
Can the green carpenter bee of Australia be saved?
BOOK LIST
The Bees in You Backyard, Joe Wilson and Olivia Carril
Bumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide, Paul Williams, Robbin Thorp, Leif Richardson and Shiela Colla
Buzz: The Nature and Necessity of Bees, Thor Hanson
Our Native Bees: North America’s Endangered Pollinators and the Fight to Save Them, Paige Embry
Give Bees A Chance, Bethany Barton (children’s picture book)
The A Bee C Book, Peter Helfrich (children’s picture book that supports Beecatur an affiliate of Bee City USA)