Connecting People and Pollinators Through Studying Ground-Nesting Bees

Most native bees nest underground, yet their nesting ecology remains one of the least understood aspects of pollinator biology. This talk introduces Project GNBee, a community-science initiative designed to document where ground-nesting bees live and how their nesting patterns connect to pollination services in agricultural and managed landscapes. We explore the diversity and ecological importance of ground-nesting bees, highlight their role in pollinating specialty crops, and discuss the economic value of native pollination services. Emphasis is placed on practical methods for documenting bee nesting aggregations, including habitat, soil, and phenology data collection, and on how growers, land managers, and community members can actively participate in Project GNBee to help advance research, conservation planning, and farm management.