Monitoring and Habitat Assessment of Declining Bumble Bees in Roadsides in the Twin Cities Metro Area of Minnesota

Status: Complete
Report Date: 06/25/2019

Summary:

Entomologists developed an innovative method for surveying bumble bees alongside roadways. Research shows that MnDOT roadsides offer rich bumble bee habitats. Roadside surveys identified a small number of rusty-patched bumble bees, as well as populations of 11 other bumble bee species or species groups, including another rare and potentially endangered bumble bee. Study recommendations include information on surveying bee habitats and a list of recommended flowering native plant species.

Final Deliverables:

Monitoring and Habitat Assessment of Declining Bumble Bees in Roadsides in the Twin Cities Metro Area of Minnesota (Report #2019-25)
Innovative Research to Improve Bumble Bee Habitat (Research Summary)

Related Materials:

Increasing sampling efficiency of Bombus communities with rare and endangered species by optimizing detection probabilities: A multi-species occupancy modelling approach using roadsides as a case study (News/Publication Article)
Pollinator Habitat (Website)
Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Website)

Related Research:

Project Personnel:

Principal Investigator: Daniel Cariveau
Co-Principal Investigator: Elaine Evans
Technical Liaison: Christopher Smith
Project Coordinator: Elizabeth Klemann
Panel Members:
    Andrew Horton - US Fish and Wildlife Service
    Elizabeth Brown - Environmental Stewardship
    Jim Yankee - Metro District
    John Sander - Metro District
    Paul Voigt - Environmental Stewardship
    Philip Schaffner - Metro District
    Scott Bradley - Mn/DOT Environmental Stewardship
    Tamara Smith -