Good, Good, Good Vibrations: How Some Bees Use Floral Sonication to Bring You Tomatoes, Blueberries and Cranberries!
Stephen L. Buchmann, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor, Department of Entomology and
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
The University of Arizona, Tucson
Dr. Buchmann will talk about the nuances of buzz pollination. In this pollen collecting behavior, certain bees (but not honey bees) turn their bodies into living tuning forks. Powerful sonic energy is transmitted to the pollen grains inside the hollow anthers of flowering plants. Almost instantaneously, a cloud of pollen erupts from the small apical pores in the anthers. The pollen is collected and brought back by female bees to their nests as larval food. Buchmann will explore the evolutionary origins of this fascinating bee behavior, along with the biophysics for bees and flowers. Several videos of sonicating bees are highlighted. If you enjoy blueberries, cranberries, tomatoes, chilies or kiwi fruits, you don’t want to miss this Garden talk.
Dr. Stephen Buchmann is a pollination ecologist specializing in buzz pollination and other native bee behaviors including nesting biology and mate selection. Recent research includes the chemical ecology of oil-producing flowers and their Centris bee pollinators as well as studies of the brood cell microbiomes (bacteria, fungi) of solitary bees who need these microbial partners to remain healthy. He received his B.S. & M.S. degrees in Biological Science from California State University, Fullerton and his Ph.D. in Entomology from UC David. Buchmann is a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London and the author ten books including “The Forgotten Pollinators” and “The Reason for Flowers.” His most recent book “What a Bee Knows” [Island Press (DC) 2023] will be available for purchase and signing by Dr. Buchmann.
Time: August 15th – Book Signing 10:00-11:00am
Lecture 11:00 am – Noon
Location: Udall Building 2nd Floor Conference, 725 Camino Lejo
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