In 2007, non-native honeybees began experiencing massive die-offs in what has since been termed Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).  Native pollinator health has been a concern for many years, but with the onset of CCD in honeybees, the health of native populations of pollinators has taken on even more urgency.  My research is focusing on these native pollinators, in particular native bees.  We will be using the restored prairie and shoreline at the Long Lake Field Station to survey the native bees present as well as conduct pollinator visitation rate studies.  GPS and GIS will be used to map significant patches of flowers and measure distances from potential nesting sites to foraging areas.  We will also be helping Dr. Steve Travers (NDSU) and a graduate student collect pollinator data at Bluestem Prairie during part of June.

            This project should start either the week of 21 or 28 May and end around the last week of July.  There will be some off days that will extend the time beyond a straight 8-week period.