The Marist apiary club, Spartan Bee-Cause, is transforming the current Marist campus into a bee friendly campus by improving bee habitat and boosting bee biodiversity.

 

Ninety percent of plants need to be pollinated to reproduce and grow. Seventy five percent of food crops depend on insect pollinators. Honeybees act as the major pollinator of Oregon crops with over 80,000 colonies in the state that pollinate our fruit trees, vegetable seeds, legumes and berries in sequence between March and August each year. In addition to honeybees, there are many other bees to be considered. According to the Oregon bee project, an Oregon State University led initiative, there are approximately 630 species of wild bees in Oregon. Their frequency, range, pollen and nectar requirements, pollinating habits and reproduction methods remain incompletely understood. What is known, however is that in order to survive and thrive bees require adequate nesting substrate, access to nutrients and drinking water. It is important that pollen and nectar sources be diverse with differing flower types/shapes that both long and short tongue bees can access. Furthermore, flowering overlap should occur between February and October and ideally include both native and exotic flowering plants including bulbs, shrubs and trees. 

 

Currently, bee populations face significant challenges as a result of pesticide exposure, lack of adequate habitat, and the slow spread of exotic bees and bee disease. 

 

Using structured guidance through the Bee Steward Program at Oregon State University, https://extension.oregonstate.edu/bee-steward, and program faculty advisor Dr. Andony Melathopoulos, Bee-Cause club members assessed the Marist campus for bee habitat and diversity of pollen and nectar sources as well as flower overlap. Complimentary plant species were identified and recommended for procurement and planting. Additionally, a habitat assessment was performed to ensure adequate nesting habitat exists for bee species such as bumble bees, mason bees, mining bees, leafcutter bees and other less common species. Habitat improvement projects have been planned and will be led by the Spartan Bee-Cause. Club members are holding fundraisers and working with Swarm, an Oregon Nonprofit Corporation, to meet additional financial needs for this project.

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