Pollination | A Pollinator Health Podcast

 In this episode of Pollination, host Dr. Andony Melathopoulos talks with Dr. Elizabeth Murray ( Mt. James Entomological Collection, Washington State University) about pollen wasps (Masarinae) and how they represent a rare, parallel shift to bees from carnivory to provisioning young with pollen. The conversation covers pollen wasp origins around 125 million years ago alongside bees, likely in arid Western Gondwana as angiosperms rose, their global but dry-region-biased distribution, low species diversity (

 Christine McDonald discusses her family-run beekeeping operation based in Terrace, British Columbia. Living in a remote area, Christine emphasizes the importance of in-person gatherings for bee education despite the proliferation of online resources. She explains how her family has turned geographical challenges into strengths, mentioning their diverse range of products, including honey and candles, and their reliance on wild forage like fireweed. Christine highlights the seasonal challenges they face, such as preparing colonies for winter and managing a short beekeeping season. She also elaborates on their approach to raising queens and maintaining their operation's sustainability. Additionally, Christine's Instagram presence has become a pivotal part of connecting with the wider beekeeping community. Rushing River Apiaries: https://www.rushingriverapiaries.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rushingriverapiaries/

 This week, we talk with Ryan Lieuallen of Sweet Bee Honey Company in Milton-Freewater, Oregon. Ryan shares insights into the significant challenges and changes within the beekeeping industry, including high winter mortality rates and the potential economic impacts of the Tropi mite infestation. We discuss the emergence of new Varroa treatments and innovative strategies for creating sustainable bee pastures for bees. Explore Ryan's dedication to maintaining a five-generation beekeeping heritage while adapting to future challenges in beekeeping and sustainable agriculture. Link to Sweet Bee Honey Company and how to donate to the Bee Foundation:   https://www.sweetbeehoneyco.com

 In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Zach Portman discusses a new paper addressing the problem of ghost records in bee data. These records often lack physical specimens, creating challenges for verifying data of bee species. Dr. Portman explains the process and complications behind collecting and verifying bee data, emphasizing the importance of preserving specimens. The conversation also delves into the implications of ghost records for conservation efforts and taxonomy, proposing that funding agencies should require proper storage plans for collected specimens. Links: Portman, Z.M., Bruninga-Socolar, B., Chase, M.H., Harrison, T., Arduser, M., Tepedino, V.J. and Cariveau, D.P., 2025. Big data, changing taxonomy, and ghost records: permanent preservation of collected specimens is essential for insect monitoring. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 118(4), pp.331-345: https://academic.oup.com/aesa/article/118/4/331/8197915 https://www.zportman.com

Pollinator Pathway is a national organization dedicated to the establishment of native plant communities for pollinators that are managed without pesticides. It got started in the Western US in Bend, Oregon and this week we hear from two board members, Gwen Bartonek and Lisa Sanco, about the many activities the organization has pulled off in Oregon's High Desert city. Pollinator Pathway Bend: https://pollinatorpathwaybend.org/

Hover flies are everywhere—but most of us don’t even notice them. This week on PolliNation, OSU graduate student Nina Miller unpacks the fascinating world of these bee look-alikes, from their diverse life histories to simple ways you can invite them into your garden. OSU Garden Ecology Lab: https://gardenecology.oregonstate.edu/  

It’s festival season! If you're near Portland or Vancouver, WA, you won’t want to miss the Vancouver Pollinator Festival happening this Saturday, June 21st at Marshall Park. Our guest, Kyle Roslund, founder of the Vancouver Bee Project, joins us to share what’s in store—from garden tours and hands-on activities to a talk by renowned lepidopterist and Xerces Society founder, Dr. Robert Michael Pyle.  Pollinator Festival info: https://pollinatorfestival.org/

 This week we delve into the fascinating world of bee communities in disturbed forests with Dr. Graham Frank, a recent PhD graduate from Oregon State University.  Dr. Frank shares key insights about how bee communities are influenced by different types of disturbances, and what this means for forest management. Frank, G.S., Rivers, J.W., Verschuyl, J., Best, L.R., Betts, M.G., Kroll, A.J., Swanson, M.E. and Krawchuk, M.A., 2025. Comparison of Early Seral Forest Bee Communities Following Clearcutting or Wildfire Depends on Stand Age and Nesting Guild. Journal of Forestry, pp.1-45. Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44392-025-00016-1

