Understanding the linkage between floral resources and honey bee health and productivity on US Department of Agriculture conservation lands

Colony Collapse Disorder has resulted in widespread loss of US honey bee colonies and heightened societal concern over honey bee health and reduced pollination services for agricultural crops. The Farm Service Agency has expressed substantial interest in promoting habitat for honey bee colonies residing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands throughout the Great Plains. Our team is conducting a multi-state study to identify specific plants that can be readily implemented into the CRP for improving pollinator health in North Dakota. This study will provide managers with a means to evaluate cost-effective seeding mixes to benefit pollinators for multiple conservation programs. This project was started in 2015 and is ongoing through [...]