What is the Great Plains Bumble Bee Atlas?
The Atlas is a community science project aimed at tracking and conserving native bumble bees. The project engages people from North Dakota, South Dakota, and Kansas to help conduct surveys for bumble bees throughout the region. Training is provided to anyone interested in participating, no experience is necessary. The Atlas is a collaboration between the Xerces Society and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
How does the Atlas work?
Community scientists, like yourself, spread out across the region to survey for bumble bees, report your findings, and the coordinators use that information to inform bumble bee conservation. We offer workshops, both in-person and online, that provide you with all of the necessary skills, knowledge and confidence to run surveys independently. Surveys can be run on your own or with a group of people! Survey methods are catch-and-release, so no bees are harmed.
To fully understand how diverse landscapes within the Great Plains—prairies, wetlands, badlands, woodlands, etc.—relate to bumble bees we need widespread participation. The success of the Atlas will come from land owners, agencies, scientists and you joining together to understand the needs of bumble bees.
Why focus on bumble bees?
Bumble bees are charismatic and easily recognizable pollinators thanks to their large size, loud buzz, and distinctive color patterns. They play an incredibly important role in sustaining the health of our environment by pollinating flowers in natural and urban areas, rangelands, and by contributing to successful harvests on farms. Historically, the region is home to 31 species of bumble bees—North Dakota: 25 species, South Dakota: 29 species, and Kansas: 12 species.
Unfortunately, many of our bumble bees are in trouble and face an uncertain future. A recent study led by the International Union on Conservation of Nature’s Bumble Bee Specialist Group—supported by studies led by Dr. Sydney Cameron—and a status review by the late Dr. Robbin Thorp and the Xerces Society, demonstrate that one quarter of North America's nearly fifty species of bumble bees are undergoing dramatic population declines.
The causes of these declines are not fully understood, but the following are likely at fault: habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, low genetic diversity, and the introduction and distribution of pathogens through commercial pollinators. Regardless of the ultimate cause of bumble bee declines, protecting and managing existing habitat or creating new habitat are some of the most immediate and productive steps that can be taken to conserve these important pollinators. That’s where the Atlas comes in.
Why is the Atlas valuable?
In working together, career and community scientists will be able to rapidly grow our understanding of the Great Plains' bumble bees! Our team of researchers will be able to use the new information to assess species distribution, population shifts, habitat and floral associations and more. For example, the data will identify areas that are supporting healthy populations, as well as those in need of restoration or management, and highlight landscape features that are associated with bumble bee habitat. Understanding how species distributions have changed over time, in conjunction with habitat change, will help form accurate predictions as to what we should expect in the future, and aid in the design of effective conservation measures.
With your help, we can quickly cover the entire region, collect scientific-quality data, and contribute to bumble bee conservation. Our effort will help conservation biologists, restoration practitioners, and policy makers do a better job protecting, restoring, and managing effective habitat that support healthy bumble bee populations.
Ready to get involved? See Requirements
The Atlas is a community science project aimed at tracking and conserving native bumble bees. The project engages people from North Dakota, South Dakota, and Kansas to help conduct surveys for bumble bees throughout the region. Training is provided to anyone interested in participating, no experience is necessary. The Atlas is a collaboration between the Xerces Society and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
How does the Atlas work?
Community scientists, like yourself, spread out across the region to survey for bumble bees, report your findings, and the coordinators use that information to inform bumble bee conservation. We offer workshops, both in-person and online, that provide you with all of the necessary skills, knowledge and confidence to run surveys independently. Surveys can be run on your own or with a group of people! Survey methods are catch-and-release, so no bees are harmed.
To fully understand how diverse landscapes within the Great Plains—prairies, wetlands, badlands, woodlands, etc.—relate to bumble bees we need widespread participation. The success of the Atlas will come from land owners, agencies, scientists and you joining together to understand the needs of bumble bees.
Why focus on bumble bees?
Bumble bees are charismatic and easily recognizable pollinators thanks to their large size, loud buzz, and distinctive color patterns. They play an incredibly important role in sustaining the health of our environment by pollinating flowers in natural and urban areas, rangelands, and by contributing to successful harvests on farms. Historically, the region is home to 31 species of bumble bees—North Dakota: 25 species, South Dakota: 29 species, and Kansas: 12 species.
Unfortunately, many of our bumble bees are in trouble and face an uncertain future. A recent study led by the International Union on Conservation of Nature’s Bumble Bee Specialist Group—supported by studies led by Dr. Sydney Cameron—and a status review by the late Dr. Robbin Thorp and the Xerces Society, demonstrate that one quarter of North America's nearly fifty species of bumble bees are undergoing dramatic population declines.
The causes of these declines are not fully understood, but the following are likely at fault: habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, low genetic diversity, and the introduction and distribution of pathogens through commercial pollinators. Regardless of the ultimate cause of bumble bee declines, protecting and managing existing habitat or creating new habitat are some of the most immediate and productive steps that can be taken to conserve these important pollinators. That’s where the Atlas comes in.
Why is the Atlas valuable?
In working together, career and community scientists will be able to rapidly grow our understanding of the Great Plains' bumble bees! Our team of researchers will be able to use the new information to assess species distribution, population shifts, habitat and floral associations and more. For example, the data will identify areas that are supporting healthy populations, as well as those in need of restoration or management, and highlight landscape features that are associated with bumble bee habitat. Understanding how species distributions have changed over time, in conjunction with habitat change, will help form accurate predictions as to what we should expect in the future, and aid in the design of effective conservation measures.
With your help, we can quickly cover the entire region, collect scientific-quality data, and contribute to bumble bee conservation. Our effort will help conservation biologists, restoration practitioners, and policy makers do a better job protecting, restoring, and managing effective habitat that support healthy bumble bee populations.
Ready to get involved? See Requirements
Supported by:
The Nebraska Bumble Bee Atlas is funded through a grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust. The Trust is funded by proceeds from the Nebraska Lottery and has awarded more than $320 million to more than 2,100 conservation projects across the state of Nebraska since 1994.
The Nebraska Bumble Bee Atlas is funded through a grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust. The Trust is funded by proceeds from the Nebraska Lottery and has awarded more than $320 million to more than 2,100 conservation projects across the state of Nebraska since 1994.