News

First and foremost, we hope you are staying well. Despite the challenging circumstances of 2020, it was a big year for Crown Bees - not only for our team but for our community of bee raisers who helped provide bee houses and spread awareness of the importance of our solitary bee species. Thank you for making this year possible and for being part of this incredible community. A glance at what you had helped us accomplish in 2020: This year, you installed 4,000 new houses and supplied over 1.2 million unique nesting holes for hardworking bee mothers across the U.S. You raised over 1.2 million...

Each month our Bee Informed Blog highlights current news, science, and research related to solitary bee conservation, food insecurity, and sustainability. 1. How You Can Help Count and Conserve Native Bees New York Times - The U.S. National Native Bee Monitoring Research Coordination Network (RCN). This project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and led by a team of researchers from U.C. Riverside, is a new approach to monitoring native bees. From 2020-2023, native bee biologists from across the U.S. will work together to develop a national plan for native bee monitoring. The plan will include components such as monitoring protocols and the designation...

Native plants are plants that have evolved over hundreds or thousands of years in particular regions or ecosystems. In the United States, only plants found in this country before European settlement are considered native. Native plants provide numerous benefits: Native plants provide nectar, pollen, and seeds that serve as food for native insects, birds, and other animals. Non-natives do not always provide the necessary nutrients for our native animals to thrive. Native plants can help you save money and water. Since native plants are adapted to local soils and climates, they don't require as much water and fertilizer as non-natives....

Each month our Bee Informed Blog will highlight current news, science, and research related to solitary bee conservation, food insecurity, and sustainability. 1. What effect will the 2020 fires have on bees? This article, published by Oregon State University Extension Service, discusses the effect of forest fires on bees, how bees respond to the land destroyed by fire, and how individuals can help bees while also protecting their property from future fires. 2. Will Putting Honey Bees on Public Lands Threaten Native Bees? In this article, published at the Yale School of the Environment, scientists warn that the introduction of honey bees...