In "Befriending BumbleBees", you will learn how to raise your own colonies of bumble bees. This step-by-step guide provides you with all the information you will need to find, capture, house, and feed the next generation of bumble bees. Bumble bees are formidable pollinators, pollinating crops such as tomatoes, cranberries, blueberries, and squash, in addition to native wildflowers. Enjoy the benefits these bees can provide to your gardens and crops while helping to support native ecosystems by encouraging populations of these amazing bees.
Acknowledgements
Foreword by Dr Marla Spivak
PART ONE - ABOUT BUMBLE BEES
Chapter 1 - Benefits of Bumble Bees 2
Chapter 2 - How Bumble Bees Live 5
PART TWO - RAISING BUMBLE BEES
Chapter 3 - Which Bees are Best for Domestication 17
Chapter 4 - Catching Queens 20
Chapter 5 - Your Queen's New Home 27
Chapter 6 - Feeding Your Bees 32
Chapter 7 - Encourage and Care for Your Colonies 37
Chapter 8 - Now Go Have Some Fun 43
PART THREE - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Chapter 9 - Natural Enemies and Nest Associates 46
Chapter 10 - Tables 51
Glossary 56
References 59
Index 63