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Researchers tell Senate Agriculture Committee Treasure Valley has dozens of native bee species; warn of pollinator losses
Summary
Dr. Ron Bittner described a USDA-funded survey of pollinators in the Treasure Valley, reporting roughly 6,000–8,000 specimens collected, at least 76 species identified locally, and concern about habitat loss and large honeybee colony declines.
Dr. Ron Bittner, a pollinator researcher, told the Senate Agriculture Committee that a recent specialty-crop grant-funded survey in the Treasure Valley collected between 6,000 and 8,000 bees and has identified at least 76 species so far. He said Idaho has more than 700 known bee species overall and that most of the specimens collected in the valley were ground-nesting bees.
Bittner described methods used in the survey—color pan traps (white, blue and yellow) filled with soapy water—to sample native bee diversity across multiple crops and noncrop habitats. He said the project worked with Oregon State and the College of Idaho, cataloged thousands of specimens and is still processing identifications. "We collected somewhere between 6 and 8,000 bees total," Bittner said. "Right now, he's up to 76 species of bees in the Treasure Valley." (identification performed with partners at the Utah State USDA bee lab.)
Bittner told the committee his fieldwork shows heavy ongoing loss of habitat to development in Canyon County and surrounding areas. He warned the loss of native-bee habitat reduces redundancy in pollination services and increases reliance on managed honeybees—an increasingly fragile resource. He cited a Honeybee Coalition figure presented during his remarks indicating roughly 1,100,000 honeybee colonies have been lost nationally (speaker attribution: Honeybee Coalition sample reported to committee by Bittner).
Bittner urged the state to support a coordinated Idaho bee atlas, expanded research, and more citizen-science participation to map pollinator diversity and quantify potential economic impacts for crops that depend on insect pollination. He said 90% of the bees collected were ground nesters and described projects to encourage farmers to plant flowering strips or stagger bloom to support pollinators. "We can't afford to lose all pollinators," he said.
Committee members asked about photography and outreach materials, distinctions between wasps and bees, how beekeepers rebuild colonies and whether human or robotic pollination is a practical alternative. Bittner said rebuilding honeybee stocks is time-consuming and costly and that robotic alternatives are not ready at scale.
Ending: Bittner invited committee members to visit field sites and said he expected to return with further results and requests as the survey team completes identifications and economic analysis.
