The ninth stop on the Bee Trail can be found near Brandon Hall. The site includes five native bee homes, which were installed in 2019 as part of the 100in1Day community event. The homes are constructed from pine wood and filled with paper tubes giving a secure home to the local pollinators. The homes were set up by Facility Services and the Academic Sustainability Program’s Office to support native bee populations and promote sustainability.
Fun Fact: Relying on many bee species instead of just honey bees provides the best pollination. Farms with diverse native pollinators enjoy greater crop yields and resilience if one species declines. (1)
Species Highlight: Holcopasites calliopsidis is a small red and black coloured cleptoparasitic bee that lays its eggs in the nests of the ground nesting bee Calliopsis andreniformis. (2)
Local Native Bee Spotlight: The Calliopsis Cuckoo Nomad Bee (Holcopasites calliopsidis) is a local species of cuckoo bee found in our area!
References:
- Chan S, Raine N. Introduction to Native Pollinators on Farms in Ontario [Internet]. Farms at Work. 2018. Available from: https://farmsatwork.ca/sites/default/files/Fact%20Sheet%20%231%20Introduction%20to%20Native%20Pollinators%20on%20Ontario%20Farms_1.pdf
- Sheffield, C.S. Bees of Canada [Internet]. Royal Saskatchewan Museum. Available from: https://www.beesofcanada.com/species/holcopasites-calliopsidis-calliopsidis-linsley-1943