1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Buck Sexton and you're listening to the 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: Tutor Dixon Podcast, part of the Clay Travers and Buck 3 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: Sexton podcast Network. 4 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Tutor Dixon Podcast. I'm Tutor Dixon, and 5 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 2: I'm so glad you're here with me today because today 6 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 2: we're learning. So a lot of times we talk about 7 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 2: different subjects, but to me, this one is really important. 8 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: I saw an. 9 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:25,239 Speaker 2: Article in Michigan a few weeks ago about bees and 10 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 2: how important bees are, and to me, I think this 11 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 2: is something that I know very little about that is 12 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:33,599 Speaker 2: a very important part of my life, and so I 13 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 2: wanted to bring on the assistant professor who was quoted 14 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 2: in the article. 15 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 1: Her name is Megan Milbrerath. 16 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 2: She works at Michigan State's Entomology Department and is the 17 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 2: coordinator for the Michigan Pollinator Initiative. 18 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: Meghan, thank you. 19 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 2: So much for coming on and talking to us about this, because, 20 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 2: like I said, I'm afraid of bees, but I think 21 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 2: they're very important and I want you to help me 22 00:00:57,160 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 2: understand why I shouldn't be afraid of them and what 23 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 2: we need to do to keep safe. 24 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 3: Thank you for having me. It's my pleasure to talk 25 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 3: about bees. 26 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 2: Absolutely, I'm excited that you are here. So in your 27 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 2: article you had some really interesting points, and one of 28 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:12,560 Speaker 2: them sort of freaked me out, to be honest, because 29 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 2: it said you have to be really careful about what 30 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 2: kind of pesticides that you're using, even in your yard. 31 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 2: And I think that probably naively, I've felt like, well, 32 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,120 Speaker 2: if I'm using something in my yard, it's not affecting 33 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 2: these bee colonies, but they're coming into my yard. 34 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:29,639 Speaker 1: You went on to say, I mean even weed killers. 35 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 2: So my first question for you is, quite honestly, I 36 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 2: hate mosquitoes. And there's the in the grocery store, there's 37 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 2: always this advertisement for one of those products that you use. 38 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 2: It's like the backyard mosquito killer. Is am I killing 39 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 2: bees when I use that? 40 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 3: All right? I like how we're starting with the really 41 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 3: depressing stuff first. 42 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 1: So it really. 43 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 3: It does depend. So you know, mosquitoes are insects and 44 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 3: bees are insects, and so there are quite a few 45 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 3: things that will affect both, especially if you're doing things 46 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 3: that target adults. There are some things like the dunks 47 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 3: or the ones that you put in the water that 48 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 3: will be Larvale specific, that will be specific for bees. 49 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 3: But yeah, Unfortunately, a lot of the things that you 50 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 3: can purchase directly from any hardware store or garden supply 51 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 3: store can really negatively affect bees, and it may not 52 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 3: be clearly labeled on there that it will. 53 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:32,919 Speaker 1: Have an effect on interesting. 54 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 2: And then when we talk about having an effect on them, 55 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: they are obviously very important, and we are. I mean, 56 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 2: I have four daughters, so every time we're in the 57 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 2: backyard and a bee comes by, we freak out and 58 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 2: we scream, and we are afraid and we're. 59 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: Swatting at the bee. 60 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 2: But in your article you said we don't necessarily have 61 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 2: to be afraid, So explain to me why we don't 62 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 2: necessarily have to be afraid. 63 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 3: Yes, Well, first off, bees take the brunt of a 64 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 3: lot of bad press from wasps and yellow jackets and hornets, 65 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 3: so those aren't technically bees, and they don't really have 66 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 3: a major role in pollination. So there's something completely different. 67 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,679 Speaker 3: Those are, you know, a little more on the territorial side, 68 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 3: or I don't like to say aggressive, I like to 69 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 3: say assertive, because it's their house to you. So the 70 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,239 Speaker 3: ones that are a little more territorial or that tend 71 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 3: to sting are usually wasps, and yellow jackets. Bees, on 72 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 3: the other hand, really have no interest in stinging, and 73 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 3: in the case of honey bees, you know they will 74 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 3: die if they sting you, So for them, it's really 75 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 3: not worth it for them to sting you unless they 76 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 3: or their hive is actually endangered. So when a bee 77 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 3: is out forage only, you know, when it's away from 78 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 3: the nest, it is only interested in finding food and 79 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 3: it really wouldn't be motivated to sting you at all. 80 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 3: You could still get up on it, but in that case, 81 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 3: you know, it's probably kind of deserved that they're going 82 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 3: to die from getting stepped on. 83 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: So how much do we truly rely on bees? 84 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 2: Because I think we think that there are different ways 85 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 2: to pollinate, but really our fruits and vegetables, it's mostly bees, right. 