By Dr. Kelley Tilmon
An array of bee and fly pollinator species are found in soybean, and can enhance yield even though soybeans are self-pollinating. I will be conducting a study this summer to identify pollinator insects in Ohio soybean and I’m looking for cooperators with appropriate field sites for insect sampling. Fields can be conventional or organic, but cannot be planted with an insecticidal seed treatment (fungicide is okay). The minimum field size is 500 x 500 m (about 62 acres) to be able to sample far enough away from field edges. The sampling device is a metal stake with a “bee bowl” mounted on it, posted at various intervals up to 250 m into the field. These stakes can be removed when equipment needs to go through. We will sample from R1 through R4. Either my program or ACRE interns will check traps twice-weekly to collect trapped pollinators.
“Bee bowl” pollinator sampling device in soybean.
Kelley Tilmon is the new field crop extension entomologist at OSU/OARDC. For the past 10 years she served at the soybean entomologist at South Dakota State University before joining the faculty at Ohio State in January 2016. In her new position she will conduct extension and research on soybean, corn, wheat, alfalfa, and other field crops.