Follow Appalachian bee news from Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Start with a local report on the bees of West Virginia.
Bee conservation in your region
Appalachian bee news from West Virginia
What is happening to the bees in West Virginia? That question has more than one answer: a beekeeper can describe what happened in a managed hive, while a field observer can tell you which wild bees visited a patch of flowers. Read the regional account below and see which bees it covers.
What lives in the small holes between garden plants?
Mining bees are among the native pollinators found in West Virginia. Many solitary native bees build nests in the ground. Each female can tend her own nest even when other bees use the same patch of soil. On a spring walk, watch from the path to see whether bees return to separate entrances. Keep a note of the date and the flowers nearby.
West Virginia University Extension guide to insect pollinators
From the archives
Appalachian bee news archive
What’s happening to the bees in West Virginia?
Our pollinators have declined due to habitat loss, use of pesticides, invasive species, climate change, pathogens and diseases, among other factors. Managed colonies of European honey bees have suffered a 50% decline in recent decades, with approximately one in three hives being lost each winter between 2006 and 2014.
Read the source articleLocal News. Local Action.
Help pollinators thrive where you live
Explore regional conservation news, share reliable resources, and support programs that turn awareness into healthier habitat.