86 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 3: Correct, And it's mostly honey bees. So in Michigan we 87 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 3: have four hundred and sixty five ish species of native bees, 88 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 3: and most of them are solitary bees, and they're beautiful 89 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:30,599 Speaker 3: and diverse. But a few things about them is you know, 90 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 3: they're solitary, so they don't build up in huge numbers, 91 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 3: and most of them are smaller and they don't fly 92 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:39,280 Speaker 3: that far, so for them to be useful for pollination. 93 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 3: They really have to be right on site, and a 94 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 3: lot of the places where we grow food are not 95 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 3: necessarily great for pollinator habitat because we do use pesticides 96 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 3: when we produce foods, and also we've you know, changed 97 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,599 Speaker 3: the landscape and we have a lot of monoculture. So 98 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 3: in most places where we're growing fruits and vegetables, we 99 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 3: are dependent on bringing in European or Western honeybees. So 100 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 3: we have one species of honeybee that we use in 101 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 3: North America and that bee is responsible for almost all 102 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:17,159 Speaker 3: of the pollination that happens for all of our specialty crops. 103 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 3: So all the fruits and vegetables are pollinated by honeybees 104 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 3: where beekeepers are bringing them onto site because we can't 105 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:30,919 Speaker 3: get meat pollination needs by the native bees that could 106 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 3: be in them. 107 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 2: Okay, beekeeping, I met a lot of people when I 108 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 2: was campaigning across the state that are beekeepers, but I 109 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 2: didn't see any These were people that owned other businesses 110 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 2: and then they were beekeepers on the side. It seems 111 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:45,600 Speaker 2: like it's more of a side gig. You don't have 112 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 2: a huge operation of beekeeping. But I'm not sure. Am 113 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:50,600 Speaker 2: I wrong about that is this something that people are 114 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:54,360 Speaker 2: doing as kind of a hobby, but they are helping 115 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 2: the environment. 116 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 3: There's a couple points there. So in Michigan we classify 117 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:01,559 Speaker 3: beekeepers into three groups. So we do have a large 118 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 3: number of hobby beekeepers and the reason you probably met 119 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 3: them is because you know, there's a lot of people 120 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 3: who just want to do it as you know backyard beekeepers. 121 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 3: Then we have a second group, which would be people 122 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 3: with like fifty to five hundred hives, and those we 123 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 3: classify as sideliners. And so that's where I would fall 124 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 3: into where I run a beekeeping business, but I also 125 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:25,160 Speaker 3: have a full time job, so it's my side business. 126 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:28,799 Speaker 3: And then in Michigan we have a group of commercial 127 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:32,720 Speaker 3: beekeepers where and it's unfortunate that you didn't meet them 128 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 3: because there essentially are the backbone of Michigan agriculture. So 129 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 3: we don't have you know, all of the things that 130 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 3: we're known for of blueberry and apples and cherry production, 131 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 3: those are all supported by a group of commercial beekeepers 132 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 3: who provide colonies for pollination services. So they will be 133 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 3: having five hundred to our largest one has we have 134 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 3: a couple above ten thousand colonies and they move them 135 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 3: around the state and indeed the country to provide pollination services. 136 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:08,160 Speaker 2: Really obviously that the hobby folks they keep them on site, 137 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 2: but the commercial they move them around and they'll even 138 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 2: leave the state. Are they then are they going to 139 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 2: different states that are having that are pollinating at different 140 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 2: times of the year. 141 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:21,679 Speaker 3: Yep, exactly. So in the United States we have about 142 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 3: two point six million honeybee colonies and about two million 143 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 3: of those two point six so most of the bees 144 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 3: in the country are out in California in February for 145 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 3: almond pollination, and then a typical route for a beekeeper 146 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 3: that's in Michigan is and that's in February February to March, 147 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 3: and then it's too cold to come back to Michigan 148 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 3: at that point, so they'll go down south, perhaps Florida 149 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 3: or Georgia or Texas, and then they'll build up their 150 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 3: colonies again after almond pollination to get ready for Michigan 151 