Bumblebee on yellow coneflower (Echinaecea paradoxa), a North American native species, in Ipswich (Courtesy of Carl Jappe)
The Beecology Project collects data from citizen scientists throughout the state who upload videos from their cell phones for species verification. The graphs show the decline of many bumblebee species vs. historical data, as well as the growing dominance of Bombus impatiens. The low elevation data suggest what species are possible on Cape Ann, but there is presently no one collecting data here. Any volunteers? (used with permission from Dr. Robert Gegear/Beecology Project)
Bombus bimaculatus visiting catmint (courtesy of Norman Levey)
Bombus fervidus feeding on the nectar of cow vetch (Courtesy of Norman Levey)
Bombus griseocollis on spotted knapweed (Courtesy of Norman Levey)
Bombus impatiens visiting shrubby St. John's wort (Courtesy of Norman Levey)
Bombus perplexus (Courtesy of Norman Levey)
Bombus vagans visiting wild bergamot (Courtesy of Norman Levey)
This bumblebee (Bombus impatiens), visiting a globe thistle at Long Hill in Beverly, is the most common native bumblebee species in our area. The number of bumblebee species on Cape Ann is essentially unknown. (Courtesy of Carl Jappe)
The number of bumblebee species in Massachusetts is declining even as the abundance of one species, Bombus impatiens, is skyrocketing. This slideshow features the work of the Beecology Project and one of its most productive citizen scientists, Norman Levey of Lincoln, who has personally identified and confirmed seven species of bumblebee in his local area. Norman is also a veteran birdwatcher and compiler of the annual Concord Circle Christmas Count.
