Lindsie McCabe is a Research Entomologist for the USDA-ARS Pollinating Insects Research Unit. Lindsie’s research includes understanding the behavior and ecology of Osmia lignaria to ensure a sustainable population for pollination and to conserve natural resources for this species.

Nina Tran works at Rent Mason Bees as logistics manager, shipping region appropriate mason bees to home gardeners across the country and hand cleaning mason bee cocoons returned from farms and hosts, up to three million cocoons every year. With a BS in environmental science from the University of Washington, Nina works on educating hosts about sustainable practices as well as sustainable gardening by traveling to local nurseries and hosting mason bee events. 

I have worked with blue orchard bees for the past 41 years. 1980-2011 I worked at the Logan bee lab to develop the blue orchard bee into an accepted orchard pollinator. From 2011-2015 I worked on a large farm in the Central Valley of California to develop a program of alternative pollinators to supplement honey bees in almonds and blueberries. Since retiring, I run my own company (Pollination Systems) providing consulting services, and I am the Certification Manager OBA, ensuring sustainable production of orchard bees.

Miranda has been studying alternative crop pollinators since 2020. She began by studying the expanding range of the Squash bee in Oregon for her honors thesis. As a graduate student, she continues studying alternative crop pollinators by researching Osmia bees. She studies the blue orchard bee Osmia lignaria, the summer raspberry mason bee Osmia bruneri, and the blueberry mason bee Osmia ribifloris, for their efficacies in berry agriculture.