Are you counting bumble bees?

Great Canadian Bumble Bee Count are asking people to photograph bees in their communities

This appears to be a Half-Black Bumble Bee (Bombus Vagans) photographed at Barriere Forks Park on July 23, 2016.

This appears to be a Half-Black Bumble Bee (Bombus Vagans) photographed at Barriere Forks Park on July 23, 2016.

Great Canadian Bumble Bee Count organizers want to help Bumble Bee Watch’s researchers by seeing how many bumble bees people can find across Canada from now until August 15, when bumble bees are at their most active.

Though there are over 40 confirmed species of bumble bees in Canada, they have little proper monitoring. As many as one-third of North American bumble bee species are in decline.

There are now six wild bee species determined to be critically at risk (assessed by scientists with the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada). They need protection by governments.

Anyone can help keep track of and protect these bees by participating in the Great Canadian Bumble Bee Count and joining Bumble Bee Watch today.  All you need is a camera and some curiosity to find the bees in your town.

To get started or find out more go to: www.foecanada.org/

Please take a picture of any bees you spot over the next few weeks, and record it with the latitude and longitude of where it was spotted under the Great Canadian Bumble Bee Count project code at: www.bumblebeewatch.org.

 

Barriere Star Journal