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 3: pollination like blueberries up cheries, which is basically starting right 152 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 3: now in May. And then after that they'll have to 153 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 3: move out of those areas because this phrase will start 154 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 3: and the food will be gone because bloom will be 155 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 3: over and then they'll go either to wine crop pollination 156 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 3: because that's also really big in Michigan, or they'll go 157 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 3: out to a place where they can do honey production 158 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 3: and then they'll be out there till the fall and 159 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 3: then either go back down south. Or there's a lot 160 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 3: of people are overwintering indoors in sheds now as well, 161 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 3: so it is very It's one of the last migratory 162 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 3: livestock that we maintain in the United States. 163 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 2: It sounds like there's a lot of science behind it, 164 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 2: so you really have to know what you're doing. I mean, 165 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:45,199 Speaker 2: I hear a lot of people say they want to 166 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:49,320 Speaker 2: get into it because we keep hearing that we're losing bees. 167 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 2: Was there a point when we had three million colonies 168 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 2: and we're losing or is that a fallacy that we're 169 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 2: just all afraid of. 170 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 3: No, it's absolutely true. And there's two things. So we 171 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 3: used to have over five million colonies at the end 172 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 3: of World War two and it has dropped down to 173 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 3: the two point six million colonies that's that's maintained over 174 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 3: the last ten years. But what's behind that is we 175 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 3: have really high rates of death. So you know, normally 176 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 3: beekeepers would lose you know ten to fifteen percent of 177 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 3: their animals, just like all livestock things happen. The last 178 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 3: few years, we've been losing thirty to fifty percent every 179 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 3: year and why so there's a combination of things. So 180 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 3: part of it we talk about the big ps, so pesticides, pathogens, parasites, 181 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 3: and foreign autrition and they all kind of work together. 182 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,079 Speaker 3: So you know, we mentioned a little of the pesticide 183 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:47,439 Speaker 3: stress that affects them, and that is significant for honeybees 184 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 3: in particular. We also have a parasite that's got about 185 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 3: a ninety six percent death rate and we don't have 186 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:58,679 Speaker 3: great treatments for it, and it's called the veroamite, and 187 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 3: that's incredibly deadly and we just don't have good tools. 188 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 3: And then we have poor nutritions. So honey bees eat 189 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:11,079 Speaker 3: flowers and so their entire diet comes from flowers. So 190 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 3: the pollen is their protein and fats, and the nectar 191 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 3: is their carbohydrates, and we just keep removing more flowers 192 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:24,680 Speaker 3: from the landscape. And then there's some other pathogens as well, 193 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 3: so different diseases, and that's for the honey bees. The 194 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 3: native bees are susceptible to a lot of the same 195 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 3: things and sometimes are fairy and even worse because you know, 196 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 3: in the case of poor nutrition, they don't have a 197 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 3: beekeeper that will come in and feed them. And so 198 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 3: the native bees, you know, we have a lot of 199 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 3: data on what's happening with the honey bees. A lot 200 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 3: of them. We don't know what's happening to their populations, 201 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 3: just like anything, you know, some of them seem to 202 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 3: be doing okay. So for example, if we just look 203 00:10:56,280 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 3: at bumblebees, there's one bumble bee called Bombus impatience, the 204 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 3: common eastern bumblebee, and that we can can find all 205 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 3: over the place. It seems to be thriving in urban 206 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 3: environments and it seems to be fine. And then there's 207 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:17,959 Speaker 3: another bumblebee called the rusty patched bumblebee that was native 208 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:24,320 Speaker 3: to Michigan that we haven't seen in decades. So it's 209 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 3: on the endangered species lifts and is really suffering. 210 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on 211 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:36,959 Speaker 1: the Tutor Dixon Podcast. What do we do about this? 212 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 2: Because I think that it just doesn't get a whole 213 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 2: out of play, and I don't understand why it doesn't. 214 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 2: I was telling you before we got on, I saw 215 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 2: this night photographer. He's a National Geographic night photographer who 216 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 2: I mean, it's pretty fascinating just to look at his photography. 