 In this episode of the Commercial Beekeeping Zone on PolliNation, we hear from Curtis Miedema, a second generation beekeeper from Barhead, Alberta, and President of North America's only beekeeper's commission. Curtis shares insights into stationary beekeeping and how he fits queen production into an operation focused on honey production. He also discusses the collaborative nature of the Alberta beekeeping community and the role of the Alberta Beekeepers Commission.  Links: https://miedemahoney.com https://www.albertabeekeepers.ca

 We hear from Lincoln Best and August Jackson from Oregon State University this week about an initiative to inventory the bees of National Wildlife Refuges in Region 1 by Master Melittologist volunteers. Link to year 1 report: https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/technical_reports/xd07h2826 

The attention to California almonds, means the pollination of Washington State tree fruits is often overlooked. But the massive pollination effort in Washington is a huge effort and may be facing potential problems. Harry and Andony catch up with commercial beekeeper Tim Hiatt to discuss tree fruit pollination, as well as Tim's efforts to advocate for beekeeping in the Washington legislature.   

This week on PolliNation Itai Kanot and Shelbi Perkins from BeeHero discuss how their in-hive and in-field sensors are improving pollination efficiency by providing real-time data on bee colony strength, benefiting both growers and beekeepers. BeeHero: https://www.beehero.io/

Dr. Diana Cox-Foster joins us to discuss her and her team's research at the USDA on honeybee and native bee competition. From lab tests to field studies, they uncover the effects of this competition on pollination.

Queen Bee Honey Company in Alpine, Oregon built up from a Datsun pickup truck to a commercial beekeeping business. In this episode we hear about how Karen Finley built her business and the increasing problem of lack of summer forage for honey bees in Oregon's Willamette Valley.      

The BEEvent, hosted annually by the Linn County Master Gardeners, provides gardeners and small farmers with essential knowledge and practical tools to support and protect bee pollinators. This week, Master Gardeners Ranee Webb and Rich Little join us to share what's in store for this year's event. Register for BEEvent: https://www.linnmastergardeners.com/beevent Information on Mason bees and BeeNotes: https://www.linnmastergardeners.com/pollinator-info  

While there has been a lot of attention to the plight of wild bees, we are increasingly discovering that there is a lot more that we don’t know. A state checklist of bees is a great starting point for taking stock of what we do know. This week I am joined by Chanda Bartholomew, who is an Entomology Collection Taxonomist with the Pest Program in the Plant Protection Division of Washington State Department of Agriculture. She is the lead author of “An annotated checklist of the bees of Washington state” that was published in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research in November of 2024.  Link to the article: https://jhr.pensoft.net/article/129013/

This week on PolliNation, Fred Weisensee from Dancing Oaks Nursery in Monmouth, OR shares tips on creating a pollinator rock garden using native and exotic plants inspired by Oregon's high-elevation landscapes  Dancing Oaks Nursery: https://dancingoaks.com/?srsltid=AfmBOop6NnUpe5hUTS6OTTJ6rIc96DsuGBJ5Ndz3YCq_cjGiagJD2ZFT

 Karen Pedersen is a fifth generation commercial beekeeper and apiary owner in Cut Knife, Saskatchewan, Canada. Pedersen Apiaries make hundreds of pounds of honey bee colony, while wintering single brood chamber colonies outdoors when temperatures are -30F below. She also leads an impressive stock improvement program. Harry and Andony find how she does it in this week's episode.  Pedersen Apiaries website: http://www.pedersenapiaries.ca Bee Maid Honey Coop: https://www.beemaid.com Harvesting Honey: https://youtu.be/CNc-AfvCgLA?si=I867-OJNHnC4qaA6  

In this episode we learn about an effort to map pollinator habitat, as well as their stories, in Southern Oregon. The Southern Oregon Buzzway is a collaboration between Southern Oregon University and Pollinator Project Rogue Valley.  Pollinator Project Rogue Valley: https://www.pollinatorprojectroguevalley.org/ Southern Oregon Buzzway Map: https://www.pollinatorprojectroguevalley.org/rogue-buzzway-maps Dr. Jamie Trammell's work: https://sou.edu/academics/environmental-science/faculty/e-jamie-trammell/

This week on our Commercial Beekeeping segment, Nick VanCalcar from VanCalcar Apiaries in Amity, Oregon joins us to discuss the importance of doing your own fabrication in beekeeping operations.