Several years ago, while on a favorite trail where the wildflowers grow in abundance, I came across John Kolts while he conducted a field study for The Xerces Society, a nonprofit science-based organization working to conserve pollinators and their respective habitats. In a recent post on the Methow Nature Notes Facebook group, John revealed the Methow Valley is home to 21 species of bumble bee. In John’s area of study here in the Methow Valley, bumbles bees are the predominant pollinators.
To begin a day of study, John walks a hectare and makes note of all the plants in the observation area. He records the geographic coordinates, terrain, habitat and weather conditions. Using a large net, he gently scoops up a bumble bee and deposits it in a small numbered tube that is placed in a rack in a cooler. Once the bumble bee enters a temporary chill-coma, John is able to closely photograph the bee for later identification. He’ll place the bee on an igneous rock composed mostly of quartz and snap a few quick shots before the bee warms up and flies away.
Each Bombus species differs by color patterns, hair length, and cheek length. Only females carry pollen and can easily be identified by the pollen balls on her legs, formed by mixing pollen with nectar to create a sticky ball.
The Western bumble bee, B. occidentalis, is a candidate for the Washington state endangered list. If you see this species of bumble bee, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife requests finders record their observation at https://wdfw.wa.gov/get-involved/report-observations.
The more elusive species is the Forest bumble bee, Bombus sylvicola, only found at high altitudes. John found one at Maple Pass. The most common bumble bee in our area is the Vancouver bumble bee, B. vancouverensis. The species of concern — at high risk — is the Western bumble bee, B. occidentalis.
According to the Xerces Society, the Western bumble bee was common throughout North America until 1998, when the species started a drastic decline. The major threats to bumble bees are pesticides, habitat destruction, climate change, and commercial bee rearing that introduce diseases. Western bumble bees were once very common and now are nearly impossible to find.
Local backyard conservationists can help the bumble bees and fellow pollinators with a few easy actions. The number one thing people can do is to reduce chemical use. Do not spray flowering fields or trees with pesticides. The next action is to procrastinate yardwork. Most bumblebees overwinter in debris piles. Put off raking, burning, tilling, and mowing until late May when hibernating bumble bee queens leave their winter nests. Let dandelions and clover flower for a week before mowing. These are two early bloomers that pollinators depend on.
Turn down the lights at night. Plants regenerate nectar at night, and they need darkness to create phytochrome, a compound that regulates blooming. Plant native flowers: Oregon grape, lupine, larkspur, and paintbrush. Other garden herbs and ornamentals that are attractive to pollinators are ornamental sage, sunflowers, zinnias, lavender, and raspberries.
To find out more about the bumble bees categorized in your area, visit www.bumblebeeatlas.org.
All around us, we see the results of species decline. Hawkwatch International recently announced they will no longer conduct research on Chelan Ridge due to declining raptor counts. It will take a sea change of legislation and actions by large corporations to reduce impacts to species, but in the meantime, everyone can do our own small part to contribute to the conservation of healthy ecosystems: reduce insecticides, turn down the lights at night, plant bloomers, and wait until end of spring to clear out debris piles.
