![]() ![]() Threat: Importation of bumble bees for use in pollination of commercial crops introduces pathogens into the wild.Agricultural and aquaculture side effects.One of the primary concerns for bumblebee species is a shift in the abundance, distribution, and/or phenological synchrony of key forage flowering vegetation, as pollen and nectar availability influences reproduction and overwintering success of queens. ![]() These climate-driven changes may also affect habitat quality and availability. Shifts in temperature, precipitation, and snowpack may affect bumblebee distribution and life history, potentially forcing them into unfavorable habitats, to emerge at non-optimal times (i.e., mismatch with vegetation), and/or affecting energy demands during overwintering periods. In general, bumblebees are likely sensitive to climate-driven changes in nesting, foraging, and overwintering habitat, but detailed information is currently lacking. It may be sensitive to climate-driven changes in dry scrub habitat (e.g., due to increasing fire, altered precipitation and soil moisture), particularly if disturbance events affect ground nests or foraging opportunities in spring and summer. There is almost no information regarding the sensitivity of this species to climate change, particularly in Washington. Additional surveys are needed to determine the location and number of extant Washington populations of Morrison’s bumble bee.įor maps of the geographic range and conservation status of the Morrison's bumble bee and other information, check out NatureServe Explorer and the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Recent surveys reveal significant declines in their numbers, distribution, and ranges. Many previously known strongholds for this bumble bee have been intensively surveyed in recent years without detection the decline in range-wide relative abundance is estimated at 82.6%. Within Washington, Morrison’s bumble bee occurred historically in the Columbia Basin however, only a few recent sightings are known from this region. (2014) describes the historical geographic range of Morrison's bumble bee as being primarily within the intermountain western United States: northern Colorado south to northern Mexico west to southern California and north to southern British Columbia, Canada. The bumble bees' unique behavior of “buzz pollination”, in which they grab onto and strongly shake an entire flower by vibrating their powerful wing muscles, results in large amounts of pollen being released and produces a more complete fruit set than other pollinators, including honey bees. Through their foraging and collection of nectar and pollen they physically transfer the latter between plants, allowing them to reproduce. Males, workers, and old queens eventually die only the newly mated queens are capable of surviving through winter.īumble bees are key generalist pollinators of native plants and agricultural crops. Late in the season, the colony produces males and new queens which mate. Once they emerge from their cocoons, the workers then take over tending and provisioning young, while the queen continues to lay eggs, and typically no longer leaves the nest. In the nest, eggs develop into larvae and then spin cocoons in which they pupate. ![]() Bombus subgenus queens lay eggs in their individual nests and gather nectar and pollen to feed their first brood of workers. In late-winter or early-spring, queens, which are the sole survivors from the previous year, emerge from their overwintering sites to feed on floral nectar, collect pollen, and search for suitable nest sites, which are often abandoned rodent holes. Although habitat loss and insecticide use have played a role in bumble bee declines, their rapid and widespread declines even from apparently high quality habitats support the current prevailing hypothesis that pathogens introduced into the wild from commercial bumble bee facilities are the main factor in declines.īumble bee colonies are annual. However, intensive agricultural development has been shown to result in regional bumble bee declines. Ashrunner's Photo Safaris - Creative Commons Zero Ashrunner's Photo Safaris - Creative Commons Zeroīumble bees are adaptable they do not require native vegetation.
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