Getting the Good Bugs: How to Farm for Beneficial Insects and Biodiversity – KVMR Community Radio kvmr.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kvmr.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Benefits of Bee Habitat Go Beyond Pollination
Monday Jan 25th, 2021
News Reporter With California Ag Today, I’m Tim Hammerich.
Building bee habitat is a great way to bring in pollinators, but its benefits go way beyond pollination, says Xerces Society senior pollinator conservation specialist Jessa Kay Cruz.
Cruz… “So in addition to obviously the marketing benefits, a lot of the habitat and the plants that support pollinators also support other beneficial insects. So like natural enemies of crop pests, lady beetles, lacewings, parasitic wasps. You know, if you re a total bug geek, you could just go down the rabbit hole here. But it s just seeing, you know, all of those insects are attracted to the same type of habitat, floral resources, all of that. And so farmers really will benefit by the ecosystem services that both pollinators provide, but also all of these other beneficial insects.”
Bee Better Certified Vineyards
News Reporter With California Ag Today, I’m Tim Hammerich.
Some California winegrape growers looking to improve the environment and differentiate their products are looking to a lesser known certification: Bee Better Certified. Offered by the Xerces Society, the certification program is open to all crops, says senior pollinator conservation specialist Jessa Kay Cruz.
Cruz… “I think not surprisingly like each cropping system has some challenges and limitations in order to become Bee Better Certified. So this particular project is funded by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).”
The project Cruz is referring to there involves certifying vineyards. The hope is this will lead to more bee habitat, and Bee Better Certified wine.