The conservation of pollinators is an important topic and while participating in the UNCP Campus Garden & Apiary project, we have seen firsthand the benefits of pollinators to the environment. The 2018-2019 Campus Garden & Apiary interns have researched bees, pollen, and the benefits of pollinators. The interns have worked in the field and in the lab. Three undergraduate research posters were presented this year at the PURC Symposium, thanks to the hard work and dedication of both interns and mentors. In the future, other students will have many opportunities to also conduct research at the UNCP Garden & Apiary. Research is conducted in many different areas including but not limited to: entomology, botany, genetics, and geology.

The UNCP Campus Garden & Apiary support faculty and student-led research, citizen science projects, gardening, and beekeeping. The undergraduate research projects represented at PURC were: Comparisons of Native Bee and Honeybee Floral Preferences for Pollinator Conservation, Utilizing Habitat Enhancements as a Conservation Management Tool to Promote Pollinator Populations, and Differences in Pollen from Southeastern North Carolina Bee Hives in the Same Environmental Conditions. The UNCP Campus Garden & Apiary undergraduate researchers were Brandon Herron, Cody Eubanks, Abigail Canela, Brandon Le and Sally (Cook) Cannon. The faculty mentors were Drs. Kaitlin Campbell, Martin Farley, and Rita Hagevik. The UNCP Campus Garden & Apiary are currently working on several citizen science projects, which include: The Great Sunflower Project, The Great Pumpkin Project, Native Bees and The Bumblebee Watch Project.

For additional information on how to become a part of the UNCP Campus Garden & Apiary contact any of the faculty mentors or interns or check us out on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (Facebook: @UNCPCampusGarden; Instagram: uncpcampusgarden;Twitter: @UNCPGarden).

Downloadable photos of the research interns are available below.

Article written by Brandon Herron