[Pollinator] FW: Solitary Bee Nesting Block

[Jennifer Tsang]

  _____  

From: mailman-bounces at lists.sonic.net
[mailto:mailman-bounces at lists.sonic.net] On Behalf Of Davis, Robin
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 1:24 PM
To: pollinator-owner at lists.sonic.net
Subject: Solitary Bee Nesting Block

 


Patent Title: Solitary Bee Nesting Block 


 


Northern
<http://www.ars.usda.gov/pandp/locations/locations.htm?modecode=54-00-00-00>
Plains Area 


 

Logan,
<http://www.ars.usda.gov/pandp/locations/locations.htm?modecode=54-28-00-00>
Utah 

See also: US
<http://164.195.100.11/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1
&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1='6364738'.WKU.&OS=PN/6364738&RS=PN/
6364738>  Patent Office Full Record 

 



Patent Number: 6364738
Docket Number: 13800
Serial Number: 9726873
Date Patented: 04/02/2002


Solitary Bee Nesting Block 

Technology Description:

ARS scientists have developed a durable nesting system that imitates the
comforts of the blue orchard bee's natural habitat. This development will
allow farmers to tap into the benefits of this highly efficient agricultural
pollinator. Blue orchard bees offer significant increases in pollination
levels in orchard crops like cherries, apples, almonds and pears. Blue
orchard bees have not been widely commercialized due to lack of a suitable
nesting system to raise the bees. In nature, the bees build their nests in
abandoned beetle burrows in timber and dead trees. Other commercially
available nests are expensive to produce or less durable. This modular,
lightweight plastic block provides about 49 7.5-millimeter holes on front
and back. The blocks interlock so that orchard farmers can add as many
blocks as they need--about 12 blocks per acre is sufficient for optimal
pollination. This invention is affordable for small farmers. 

This technology will give farmers an alternative to honey bees, whose
commercial availability is declining due to increased management costs for
controlling Varroa, trachael mites and Africanized honey bees-which are not
a threat to blue orchard bees. Blue orchard bees can be used on their own or
together with honey bees in the same orchard. Blue orchard bees don't
produce honey.

Reference: 

Please refer to Patent Number 6,364,738, "Solitary Bee Nesting Block,"
which issued on April 2, 2002.

Inventors:


Jordi Bosch Gras
Bee Biology and Systematics Lab
Logan, Utah 84322  
(435) 797-2588 / Fax: (435) 797-0461 
nomada at biology.usu.edu 

Lamar Chet Kendell
Kendell Orchards
785 East 3000 North
North Ogden, Utah 84414
(801) 781-4856


William P. Kemp
(Same as first inventor)

 

 

 

 

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