The goal of this project is to inform the use of native habitat reconstruction in farmland to benefit native BEE communities, colonies of managed bees, and beekeepers, while maintaining agronomic…

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Iowa State University of Science and Technology $749,328 on September 15, 2026, under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI, CFDA 10.310) to study the effectiveness of prairie strips—native habitat patches planted within corn and soybean fields—in supporting native bee and managed honeybee populations while sustaining agronomic benefits to farmers.

The project addresses three knowledge gaps: whether prairie strips deliver net benefits across bee species when pesticide costs are factored in; whether landscape context affects those benefits depending on proximity to other pollinator habitat; and whether managed honeybees compromise benefits to native bees. The research will work directly with farmer-cooperators to test these questions and will disseminate findings through field days, presentations, and extension publications. The work responds to documented declines in bee populations linked to conventional monoculture farming and pesticide use.

Performance occurs at Ames, Iowa, with a period of performance from award date through September 14, 2029.

The goal of this project is to inform the use of native habitat reconstruction in farmland to benefit native BEE communities, colonies of managed bees, and beekeepers, while maintaining agronomic benefits to farmers. Conventional farming practices, which typically involve growing crops in monocultures and using pesticides, have been linked to declines in BEE populations. Prairie strips – small patches within soybean and corn rowcrops planted to native, perennial grasses and forbs – are a conservation practice increasingly adopted by farmers. They offer a promising avenue to mitigate BEE declines while also providing long-term agronomic benefits to farmers. Prior studies indicate that prairie strips can attract native bees and benefit honey beekeeping, however, major knowledge gaps remain. Specifically, 1) do prairie strips always result in net benefits, or can pesticide costs outweigh improved floral resources, depending on the BEE species?, 2) does the landscape context matter for net benefits, that is, whether prairie strips are isolated or near other pollinator habitat?, and 3) does the presence of managed honey bees, while providing a desirable added agronomic benefit, compromise prairie strips benefits to native bees? Our study aims to answer these questions to inform best management practices; importantly, we will fulfill these goals working directly with farmer-cooperators. We will communicate results with stakeholders through field days, presentations, and extension publications. This project directly aligns with program priorities by furthering insights into the drivers of BEE declines in farmland and by enabling farmer-led conservation efforts.