PNW Bumblebee Atlas Project training offered July 15

Become a Citizen Scientist and learn how to survey bumblebees on Sunday, July 15, at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge.

You’ve heard about struggling pollinators and some of the threats they face. The same story is playing out here in the Pacific Northwest with our native bees, including some of our beloved bumble bees. Idaho, Oregon and Washington are home to nearly 30 species of bumblebees, and several of them face an uncertain future. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Oregon Department of Agriculture, and the Xerces Society have partnered to launch the Pacific Northwest Bumblebee Atlas to help track and conserve these essential pollinators and preserve the buzz in our meadows, gardens and farm fields. Join us for a full day of training where you’ll learn about bumblebees, their status, and how to participate in the PNW Bumblebee Atlas Project.

The Tri-State area is expansive and includes many wild areas, so we need an army of trained volunteers equipped with cameras and vials to spread out across the region to survey it. With your help we can cover all three states quickly, collect high quality data, and contribute to the global understanding of bumble bee distributions, ultimately leading to more targeted and focused conservation.

This day-long workshop will include a classroom session in the morning, followed by a field trip to nearby habitat where we will practice bumblebee identification, survey techniques in more detail, and learn how to do a basic habitat assessment while we sample the local area for foraging bumblebees.

Participants will also learn how to submit data to the PNW Bumblebee Atlas Project, including how to submit observations and habitat data through Bumblebee Watch.

The missing partner is you! Become a citizen scientist today and help conserve our native pollinators!

Cost: Registration is free. Lunch will not be provided, please bring a bagged lunch to the course.

Online Registration: Advanced registration is required, and space is limited.

Contact: Michele Blackburn, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Email: michele.blackburn@xerces.org