Observational analysis of native bee pollinators in both rural and urban landscapes

Pollination is crucial within both agricultural and urban settings. We depend upon pollination services for the crops we eat so understanding the diversity and behavior of bees is crucial for us to be able to implement sustainable management practices for bee health and supporting their conservation. As our climate changes we have also been exposed to the potential crisis of insect declines, and bees in particular, so there is a greater need for non-lethal methods of collecting data to support our food systems. The objective of this study was to collect observational data on foraging behavior of native bees using a catch and release method which will allow identification of the bees in two different landscapes. We observed native bees at the School Organic Lunch Farm & CSA in Hackettstown, New Jersey as well as within three gardens in the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space in Manhattan, New York City to draw comparisons on pollinator diversity and to highlight the species of interest that could be valuable for conserving in these two landscapes.