Bumble Bee Monitoring

As pollinator populations continue to decline, more attention has been paid to locating and identifying bumble bee (Bombus) populations throughout the Oak Openings Corridor, Pearson, Side Cut and Providence Metropark.  Monitoring by universities and other partner organizations has shown that the parks with healthy spring ephemeral wildflower populations as well as meadows and prairies with abundant summer forage plants yield the most diversity of species.  Abundant early spring wildflowers offer overwintering queen bees the best, ideal sustenance in terms of pollen and nectar as they emerge from hibernation in April and May. The following nine Bombus species have been documented: Eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) (common); Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis) (common); Two-spotted bumble bee (Bombus bimaculatus) (common); Confusing bumble bee (Bombus perplexus) (uncommon); Lemon cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus citrinus) (uncommon); Black and gold bumble bee (Bombus auricomus) (uncommon); Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans) (uncommon); Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus) (uncommon); American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus) (rare).  Since 2017, bumble bee researchers have been facilitating seasonal surveys. Refer to the papers below for more information on an Ohio bee study in 2017 and 2018.

Bumble bee species distributions and habitat associations in the Midwestern USA, a region of declining diversity

Jessie Lanterman Novotny, Paige Reeher, Megan Varvaro, Andrew Lybbert, Jesse Smith, Randall J. Mitchell, Karen Goodell

Biodiversity and Conservation (2021) 30: 865-887 

Habitat Preference and Phenology of Nest Seeking and Foraging Spring Bumble Bee Queens in Northeastern North America

Jessie Lanterman, Paige Reeher, Randall J. Mitchell, Karen Goodell

American Midland Naturalist (2019) 182: 131-159