In the late 1950's researchers in the western United States designed and built artificial nesting sites for the native alkali bee, Nomia melanderi. The alkali bee, a recognized excellent pollinator of alfalfa, could be attracted to or "seeded" to these artificial sites and within a few years provide large populations of pollinators. During the past thirty years individual alfalfa seed growers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Nevada have rebuilt, redesigned and simplified the original often labor intesive and costly artifical nesting sites. Here I present a summary of these modifications for developing and remodeling artificial nesting sites for alkali bees for alfafla seed production.
Species 1: Hymenoptera Halictidae Nomia melanderi (alkali bee)
Keywords: pollination, alfalfa
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA