Dr. Mogren is an assistant researcher of pollinator ecology at University of Hawaii Manoa, with a research program focused on how nutrition can be used to increase pollinator health to mitigate stress caused by pesticides, parasites, and disease. After receiving her PhD in Entomology from UC Riverside, she went on to two postdoctoral positions with the USDA-ARS in Brookings, SD and the LSU AgCenter in Baton Rouge, LA. She currently serves the beekeeping community of Hawaii with a 60% research and 40% extension appointment.

Listen in to learn the relationship of pollinators with native flora and fauna of Hawaii, and what is being done to aid local agriculture and beekeeping.

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“A lot of the plants [in Hawaii] evolved with bird and beetle pollinators, there’s only one native genus of bee.” – Dr. Christina Mogren

Show Notes:

• What kinds of pollinators are native to Hawaii
• How their isolation on the island has affected the evolution of Hawaii’s only native bee
• Why Hawaii is one of the leading places to grow queens
• What makes Hawaii’s relationship with varroa unique
• How Christina is developing educational resources for Hawaiian residents interested in beekeeping
• How the volcanic activity affects pollinators
• Some of the unique crops that Hawaii hosts
• How having pollinators present influences the crop yield
• The problems that some of the local crop present that could be solved with other bee species

“We have a lot of seismic activity, and when you have those, it turns into sting central. Bees don’t like volcanoes either.” – Dr. Christina Mogren

Links Mentioned:

• • Learn more about Hawaii’s extension service, Mālama Pua: Helping Hawai’i’s Pollinators
  • Christina’s favorite pollinator resources:
    • Book recommendation: Farming with Native Beneficial Insects (Xerces Society)
    • Tool: iPhone
    • Favorite pollinator: Ceratina smaragula (introduced to Hawaii from SE Asia)
  • Connect with Dr. Christina Mogren at University of Hawaii Manoa