Each year, Wildlife Preservation Canada (WPC) hosts and assists with multiple Bumble Bee Community Science Programs throughout Canada. These programs allow community volunteers to learn the ins and outs of bumble bee surveying and identification so that they can conduct their own surveys to contribute valuable ecological data to bumble bee conservation! One of these Community Science Programs is run by Claremont Nature Centre which is owned and managed by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). In 2023, WPC assisted in hosting a workshop to kick off their Bumble Bee Community Science Program for the year. The success of this workshop could not have been possible without the outreach funding support offered by the Entomology Society of Ontario. With this funding we were able to hold a full day event to train all the volunteers interested in being a part of this awesome opportunity to survey bumble bees throughout the summer!

The workshop was held on July 15th at Claremont Nature Centre in Goodwood, ON. We kicked the day off with a presentation to get all the volunteers up to speed on bumble bee biology, the program protocols, and bumble bee identification. The volunteers learned the differences between bees, wasps, and flies and some general background on bumble bees. One fact that volunteers don’t always realize is that there are actually around 46 bumble bee species in Canada! It is also important to highlight that bumble bees are seeing global declines, therefore making the data collected from these Community Science Programs all the more important. After learning more about bumble bee biology we then move into general tips for identification and a guide on how to tell queens, workers, and male bumble bees apart. This section of the presentation is always the most anticipated and creates the greatest excitement as volunteers get to learn the many different species that can be seen right here in Ontario.

For the volunteers to feel confident when going out for their own surveys, we make sure to go over every detail of the program protocols as well. Volunteers are provided with equipment when they arrive for their surveys and are given a chance to survey for bumble bees using an insect net. Once they catch their bees, they are then instructed to take photos of all the individuals to be uploaded to Bumblebeewatch.org, where experts such as the staff at WPC will identify each observation. Bumble Bee Watch is an integral part of these programs as it allows volunteers to not only have their bee identifications confirmed by experts, but it also allows the data to be shared across the platform with many scientists and landowners in North America. Bumble Bee Watch helps conservation in many ways including using it to assess species status, monitoring species’ ranges, and supporting policy discussions.

In the afternoon, after the presentation, we held a ‘bee walk’ where volunteers were given equipment and finally able to practice their surveying skills. They are taught different ways to catch the bees in their nets, how to vial the bees, and finally how to take photos that will allow accurate identification of the bee once it is uploaded to Bumble Bee Watch. This includes getting many angles of the bee so experts can see all the colouration and features such as the side, back and face of the bee. Unfortunately, the weather on the day of this workshop was overcast and rainy, however we were still able to catch multiple bumble bees and make the most of the day. A memorable observation was a yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus) queen which is known to be a rare species and had all the volunteers excited to practice their new identification knowledge!

Overall, these Community Science Programs are invaluable to research and conservation programs. Since bumble bees are relatively easy to identify through photos, it makes it more accessible for volunteers to be involved. Researchers are of course limited by time, availability, and funding therefore, volunteers can increase search effort and provide site species data in areas like the Claremont Nature Centre. These programs also offer an opportunity for engagement and connection to others in the community that have similar interests. Claremont Nature Centre is a great place to host this program due to its diverse ecosystems such as meadows and woodland, which are both valuable habitat for bumble bees. Because of the training at this workshop, volunteers were able to submit 102 observations to Bumble Bee Watch which included 9 different species. They also found two different species at risk including one sighting of the American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus) and three sightings of the yellow-banded bumble bee (Bombus terricola). These are amazing findings and are a testament to not only the great habitat at Claremont Nature Centre but also the success that these programs can have. Although the 2023 Community Science Programs have wrapped up for the year there are many opportunities to join these programs in 2024! If you are interested in participating in the Claremont program or any of our other community science programs in 2024, please reach out to pollinators@wildlifepreservation.ca.