Effect of cutting native prairie for hay on bees

Previous research has shown that non-crop habitat is important for pollination services from bees. One potential habitat is prairie. Native prairie is being used for agricultural purposes. One such purpose is hay production as feed for livestock. The impact of cutting native prairie for hay is not clearly understood. Four native prairie hay meadows were sampled over three years to determine whether or not hay cutting impacted activity density or community composition. Treatments consisted of the standard management practice of one cut per year, two cuttings per year, and an uncut control. During the three-year sampling period 2,311 bees from 26 genera were collected. Estimates of yield were collected as well. Average bees per trapping day were 9.5, 8.8, and 19.5 for 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively. Drought conditions experienced in 2012 and 2013 appeared to have depressed bee activity density. However, activity density rebounded in 2014. There were no observable differences in activity density or in community composition. No significant difference in prairie hay yield was observed between one and two cuttings per growing season.