This Tricolored bumblebee (Bombus ternarius) seems to be reaching out to us. Will we heed the call? |
With over 300 Vermont species of wild bees, perhaps it is time to name a VT State bee. Students, what do you say?
Vermont designated the honeybee as the official state insect in 1978. With no Vermont wild species represented, might we request the Legislature to create a State Bee designation?
Perhaps a Vermont wild bee species might be chosen to be the official VT State Bee. There are over 300 Vermont wild bee species to choose from.
With over three hundred species of bees in Vermont potentially on the ballot, which would you vote for?
- Encourages us to get to know our wild, native bees as well as to understand their importance to our well-being and what we can do to help them survive if not thrive. To know them is to love them leads to protecting the bees and their habitat. (Educate ourselves about the many different species of wild bees in Vermont, their different behaviors (some social some solitary), their different accommodation needs, varying feeding sources.)
- Knowledge of bees can help remove the fearful stigma that we sometimes erroneously attribute to them.
- With an understanding of the many species of bees, comes appreciation, and even admiration. Observing their lifestyles and behaviors as well as their physical attributes can astound and amaze us. Though all bees have much in common, there are many adaptations amongst each species, making them each uniquely interesting and of specific value.
- “Wild bees perform the majority of all pollination on Vermont farms, whether or not managed honey bees* are present,” said Leif Richardson, an ecologist with UVM’s Gund Institute for Environment and Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. “As an ecosystem service, pollination is worth millions annually. But we don’t know how the loss of native bee species will affect our food supply or overall environmental health.” UVM Gund Institute
- Between 60 to 80 percent of wild plants in our state are dependent on animals, mostly bees, for the 'ecosystem service' of pollination. Whole communities of flowering trees, shrubs, and herbs benefit from their activities—including blueberries, blackberries, and apples. VTF&W
- VT pollinators are in peril. Pollinators are facing the loss of their habitat, particularly wildflowers, to single-crop farming and development. They also face disease epidemics brought into the state by nonnative species. And pesticides, particularly neonicotinoids, are killing pollinators even though they aren't the insects being targeted. VTF&W
- "Hairy Bees This group includes the two most familiar genera - bumble bees and honeybees, plus several similar genera.
- Little Black Bees Nearly half the bee species in Vermont are small and dark. Bees in this group could easily be mistaken for gnats, small flies, or wasps.
- Black and Yelllow Bees A few genera of related bees are boldly patterned with yellow and black. The two most common species in this group are both non-native and found in urban gardens.
- Green Bees These bright green bees are distinctive as a group. Included are four genera with a total of seven species, several of which are frequently encountered.
- Bluish Bees Though not as bright as the green bees, a small number of bees in Vermont have a distinct blue tinge. This group includes two frequently encountered genera, with most species being relatively small.
- Colorful Bees This group includes a wide range of shapes and sizes. All are cleptoparasitic genera that usurp the nests of other bees (think cowbirds). Most species either have large areas of red and yellow or have very short white hairs forming distinct bands or spots."
- Yellow and Black
- Metallic Green or Blue
- Black Thorax (back) Red Abdomen (Belly)
- Long Antennae
- Black with Bright White Stripes of Hair on the Abdomen
- Completely Red
- Triangular or Pointy Abdomen
- Yellow or White Stripes on the Abdomen Itself (not hair bands)
- Extremely Large (bigger than the top of the thumb)
- Gnat-Sized
- Dark Wings
- Really Fuzzy
- Small, Shiny, and Black
- Rusty-patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis), Endangered and Extirpated in VT. Last observed in Vermont in 1999. "Although the exact cause of this crash is uncertain, introduced parasites from imported colonies and pesticide use appear to be two major culprits. Even small amounts [of pesticides] used on lawns and in gardens can negatively impact entire colonies." iNaturalist postings.
- Black and Gold Bumble Bee (Bombus auricomus) Only one record (2006) in Vermont (Button Bay State Park). "May require large hay fields with minimal management." iNaturalist postings.
- Two-spotted Bumble Bee (Bombus bimaculatus) Very common in Vermont. Queens emerge very early in spring, usually before other [Bumble Bee] species. iNaturalist postings
- Northern Amber Bumble Bee (Bombus borealis) Is uncommon throughout the state but can be locally common. In Vermont, they are often found in agricultural settings but also in meadows and fields. iNaturalist postings
- Yellow Bumble Bee also known as Great Northern Bumble Bee (Bombus fervidus) Uncommon in VT, and possibly on the decline. Usually found in open fields and meadows. iNaturalist postings
- Brown-belted Bumble Bee (Bombus griseocollis) Fairly common in VT. Can be found in many habitats including meadows, urban gardens, and agricultural settings. This bumble bee has a short season with queens emerging in May. Colonies sometimes persist into September, but often die by August. iNaturalist postings
- Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens) One of the most abundant species of Bumble Bee in Vermont. Can be found in many habitats, even successful in urban settings. iNaturalist postings
- American Bumble Bee (Bombus pensylbanicus) Once one of the most common Bumble Bee species in the east, but is now uncommon and in decline. The last known record for this species in Vermont was in 2000.