217 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 2: But he said he follows the migration patterns of birds 218 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 2: and bees because the light pollution has affected how the 219 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 2: birds and the bees move across the country because they 220 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:07,839 Speaker 2: are confused by this. What he said is the LED 221 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,319 Speaker 2: lights are this bright white LED light is confusing them 222 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 2: because they think it's daytime all the time. And so 223 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 2: what he's been trying to talk to people about is 224 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 2: putting softer lights out there. Even the LEDs come in 225 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 2: a softer yellow, which people don't really want because they think, 226 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 2: I want this bright light, but it's actually affecting our 227 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 2: birds and our bees, and. 228 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 1: So I thought that. 229 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 2: So when I saw your article, that's why I was like, 230 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:33,080 Speaker 2: I have to talk to her because I think this 231 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:35,680 Speaker 2: is stuff that we just don't get a lot of 232 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:39,559 Speaker 2: play on. We don't have this community discussion about this, 233 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 2: but we really could be doing things to help. When 234 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:45,720 Speaker 2: you talk about flowers, is it helpful for us to 235 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:48,160 Speaker 2: research this and put these different flowers in our yards? 236 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 2: I mean, what can we be doing to help? Yeah? 237 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 3: Absolutely, And your point about what the photographer said, I 238 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 3: think it's very similar in that, you know, you make 239 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:59,400 Speaker 3: little decisions that maybe don't seem that would be that 240 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 3: big of a kind of all put together, they can 241 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 3: really have a big effect. And the thing that's happening 242 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 3: with the bees, especially the loss of food and habitat 243 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 3: on the landscape, is really caused by you know, lots 244 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 3: of people making land use decisions without really considering the 245 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 3: effect that it will have. The big thing you could 246 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:25,079 Speaker 3: do is plant and to look at things for flowers, 247 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 3: and we maintain there's tons of resources and tons of 248 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 3: groups that can help with planting lists and how to 249 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:33,959 Speaker 3: find plants for pollinators. But it can be just as 250 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 3: simple as you know, choosing what type of tree to 251 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 3: put in. So trees in Michigan aren't incredibly important food 252 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 3: sources for bees. And if you can add in a 253 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:48,679 Speaker 3: pollinator supportive tree when you're making your choice, or if 254 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 3: you're evaluating your lawn, if you look, you can overseed 255 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 3: with white clover, or maybe there's parts that you you 256 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 3: know you can take ten percent and stop mowing that, 257 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,040 Speaker 3: or you can install a rain garden. And we try 258 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 3: to do is to have people to have people We 259 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 3: say you know, just do what you can where you can. 260 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 3: So even if you don't own property, maybe you can 261 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 3: talk to a church or school and have them put 262 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 3: in ten bassot trees that you maintain and really try 263 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 3: to look as you of where you can create habitat 264 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 3: or at least create food resources that are that are 265 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 3: good for bees. When you start seeing, you know, if 266 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 3: you're a beekeeper and you're driving, all you see is 267 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 3: just people mowing or land getting taken from something that's 268 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 3: semi wild and put into asphalt and sod and pine trees. 269 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 3: And we are really quickly and dramatically taking a landscape 270 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 3: that can support pollinators and putting it into things that can't. 271 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:48,239 Speaker 3: And the thing with bees is we can easily coexist. 272 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 3: It's just a matter of you know, putting in lavender 273 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 3: plants across that border on the front, just so that 274 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 3: there's some food sources on the ground when we're taking 275 00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 3: them all. 276 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 2: It's interesting because it's not something that you here anywhere. 277 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 2: I mean, even when years ago when we were putting 278 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 2: our landscaping in, it wasn't something that even the landscapers 279 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 2: were talking about. You would think that that would be 280 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 2: kind of where that would come from. Of we need 281 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 2: to do this, but how do we It seems like 282 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 2: we've lost years of this. I mean, you're talking about 283 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 2: World War two having five million, now we have two 284 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 2: point six colonies. How do we make this conversation bigger? 285 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:25,280 Speaker 2: And obviously that's why I wanted to have you on today, 286 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 2: to make this conversation bigger. But I'm pretty sure you 287 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:30,120 Speaker 2: said something about our rain garden and I don't even 288 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 2: know what that is, So I'm like, how do I 289 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 2: explain this to people? 290 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 3: So I think, I mean, we definitely have a bootload 291 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 3: of resources on our website, which I'll make sure you 292 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 3: can I'm guessing your show notes so that you can share. 293 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 3: But we have a lot of resources on pollinators dot 294 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 3: MSU dot edu. And we also have the Extension Master 295 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 3: Gardeners program, and there's groups called the Wild Ones and 296 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 3: Serxi Society, so there are a lot of people that 297 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 3: have resources. We try to do a lot of training. 