Some of the most important native bees may be living right beneath our feet.
The Back Yard Beekeepers Association will welcome Jordan Kueneman of Cornell University on Tuesday, Sept. 29, for an in-person presentation exploring the world of ground-nesting bees.
Ground-nesting bees make up a significant portion of the native bee population, yet they often go unnoticed because of their solitary behavior and nesting habits. Kueneman will discuss what researchers are learning about these bees, why they choose particular nesting locations and what can be done to protect successful nesting sites.
The meeting will be held Sept. 29 at Norfield Congregational Church, 64 Norfield Road in Weston. Doors open at 7 p.m., giving attendees time to socialize and meet other members of the club. The presentation begins at 7:30 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public, but advance registration is requested. The program will be offered in person only, with no virtual attendance option.
Kueneman is a research associate at Cornell University, where he works in the Danforth Lab in the Department of Entomology. He earned a doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Colorado Boulder, focusing on conservation medicine and host-associated microbiomes under the mentorship of Valerie McKenzie.
Following his doctoral work, Kueneman spent four years at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama studying plant and animal microbiomes. While there, he led a large-scale research project examining bee microbiomes across different life-history strategies, seasons and geographic distributions.
Kueneman now leads Project GNBee, a research initiative focused on understanding why solitary ground-nesting bees form nesting aggregations in particular locations, what determines whether those aggregations remain successful over time and how important nesting areas can be protected.
BYBA members who are unable to attend will be able to view a recording of the program afterward in the Members Only section of the BYBA website under BYBA Presentations. Recordings of past monthly meetings and information about membership are also available on the website.
The Back Yard Beekeepers Association is one of the nation’s largest regional clubs for beekeeping hobbyists, with more than 400 members ranging from beginners to longtime beekeepers. The organization provides a forum for members to share knowledge and interests in beekeeping while educating the public about honey bees and the benefits of beekeeping.
For more information, to register for the program or to learn about BYBA membership, visit backyardbeekeepers.com. Questions may be directed to reg@backyardbeekeepers.com.
