Joan Milam Participates in Comprehensive, Statewide Study of VT's Wild Bees
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A decade-long effort to document Vermont's wild bees has uncovered nine species never before recorded in the state, bringing Vermont's known total to 352—the highest among northern New England states. VermontBiz reported on this effort, which resulted in the first comprehensive, statewide bee checklist since 1962.
Joan Milam, an adjunct research fellow in the College of Natural Sciences's Department of Environmental Conservation and a bee researcher specializing in native bee taxonomy, biodiversity, and conservation, was part of a team of scientists from across the Northeast who developed the study, which drew on nearly 80,000 records. Many of these records were contributed by community scientists, highlighting not only the remarkable diversity of Vermont's bees, but also the value of everyday Vermonters documenting the pollinators they encounter.
The findings provide an important baseline for understanding how Vermont's bees may respond to climate change, habitat loss, flooding, pesticides, and other pressures—and underscore the need to protect the state's surprisingly rich native bee population.
Learn more about this study at VermontBiz.