PolliNation Podcast Oregon State University Extension

The Yellow-Legged Hornet has landed in the US southeast. The hornet is originally from Asia, but is has spread widely into Europe. This week we hear from Maggie Gill, a senior scientist with the National Bee Unit in the UK tells about the innovative methods developed in the UK to track and erradicate these hornets. 

This episode we catch up with Katie Buckley the Pollinator Health Coordinator for Washington State Department of Agriculture. She tells us about two new pollinator bills that passed in the Washington Legislature, as well as the growing Washington Bee Atlas. 

This week we hear about a remarkable initiative in Tillamook, Oregon. Known for its world famous dairy, its home to an industrious beekeeping club that is providing top-notch education to the region (and the thousands of people who come through it each summer). 

Adult honey bees have a variety of organisms that live in their guts. Some are benign but some, like Nosema ceranae, can be pathogentic. In this episode we hear of  Courtney MacInnis' relentless pursuit of understanding the status of an organism you have never heard of - Lotmaria passim - both on its own, and in combination with Nosema ceranae. Her findings are most unexpected. 

In this episode we hear from Susie Peterson who is the co-manager of the very popular Backyard Habitat Certification Program in Oregon. The program is managed in partnership with Portland Audubon and can help you better design your backyard for biodiversity. 

Bumble bee queens have been known to try and take over already established nests. Sometimes they manage to take over the nest and increase their own reproductive success. But according to new research from Heather Grab this is not what happens when a wild bumble bee queen tries to take over a commercial bumble bee colony.