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Bumble Bees of Virginia

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Bumble Bees of Virginia Many bumble bees WHAT CAN YOU DO? VIRGINIA WORKING LANDSCAPES are in decline. Plant native plants! Bumble bees need a stable source of nectar and pollen throughout the growing season, so plant a B u m b l e B e e s suite of native flowers that bloom from early spring to fall. Native plants are recommended because they are beneficial to other insects and wildlife as well. For tips on gardening with native plants, visit the of Virginia Virginia Native Plant Society’s website at: www.vnps.org Bombus impatiens colony, T’ai Roulston Reduce or stop using pesticides! If you use pesticides, visit www.xerces.org to learn Bumble bees are invaluable pollinators. We which chemicals are the most toxic to bees and rely on them to pollinate our fruits, vegetables, how and when to apply pesticides in order to and thousands of native plant species. minimize impacts to bees. Many of our North American bumble bees are Protect the nest! experiencing steep population declines. For Bumble bees nest in the ground during the summer example, the once common Bombus affinis, the and queens overwinter just an inch or two below the rusty-patched bumble bee, has declined by soil’s surface. If you see an area of your yard with a lot of bee activity, do not disturb it if possible. Post- roughly 80% and is only found in isolated areas pone tilling and other soil disturbance practices in within its historic range. Threats to bumble this area in the early spring to allow queens to bees include parasites, disease, habitat loss, emerge. climate change, pesticides, and invasive species, among others. Become a volunteer! Participating in citizen science-based projects is a The bumble bees featured in this pamphlet are great way to assist in the monitoring of long-term all found in Virginia. If you are interested in trends of native bee species. Bumble Bee Watch is learning how to identify our local bumble bees, an important national monitoring project that allows start by observing the markings of each citizen scientists to submit online sightings and photo- species. Most Bombus species can be recog- graphs at www.bumblebeewatch.org. nized by the pattern of the yellow and black Virginia Working Landscapes is currently monitoring bands on their thorax and abdomen. bee populations across 13 Virginia counties in an effort to understand the long-term trends of relative abundance and species composition. To become a VWL Citizen Scientist, visit us on the web at www.VAWorkinglandscapes.org! www.VAWorkingLandscapes.org Bombus griseocollis on butterflyweed, Charlotte Lorick www.Facebook.com/VirginiaWorkingLandscapes VIRGINIA WORKING LANDSCAPES Bumble Bees of Virginia Black and gold bumble bee Common eastern bumble bee Brown-belted bumble bee Two-spotted bumble bee Bombus auricomus Bombus impatiens Bombus griseocollis Bombus bimaculatus Uncommon; visits bee balm Common; a commercial pollinator Common; visits milkweeds, Common; Found on thistles and nightshades. of greenhouse tomatoes. thistles, sunflowers. and clovers. Tongue length: long Tongue length: medium Tongue length: medium Tongue length: medium American bumble bee Rusty-patched bumble bee Half-black bumble bee Bombus pensylvanicus Bombus affinis Bombus vagans Uncommon, possibly in decline, Rare, in decline, Common; seen on milkweeds, species of conservation concern; species of conservation concern; meadowsweet. visits vetches, goldenrods, clovers. visits sunflowers, goldenrods. Tongue length: medium Tongue length: long Tongue length: short Sanderson bumble bee Yellow bumble bee Confusing bumble bee Lemon cuckoo bumble bee Bombus sandersoni Bombus fervidus Bombus perplexus Bombus citrinus Uncommon; visits bee balms, Uncommon, possibly in decline; Common; found on St. John’s Widespread; parasitizes beard tongues, apple trees. seen on honeysuckles, thistles. Wort, honeysuckles. B. impatiens, B. vagans. Tongue length: short Tongue length: long Tongue length: medium Illustrations by Steve Buchanan, courtesy of the Pollinator Partnership .
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