What is the Bumble Bee Recovery Program? Since the 1990s, bumble bee numbers have been plummeting, and that spells ecological disaster. Ninety per cent of all flowering plants — including most of the fruits and vegetables in your fridge — need these pollinators in order to reproduce.
Until the causes of these declines can be reversed, conservation breeding and reintroduction is the only way to safeguard at-risk bumble bees. Today, WPC is the only organization in Canada rebuilding wild bee populations through conservation breeding. Thanks to recent breakthroughs, we’ve figured out how to dramatically increase the number of queens we produce. Once they’re released into the wild, they can establish their own colonies, producing hundreds of pollinators to sustain the ecosystems around them.
On sunny days, hopes are high for the Sudbury bumble bee field team as we head out to conduct population surveys. Our site notes from previous teams give us an idea of what habitat features to expect: lawns packed with blooming dandelions for example, and lots of bumble bees to catch, identify, and release. With so much in our favour, what are the odds that the final piece – something completely outside of our control that can make or break our bumble bee survey – won’t fall into place?
The odds it turns out… are very high.
The opportunistic nature of many of our field sites, whether they are local playgrounds or police station lawns, means their time as suitable bumble bee foraging grounds is fleeting. Quite often we arrive at a site only to find that the lawn of dandelions we were once promised had just been mowed or that the field of flowers we were meant to be surveying has been developed into a parking lot. In times like these, with not a single bumble bee to be found, we turn to areas with more permanent flowering fields and trees.
A very typical survey site – a playground’s surrounding lawn – that would be covered in dandelions if it hadn’t been very recently mowed. Good luck finding any bumble bees here.. Photo by Anja Groenweg.
These sites are often made up of a diverse wildflower community with species blooming at different times of the year. This provides pollinators with consistent and reliable sources of nectar and pollen. Surveying the same site just a few short weeks apart will reveal a complete shift in the flowers bumble bees are visiting.
The tri-coloured bumble bee (Bombus ternarius) foraging on willow catkins is a common sight in early spring surveys. Exactly one week later, the blooming landscape has already changed. Photo by Spencer Postma.
A common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) is seen foraging on serviceberry flowers, which quickly become the new favourite. Photo by Anja Groeneweg.
In contrast, our more transient habitats tend to lack this stability but are not without potential. After all, there’s a reason these playgrounds and lawns remain on our site lists. These spaces are widespread and often already host pollinators. By taking inspiration from the relatively undisturbed sites that stay consistent year after year, we can make a big difference for pollinators by making small changes to how transient suburban areas are managed.
Allowing more wildflowers to grow, even on the fringes of greenspaces, provides additional nectar and pollen sources for bumble bees living near these maintained lawns. Since common dandelions are often found blooming in these areas beginning in May, sometimes the best move is to step back and allow them to persist rather than cutting them down. This is especially important earlier in the spring when there are only a few other flower species in bloom. Though the common dandelion is not native, their widespread abundance can be helpful to bumble bees during this crucial time of year. Reducing lawn mowing and other disturbances around this time ensures an early source of nectar and pollen for bumble bee queens emerging from a long winter spent underground.
Striking a balance between accessible green spaces and ecologically rich habitats is more than possible, even with modest efforts. The cherry on top will be the delighted bumble bee conservation technicians documenting diverse bumble bee communities, improving our ability to monitor these essential pollinators.
Anja joined the Native Pollinator Initiative in 2025 as a Bumblebee Conservation Technician. Currently completing an undergraduate degree in Zoology at the University of Guelph, she has experience in wildlife rehabilitation and veterinary clinic settings. Growing up with a deep appreciation for native wildlife, she is excited to contribute to conservation efforts for at-risk species and encourage others to value the species that live alongside us.
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