Pollinator dietary analysis

Declining pollinator populations in the United States are attributed to multiple stressors, including the loss of quality forage. Habitat management in agricultural areas often targets honey bees specifically, with the assumption that native bees will benefit from an “umbrella species” strategy. We tested this theory using a conservation physiology approach to compare the effects of landscape composition and floral dietary composition on the physiological status of honey bees and Melissodes desponsa within a highly developed agricultural area in eastern South Dakota. We tested the hypothesis that a more diverse agricultural landscape and access to more diverse forage resources would contribute to a greater overall macronutrient status in these pollinators. By comparing the physiological status of a managed and native bee coexisting in the same region, we aim to translate these results into proactive management strategies for a region identified as important for pollinator conservation.