298 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 3: We've gotten funding so that we can put education. We 299 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 3: do a lot of education for landscapers, so when they 300 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 3: do their pesticide recertification credits, we do a lot of 301 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 3: trading with them. But yeah, it is it is very 302 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 3: hard to get the information out, especially when you know 303 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 3: it doesn't necessarily financially affect most people directly at the. 304 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 2: Moment, but it will because we won't. I mean, that's 305 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 2: what I want you to get into. So why is 306 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 2: it important that we do this? Because what is at risk? 307 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 3: So right now a lot of the the reason I 308 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:39,320 Speaker 3: think we don't see a lot of what's happening is 309 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 3: because you know, most of our beekeepers are going out 310 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 3: to California to support the almond industry, and almond pollination 311 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 3: prices are quite high, so the beekeepers have been able 312 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 3: to maintain a lot of these threats because they're getting 313 00:16:56,000 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 3: they're able to make up their payments from California almonds. 314 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:04,199 Speaker 3: And you know, everybody watched the news and saw the 315 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:06,720 Speaker 3: weather out in California this year and over the last 316 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 3: couple of years, and it's pretty scary that all of 317 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 3: the bees that we require in Michigan to support our 318 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 3: agriculture are dependent on California almends. You know, it would 319 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 3: be great if they had enough resources and didn't have 320 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:26,159 Speaker 3: to deal with all the deaths and didn't of the 321 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 3: bees and didn't have to necessarily move around, but that 322 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 3: is the way the current is. They are kind of 323 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:36,959 Speaker 3: supported bostry, and you know, those are the bees that 324 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 3: come back to Michigan and pollinate all of our fruits 325 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 3: and vegetables. So that is really what is keeping those 326 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:47,359 Speaker 3: prices reasonable for our food systems. And that's just you know, 327 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 3: they're incredibly important in the agriculture system. But when we 328 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:56,239 Speaker 3: talk about our natural systems as well. You know, if 329 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 3: you go back to like sixth grade and you learned 330 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 3: about food webs, you know, at the autom is plants, 331 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 3: but really what's in there is most of the native 332 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 3: plants require bees or other pollinators to reproduce as well. 333 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:12,840 Speaker 3: So they're incredibly important for us to get fruits and vegetables, 334 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:15,840 Speaker 3: but also just the maintenance of our woods and prairies 335 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:19,440 Speaker 3: and all of our other natural ecosystems as well. 336 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:22,920 Speaker 2: I think a lot of people hear this and they go, man, 337 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:25,679 Speaker 2: I would have to really understand it to do it. 338 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:28,679 Speaker 2: But it sounds like a lot of this is just 339 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:31,920 Speaker 2: adding a few different plants to your garden. And these 340 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 2: are not I mean, when you're talking about lavender, these 341 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 2: are not plants that you have to be tending to. 342 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:38,320 Speaker 1: These are plants that you can put in and they're 343 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 1: going to just grow and thrive and come back every year. 344 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:45,879 Speaker 3: Correct, The perennials are actually ideal, and so it does 345 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 3: take a lot of work to be a beekeeper. But 346 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,880 Speaker 3: one of the things that we educate on is that, 347 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:56,200 Speaker 3: you know, the honey bees are not native and having 348 00:18:56,240 --> 00:19:00,879 Speaker 3: a honey beehive is not helpful for the environment. Lovely hobby. 349 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 3: It can be a really excellent agricultural business, but it 350 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 3: doesn't actually help the bees. You know, even at the 351 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 3: worst case scenario, it can actually be dangerous to have 352 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:18,119 Speaker 3: more or difficult because if you're a hobby beekeeper, you 353 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 3: can actually spread disease to the native bees, or you 354 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,600 Speaker 3: can help spread the disease. I just wow, because just 355 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 3: by having so many more on a higher density of this, 356 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 3: you know, non native insect that does interact with the environment. 357 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 3: You know, you're increasing competition or things like that. So 358 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:40,639 Speaker 3: we really promote that, you know, and I'm saying this 359 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 3: as a beekeeper whose whole life is bees, and I 360 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:47,160 Speaker 3: love being a beekeeper, but I do it as a 361 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 3: agricultural endeavor, you know, if it's a hobby or business. 362 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 3: But when I talk about my conservation work, it is 363 00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:58,399 Speaker 3: really focused on planting and you know you mentioned the perennials, 364 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 3: but honestly, some of the best things are just trees, 365 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:03,920 Speaker 3: and so a lot of the trees and a lot 366 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 3: of it are trees that you know, a lot of 367 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:08,840 Speaker 3: times people think that they can't plant for pollinators because 368 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 3: they don't want to turn their yard into a hippie wonderland. 