Bee populations are in decline worldwide. At UNH, researchers are beginning the first major assessment of diversity in New Hampshire’s bee populations. Part of that effort involves a "bee hotel" at Woodman Farm in Durham.
UNH Biology professor Sandra Rehan says the hotel, made of bricks and wood, will provides a habitat for bees to nest and forage freely. The idea, she says, "is to create and maintain native bee habitats to improve healthy pollinator communities."
According to Rehan, bee populations and diversity have never been measured in New Hampshire. Her lab will document diversity among the state's 250 or so species of bees, and identify bees' habitat preferences. That’s important, she says, because bees are an essential part of maintaining green spaces and agriculture in the state and around the world.
