These 5 Bee-haviors Save Bees

These 5 Bee-haviors Save Bees

By Elizabeth Argyle

If you like chocolate, coffee, or produce, then you like bees! Bees belong to a group of animals called ‘pollinators’, which includes bats, hummingbirds, and insects that assist in plant reproduction by carrying pollen from one plant to another. Agapostemon_texanus_FPollinators are responsible for the production of approximately 1/3 of the food on our plates. Populations of bees and other pollinators are quickly declining, but you can help bring them back!

There are two types of bees in the United States: bumblebees and solitary bees. Bumblebees live in colonies dominated by a queen bee and include hundreds of her workers. There are over 45 different species of bumblebees found in the U.S. Solitary bees make up the majority of native bee species found in San Diego. These bees are ground-dwelling and find homes in logs and tree hollows. There are about 4,000 species of solitary bees in the U.S. Unfortunately, all of these bees are at risk due to human impact. 

Toxic pesticides, loss of habitat, and Tetraloniella_davidsoni_Fcompetition from invasive species all play a role in bee population decline. All of these factors can be drastically reduced with your help!

  1. Use natural pesticides (non-toxic) to avoid harming important pollinators such as bees.
  2. Plant native plants to provide nectar (food) for the bees.
  3. Create nesting sites (habitat) out of bare ground and fallen branches for native bees.
  4. Pull invasive plants (non-native), which welcome invasive animals that outcompete or prey upon native bees.
  5. Donate to help save bees. Your donation will fund our Native Pollinator Garden, which provides food and homes for pollinators while teaching visitors about the importance they play in our lives. 

Living in harmony with bees will not only create a healthier ecosystem but also help ensure our favorite foods stay on our plates! 

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Elizabeth Argyle has her Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution from the University of California, San Diego. Her passion for science, conservation, and education led her to fall in love with the San Diego community and inspired her career working as an Education and Guest Experience Manager at the Living Coast. 

Recognizing Flying Mammals

It’s Bat Appreciation Day!

Did you know that there are bats on Sweetwater Marsh? Bats utilize the Marsh for foraging and roosting, including one bat of special significance, the pallid bat. Up until the 1980’s, records indicate that Sweetwater Marsh was likely home to a pallid bat colony, but they have not been seen in the area since. In 2015, a single pallid bat was identified less than a kilometer from Sweetwater Marsh. The Living Coast Discovery Center, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Cabrillo National Monument, and the San Diego Natural History Museum will be conducting surveys to learn what bat species can be found here and see if the pallid bat is making a comeback in the area. Our bat studies will contribute to a regional conservation effort and teach the public about the importance of bats and other local pollinators. After the studies are complete, the Living Coast will work with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create a threat reduction and management plan to make our local habitat better for bats. We look forward to sharing updates on what we find as we research this important species.

Pallid Bat monitoring at the Living Coast Discovery Center is supported by SANDAG as part of their TransNet Environmental Mitigation Program (EMP) land management grant program.pallid bat

Guess What’s Blooming?

20170209_090046The Del Mar manzanita is one of the rarest plants we have on site. It grows only in San Diego County and a limited area of northern Baja. It is most commonly found in the Del Mar coastal area,

hence its name. It prefers to grow on rocky outcrops and ridges. Like other manzanita, as well as other chaparral and coastal sage scrub plants, it has a tenacious basal burl, which resprouts after the plant burns. By this strategy the manzanita survives wildfire. An evergreen, it has reddish brown bark and gnarly limbs, typical of manzanita. The flowers are small, urn- shaped, vary in color from white to pink, and dangle upside down. It is listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as Endangered.

The Living Coast is home to many native plants that are endangered, threatened, and seen in very few parts of San Diego County. Visiting the Living Coast in the spring is almost like visiting a completely different planet. The amount of diversity and bright, blooming flora against the backdrop of San Diego Bay will take your breath away.

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