Maria van Dyke M.S.

Research & Outreach, Department of Entomology, Cornell University

Ms. van Dyke is a plant and native bee ecologist focused on understanding the life histories of native bees in order to better provide them ideal habitats through conservation and restoration. She comes with several years of habitat restoration experience to draw on. Healthy native bee communities are heavily linked to the proximity of floral and nesting resources as well as their ability to deal with temperature and moisture in their nests. Bees are constantly making choices to this end. The pressures from pests, pathogens and land development in urban and rural landscapes are heavily impacting the choices bees and other pollinators have, and ultimately their health. Through outreach education Ms. van Dyke seeks to bridge the knowledge gap between research findings and the public, including policy makers, by increasing the understanding of native bee biology and ecology.