Mountain States Bumble Bee Atlas Training

When: Aug 3, 9am-2pm

Where: Museum of Natural History

REGISTER HERE!

The Mountain States Bumble Bee Atlas is a collaborative effort to track and conserve the bumble bees of Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. This in-person workshop will give you the knowledge, skills, confidence, and enthusiasm to become a bumble bee atlas volunteer!

For the outdoor portion of the workshop, please come prepared with good walking shoes, sun protection, water, and snacks. Collecting equipment (nets, vials, ice, camera, data sheets) will be available, but feel free to bring your own!

The workshop is limited to 30 people, so reserve your spot today!

Training Information

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, and by contributing to successful harvests on farms. Our mountain states region is home to up to 32 different bumble bee species; at least six of these species are experiencing population declines. Existing data suggests that many species of bumble bee face an uncertain future, but we often lack the data needed to implement effective conservation measures.

To tackle this gap in knowledge, the Mountain States Bumble Bee Atlas is a community science effort aimed at gathering the data needed to track and conserve bumble bees. Community scientists spread out across our project states to survey for bumble bees and report back whatever they find! Surveys can be run on your own or with a group of people. Survey methods are catch-and-release, so no bees are harmed. All you will need to participate in a survey is an insect net, vials or jars, a decent camera (cell phone cameras work!), data sheets (provided on the website), internet access for data submission, and a way to get to your survey sites.

With your help, we can cover this large and diverse region of the country, collect scientific-quality data, and contribute to bumble bee conservation! This project joins a growing nation-wide network of Bumble Bee Atlas projects managed by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and partner organizations.

This workshop will cover everything you need to participate in the Mountain States Bumble Bee Atlas: how to follow Atlas protocols, complete a survey, and submit data. We will also cover bumble bee ecology and conservation. Anyone with an interest in bees and a desire to help them in a hands-on way is encouraged to attend—no prior experience needed!

Agenda

• Module 1: Bumble bee biology and project background (classroom)
• Module 2: How to participate in the Mountain States Bumble Bee Atlas (classroom)
• Lunch Break: Please bring your own lunch and snacks
• Module 3: How to catch and photograph bumble bees (outdoors)

Instructor

Amy Dolan (she/her), Endangered Species Conservation Biologist, Mountain States Bumble Bee Atlas, the Xerces Society

Amy joined Xerces in June 2024 to coordinate the Mountain States Bumble Bee Atlas in Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. The goal of the project is to engage with agency partners and community scientists to gather data on bumble bee distribution and habitat needs across the region. Amy has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Wisconsin Lutheran College and a master’s degree in entomology from Montana State University. Her masters project was “The Bumble Bees of Montana.” Much of Amy’s career has been spent in education—as a middle and high school science teacher, outdoor educator, and youth crew leader. She is excited to explore the diverse landscapes of the mountain states while connecting with new people and sharing her love of bumble bees.

Partners

This training is a collaboration between the Xerces Society and the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History. It is supported by the US Bureau of Land Management.