369 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 3: And you can make choices where you can maintain your 370 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:19,200 Speaker 3: same aesthetic, especially if you look at the trees and shrubs. 371 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 3: You know, so things like bass woods, which I mentioned, 372 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:26,399 Speaker 3: black locust is excellent. A lot of the maples and 373 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:29,880 Speaker 3: elms provide early pollen, but a lot of the shrubs, 374 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:33,959 Speaker 3: and especially if they focus on Michigan natives, those are 375 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 3: ones that are usually adapted to live in this climate, 376 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:38,680 Speaker 3: so they require even less input. 377 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:43,640 Speaker 2: Usually we have I think it's a rhododendron that's blooming 378 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 2: right now, and even in this cold weather that we have, 379 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:48,480 Speaker 2: we have bumblebees all around them. 380 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 3: This is the time of year when what you're seeing 381 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:54,199 Speaker 3: is actually the bumblebee queens will be out, so they 382 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 3: will be the ones that are out looking for nests 383 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 3: and for fruit sources to get the season started. 384 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,240 Speaker 2: Little did I know that I was surrounded by Royalty 385 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 2: every time I walked outside, So that's exciting. I have 386 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 2: really enjoyed talking about this, Like I said, as I've 387 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 2: learned more about our food supply and the importance of bees, 388 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 2: I just think that there's opportunity for us to talk 389 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 2: to people about it. And so what I'm taking from this, 390 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:19,960 Speaker 2: but you can correct me if I'm wrong, is you're 391 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 2: not advocating for everybody to become hobby bee keeper. You're 392 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:27,120 Speaker 2: really saying, look at your own environment, what you can 393 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 2: do to provide more food, and then also be careful 394 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 2: about the chemicals you're using. 395 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:35,119 Speaker 3: Really, no, that's exactly it is. We don't necessarily I 396 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 3: mean it's a lovely hobby and want to be helpful. 397 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,879 Speaker 3: By far. The best thing you can do is, you know, 398 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:44,359 Speaker 3: judiciously use past side, so make sure you're reading the label, 399 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 3: make sure you're only using it when you have to 400 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 3: use them, and trying to minimize anything that would especially 401 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 3: be sprayed on blooms, you know, so if you can 402 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 3: mow or prune ahead of time or spray at night, 403 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:02,160 Speaker 3: you can really reduce exposures. And then just plant plant, plant, plant, plant, 404 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 3: and as many you know, just really evaluate any land 405 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:09,880 Speaker 3: that you have control over any programs that you can 406 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 3: work with and see how we can get more food 407 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 3: and habitat back on land on ground for both both 408 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:19,720 Speaker 3: the honeybees and the native bees in Michigan. 409 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 2: Okay, so give us one more time. That website so 410 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:24,199 Speaker 2: people know how they can look up what plants they 411 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 2: should put in. 412 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:29,439 Speaker 3: The website is pollinators dot MSU dot edu. There are 413 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:32,639 Speaker 3: a lot of resources on there and so on pollinators 414 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:35,800 Speaker 3: dot MSU dot edu and there's a resources and it'll 415 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:40,440 Speaker 3: say planting for Pollinators tab and that'll have planting lists 416 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 3: and recommendations on there and more resources. 417 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:44,879 Speaker 1: Wonderful. I have loved this. 418 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for coming on. I really appreciate 419 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 2: your willingness to come out and chat with us today 420 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:52,320 Speaker 2: and let everybody know how important honeybees are. 421 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 1: I'm just so grateful to you. 422 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:56,679 Speaker 3: Thank you for the opportunity to share with more people. 423 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 3: I love talking about bees and it's great if we 424 00:22:59,160 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 3: can have more people. 425 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,439 Speaker 2: Absolutely. Megan Milbrath, thank you so much. She is an 426 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:07,400 Speaker 2: assistant professor with Michigan State University. This is what she does, 427 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,800 Speaker 2: she studies it and she was so wonderful to come 428 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,119 Speaker 2: on and share it with us today. Obviously, for me, 429 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 2: I'm very interested in this. I want to make sure 430 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 2: that everybody knows, and honestly, I think it will change 431 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:20,640 Speaker 2: how I garden this summer. So thank you so much 432 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:22,760 Speaker 2: for being here, and thank you all for joining me 433 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 2: on the Tutor Dixon Podcast. For this episode and others, 434 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:29,200 Speaker 2: go to Tutor disonpodcast dot com. You can subscribe right there, 435 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 2: or go to Apple Podcasts, the iHeartRadio app, or wherever 436 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:35,440 Speaker 2: you get your podcasts. Make sure you join us next 437 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 2: time on the Tutor Dixon Podcast. 438 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 1: Have a great day.