[PCA] Fw: [Pollinator] Better Bee-Haviour: From Bees, the USDA and Yes, the EPA

[Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov]

Forwarding a neat article that came over the Pollinator Partnership 
listserve! 
 
The Great Sunflower Project, mentioned in the article, looks like another 
excellent "citizen science project" to be involved in!
        To participate in the Great Sunflower Project, see: 
<http://www.greatsunflower.org/en/four-easy-steps-participate>


Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
US Fish & Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276

Promoting sustainable use and conservation of our native medicinal plants.
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>

----- Forwarded by Patricia De Angelis/ARL/R9/FWS/DOI on 07/22/2009 10:03 
AM -----

"R. Thomas Van Arsdall" <tom at vanarsdall.com> 
Sent by: pollinator-bounces+patricia_deangelis=fws.gov at lists.sonic.net
07/20/2009 12:11 AM
Please respond to
tom at vanarsdall.com


To
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Subject
[Pollinator] Better Bee-Haviour: From Bees, the USDA and Yes,   the EPA






Interesting article by Melissa Waldron Lehner in ?Civil Eats?!  Melissa is 
editor and publisher of the online e-zine Fertile Ground USA, where she 
writes about the latest trends and innovations in farming and food.
 
 
R. Thomas (Tom) Van Arsdall, Director of Public Affairs
   Pollinator Partnership
   O-(540) 899-3023
   C-(703) 509-4746
   tva at pollinator.org
   Pollinator Partnership
   North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC)
 _______________________________________________
Pollinator mailing list
Pollinator at lists.sonic.net
http://lists.sonic.net/mailman/listinfo/pollinator



Better Bee-Haviour: From Bees, the USDA and Yes, the EPA
July 16th, 2009  By Melissa Waldron Lehner

Bees have been dying off in record numbers over the past few years ? some 
American beekeepers have lost anywhere from 30 to 90% of their bees.  The 
situation, termed Colony Collapse Disorder [CCD], has wreaked havoc on 
American agriculture and the $15 billion worth of crops pollinated by 
honeybees every year.

So I did what San Francisco State University biologist Gretchen LeBeun, 
creator of the Great Sunflower Project, has asked. I planted a Lemon Queen 
sunflower. And then I stood there watching for bees. I timed the first 
arrival, 7 minutes, 33 seconds. I stood in my front yard for over twenty 
minutes watching bees circle the new plant, doing loops around the Cone 
flowers and the Tickseed and circling back. Gretchen has asked us 
sunflower-planter participants to time how long it takes five bees to find 
this grand dame plant and then to send in this data via their website, to 
be included in their big research project on the honeybee disappearing 
act, the most mysterious and disturbing event in the world of agriculture 
today. 

Full story: 
http://civileats.com/2009/07/16/better-bee-haviour-from-bees-the-usda-and-yes-the-epa



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