It's Not Just About the Flowers: The important role of sand and soil in where bees thrive

Soil might not be the first thing you think of when you think about bees—but for most species, it’s home. In this episode, Dr. Marissa Chase shares new research from Minnesota prairies showing that soil sand content, not floral abundance, is the strongest predictor of where bees live. We explore why sand specialists don’t always choose the sandiest sites, what this means for rare and specialized species, and why many restoration projects still struggle to attract the bees they’re designed for. This episode will change the way you think about bee habitat—from the flowers we plant to the ground beneath them.