- Confusing Bumble Bee (Bombus perplexus) While this species has shown a slight decline in Vermont, its populations appear stable in other parts of its range.
- Red-belted Bumble Bee (Bombus rufocinctus) A common northern species. iNaturalist postings
- Sanderson's Bumble Bee (Bombus sandersoni) While there is no evidence of decline for this species, B. sandersoni is very difficult to identify (often confused with B. vagans), uncommon in Vermont, and little is known about its ecology. iNaturalist postings
- Tricolored Bumble Bee (Bombus ternarius) This is one of the most common and widespread bumble bee species in Vermont. B. ternarius is often found in urban settings and gardens and is one of the few species of bumble bee that is easy to identify. iNaturalist postings
- Yellow-banded Bumble Bee (Bombus terricola) Once common and found throughout the northeast and south, into Georgia, B. terricola populations have experienced a dramatic decline over the past 15 years, and this species was recently listed as Threatened in Vermont. iNaturalist postings
- Half-black Bumble Bee (Bombus vagans) B. vagans is by far the most common bumble bee in Vermont. This species is found in several different habitats including meadows, roadsides, urban gardens, and it is one of the few species that will readily forage in shaded areas within forests. iNaturalist postings
- Ashton's Bumble Bee (Bombus ashtoni) B. ashtoni is a rare bumble bee and its populations are declining. It is a social parasite and lays its eggs in host colonies to be raised by that species’ workers. As its host species, B. affinis and B. terricola, have declined, so has this parasitic species. This species has not been found in Vermont for over 15 years (1999) and is thought to be extirpated from the state.
- Lemon Cuckoo Bumble Bee (Bombus citrinus) For a parasitic species, B. citrinus is a common bumble bee. iNaturalist postings
- Fernald's Bumble Bee (Bombus fernaldae) B. fernaldae is an uncommon species. Though its hosts are not rare in Vermont, there are few records.
- Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xlocopa virginica) This large, shiny bee is often mistaken for a bumble bee, but is a member of an entirely different genus. Common and widespread. Can be over an inch long. iNaturalist postings
- ***PBS Video “ My Garden of A Thousand Bees” filmed in Bristol, England. If you thought bees behave only by instinct think again. The filming is incredible. See bees like you never have before - an up-close and intimate look at their behaviors and everyday lives.
- List of Vermont Bees Vermont Atlas of Life
- The Bombus Among Us - Bumble Bee Basics. Notes from Heather Holm, biologist, pollinator conservationist, award-winning author.
- Bernie Pets a Bumble Bee - Touching LIFE
- Specialist Bees of Vermont (and associate host plants) Vt C. for EcoStudies
- Pollen Specialist Bees of the Eastern United States Jarrod Fowler & Sam Droege
- Discover bees and other wildlife in your area and report them to the Vermont Atlas of Life on iNaturalist.
- Wild Bee Conservation Including how you can help. Xerces Society
- VT Bumble Bee Atlas Project - Read what they discovered
- What Bumble Bees Need by Judy Sefchick, Wildlife biologist, Missisquoi NWR
- Study Finds Striking Decline of Vermont's Bumble Bees UVM Gund Institute
- Identifying an unknown bee. VT Atlas of Life
- Explore Bees by Habitat VT Atlas of Life
- Explore Specialist Bees by Habitat VT Atlas of Life
- Help to Identify an Unknown (to you) Bee VT Atlas of Life
- Seven Days Article: The Vermont Wild Bee Survey Finds and Identifies Hundreds of Species
- Decline of VT Bumble Bees: Study Reveals Striking Decline of Vermont's Bumble Bees UVM
- The Bees in Your Backyard - A Guide to North America's Bees by Joseph Wilson & Olivis Carril
- Bumble Bees of the Eastern US (PDF - Poster)
- Bumble Bees of the Eastern US Sheila Colla, Leif Richardson, Paul Williams
- Sweat Bees (Halictid Bees) Univ. of Florida
- Bee Basics An Introduction to our Native Bees. USDA Forest Service Partnership Publication
- Bumble Bees of North America (book) by Paul Williams, Robbin Thorp, Leif Richardson, & Sheila Colla.
- A Bee or Not a Bee? New York Times article.
- Can You Pick the Bees out of This Insect Lineup? New York Times interactive article.
- Bee Short Course for Community Scientists (recordings) from The Ohio State University