Week of April 27, 2025 – May 3, 2025
by David DuBois, Director of Stewardship
Have you ever noticed the bees that swarm in early spring along the Boundary Trail on the way to Phillips Pond? These stingless bees, which are harmless to hikers, love the bare soil in the trail to nest in while they spend their day pollinating plants that bloom in mid-spring including spring wildflowers, wild cherries, and apples. This large aggregation of important pollinators for both wild plants and our food caught the attention of local researchers who identified the trail as a model site for studying these vital insects.
This year we are excited to host research in collaboration with ESF and Project GNBee to better understand why these bees are choosing this site, what bees are nesting here, and what species these bees are pollinating. This aggregation could become a model for understanding how to attract bees to orchards, increase bee habitat in nature preserves, and protect the native diversity that our ecosystems rely on. During the study we ask that no-one disturb the tent trap along the Boundary Trail (see photo below). This simple device will give researchers a much better understanding of what species are using this nesting area and how their timing relates to the species that they pollinate.
For more information on native ground nesting bees check out the community science Project GNBee which are partners in the study of bees here at Baltimore Woods. We look forward to sharing the results with you in the coming months!