06/03/2026
We have some good news for your Wildlife Wednesday. A declining bumblebee is alive and well at two of our nature preserves! Swipe through to see the queen Bombus pensylvanicus, American Bumblebee, gathering pollen.
Our native bee survey turned up this rare species at Betley Woods at Glacier's End. Not only is it listed as state-rare in Indiana. It is also being reviewed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife for potential federal listing, which would give it a federally protected status.
Our team earlier found the same species in Founders Fen, a wetland property that isn't open to the public due to the sensitivity of the site.
Until the 1990s, this was considered the most common bumblebee in the eastern and central U.S. But its numbers have dropped by an estimated 89% compared to other species found in similar habitat.
As generalist bees, B. pensylvanicus can collect pollen from a wide range of plants. In spring, the emerging queen builds a colony. The nest is typically right on the surface of the ground (or sometimes underground). Each fall, the queens for next year, called gynes, mate and find a suitable place to overwinter. Meanwhile the rest of the colony dies off, including the queen that started the colony.
The queens typically overwinter on the surface of the ground or just under, in leaf litter or similar material that will protect them from harsh conditions. (This is why it is important to leave the leaves!)
The species faces many threats: pesticides, habitat loss, climate change, and disease introduced by non-native bee species.
One way you can help protect it? Join your local land trust! Your donation will protect and restore habitat like that of Betley Woods and Founders Fen. You can give species like this a fighting chance! Find out how at https://conservingindiana.org/donate-to-cilti/ 🐝
Sources: NatureServe Explorer, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Many thanks to Indiana Academy of Science and Indiana Land Protection Alliance - ILPA for helping to fund our native bee survey work!
