Participate in Bumble Bee Community Science

If you’ve been looking for a way to get hands-on involvement with wildlife conservation, this is for you!

Wildlife Preservation Canada (WPC) has been running Bumble Bee Community Science Monitoring Programs across Canada (primarily in Ontario) since 2015. These programs aim to train volunteers on how to survey for and identify bumble bees at specific locations independently over the summer. Volunteers follow individual program protocols, photograph individuals and submit observations to Bumble Bee Watch for verification by experts. Every year, WPC continues to lead or partner on more community science programs, with the hope of expanding across Canada in the future.

Looking for a program in your area?

Pinery (Ontario)

Ontario Program Coordinator, Tiffani Harrison, demonstrating survey techniques at the 2022 Pinery Training Workshop © Sarah Knoerr

WPC piloted their first program at Pinery Provincial Park in Ontario in 2015 (the last known location of the rusty-patched bumble bee in Canada, and the Ashton’s cuckoo bumble bee in Ontario) and it has been successfully running since. The program runs at Pinery Provincial Park (Grand Bend, Ontario) from late June to early/mid-September, with the training workshop happening late June. A variety of sites exist across the park from volunteers to choose from. To-date, 10 species have been observed at the park including the assessed to be Special Concern, American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus). As of 2022, this program has contributed a total ~3350 valuable observations to the Bumble Bee Watch platform –making up ~19.2% of all Ontario observations!

Interested in getting involved?

Sign-up for our 2024 Pinery Bumble Bee Community Science Training here.

Email pollinators@wildlifepreservation.ca

At-risk and locally uncommon species found through the program at Pinery Provincial Park

Claremont (Ontario)

Lead Biologist Sarah MacKell showing bumble bees at the 2022 Claremont Training Workshop ©Sarah Knoerr

This program began in 2022 in partnership between TRCA and WPC. In 2022 volunteers recorded 11 species, including the Special Concern yellow-banded bumble bee (Bombus terricola), and the Special Concern American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus). In 2022, volunteers contributed nearly 250 observations to the Bumble Bee Watch Platform.

At-risk and locally uncommon species found through the program at Claremont Nature Centre

Glenbow (Alberta)

Ontario Program Coordinator, Tiffani Harrison, leading the 2019 training workshop at Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park Workshop ©Julia Millen

In partnership with the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation, this program began in 2017. The program was on hold during the COVID-19 Pandemic but was excitedly restarted in 2022. This is currently our only program outside of Ontario. Volunteers have recorded 18 species in the Park, including the Threatened western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis), the Special Concern yellow-banded bumble bee (Bombus terricola), and the Endangered Ashton cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus bohemcius). As of 2022, volunteers have contributed ~700 observations to the Bumble Bee Watch platform –making up ~19.4% of all Alberta observations!

Interested in getting involved?

Stay tuned for updates

or email experienceglenbow@grpf.ca

At-risk and locally uncommon species found through the program at Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park

Don’t see a program in your area?

Feel free to make a suggestion for potential locations or organizations for WPC to partner with via email pollinators@wildlifepreservation.ca

Bumble Bee ID Cards

We have created ID cards for some regions in Canada. Download to your phone or to save and print at home.

Download ID Cards

Bonnie Zand

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