Canada: Wild bees are under threat from domestic bees, invasive species, pathogens, and climate change—but we can help

Canada is home to more than 800 species of wild bees—few may have noticed the diversity of native bees buzzing around, but bees play a significant role in the survival of native plant populations.With changes in climate, habitat loss, pesticide use and pathogen spillover, some of our native bees are in decline.Our research takes place along a section of the Niagara Escarpment, which features a huge diversity of native plants, many microclimates, and lots of natural land that makes ideal habitats for wild bees.The vast majority of wild bee species are rare. More than 200 species live in the habitat-rich forests, fields and neighborhoods around Hamilton and McMaster University, where they are the subjects of our research.In Ontario, there are many different types of bees, including bumblebees, carder bees, carpenter bees, cellophane bees, cuckoo bees, leaf cutter bees, long horned bees, mason bees, mining bees, sweat bees and yellow-faced bees.Many of our wild bees are solitary, ...