University of MN Bee Squad

06/17/2026

Even bees need an umbrella on rainy days!

06/10/2026

Do you want to collect data to help bumble bees this summer? 🐝

We are hosting a field training for our Nest Quest program next Wednesday, June 17th, from 5-7pm at North Mississippi Regional Park. 🌳⛅

Nest Quest is a public participation science project focused on finding and describing bumble bee nests. At this training, you will learn how to survey for bumble bee nests and practice your questing with plenty of time for questions. Light refreshments will be provided.

Register for this training online at https://nestquest.umn.edu/events 📝

05/21/2026

Honey bees in our observation hive got VIP (Very Important Pollinator) treatment from TSA on their way to an event celebrating World Bee Day at MSP Airport! We heard from staff that they've had plenty of weird items come through the screening line but live bees were a first...

05/20/2026

05/15/2026

Busy day for foraging bees!

05/15/2026

New research from the University of Minnesota shows that consumers show a strong willingness to pay for produce grown using practices that support pollinators.

To learn more about the study, visit the link below.

New research from the University of Minnesota offers encouraging news for specialty crop growers interested in pollinator-friendly production. The study was conducted in summer 2025 by Research Fellow Gigi DiGiacomo and Dr. Chengyan Yue as part of a larger project, Buzzing with Potential: Exploring....

05/14/2026

We are leading a pollinator identification workshop!

Join us on June 6th from 9am-4:30pm at the Minnesota Zoo.

Join experts from the University of Minnesota's Native Bee Lab, along with some of the Minnesota Zoo's Naturalists and Pollinator Conservation Team, for an in-depth, hands-on exploration of pollinators and other floral visitors. Explore key characteristics and basic biology of different pollinator groups and how their adaptations influence their ecosystem connections. 🦋🐝🌻

Registration is open through June 1st.
Fee: $120 for Zoo members; $130 for Non-Members (includes Zoo admission after the workshop).

Register here: https://mnzoo.org/adult-birding-nature-walks/ .
We hope to see you there! 😊

05/12/2026

The Rusty Patched Bumble Bee is one of North America’s most endangered bumble bees, so every sighting matters, especially a queen.

This queen was recently spotted in rural Linn County, Iowa, searching for a nest site under logs and leaf litter in an upland forest. Once established, her colony will produce workers later this summer. Interestingly, queens do not have the signature “rusty patch” seen on workers and males.

Rusty-patched bumble bees have also been reported this year in Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, the Twin Cities, and southeastern Minnesota. You can explore sightings through iNaturalist and Bumble Bee Watch.

Learn more about the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee: beelab.umn.edu/rusty-patched-bumble-bee

Photo credit: Sami Dolan

05/05/2026

‘No Mow May’ began the conversation, but ‘Slow Mow Summer’ is the goal. Bees need food all season long, not just in spring. Let lawn flowers bloom before you mow, and keep stems and leaves in place a little longer.

Mow less. Grow more. Help bees from spring through fall.

Learn more at z.umn.edu/slow-mow-summer

05/04/2026

You can help bumble bees this summer by joining Nest Quest! Nest Quest is a public participation science project tracking bumble bee nesting and characterizing nesting habitat. Data you collect will help protect and expand homes for bumble bees. 🐝🌱🌾

Attend our upcoming virtual training on Thursday, May 7th from 5:30-7pm to learn how to participate.

To learn more and to register for this training, visit nestquest.umn.edu.

We hope to see you there! 🐝🌱🌾