01. An Inventory of Bee and Arthropod Diversity in North Georgia

Abstract

Pollinator diversity is vital to the propagation of plants, not only in their native habitats, but also in modified ecosystems. Pollinator diversity is a reflection of an ecosystem’s health and vitality. We conducted an inventory using different colored traps and one non-painted trap in order to document pollinator diversity in suburban North Georgia. Traps were randomly placed in seven different sample locations. The contents of the traps were sampled every 48 hours for two weeks and individual traps attracted distinct sets of pollinators. The number of captured arthropods was recorded at each site and individual bees were identified to genus. The results of this inventory presented the need for further research into the effects of plant coverage, lawn maintenance, and human development practices on pollinator species diversity as well as pollinator preference in color selection.

Keywords: pollinator, bees, native, Georgia, diversity, arthropods