{"id":2916,"date":"2014-01-21T11:56:49","date_gmt":"2014-01-21T17:56:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/?p=2916"},"modified":"2017-04-30T08:46:39","modified_gmt":"2017-04-30T13:46:39","slug":"celebrating-bumblebees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/field-station\/bug-of-the-week\/celebrating-bumblebees\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating Bumblebees (Family Apidae)"},"content":{"rendered":"
Howdy, BugFans,<\/p>\n
It looks like fun to be a bumblebee, and the BugLady can hardly pass one by without taking its picture. A BOTW in 2008 covered the lifestyle of bumblebees, and another in 2009 showed bumblebees negotiating Bottled gentian flowers. BugFan Andy, who is also a bumblebee fan, wrote and suggested an update.<\/p>\n
[metaslider id=2923]<\/p>\n
Here are some Fun Facts about Bumblebees:<\/p>\n
[metaslider id=2918]<\/p>\n
But, as Joni Mitchell used to sing, \u201cDon\u2019t it always seem to go, that you don\u2019t know what you\u2019ve got till it\u2019s gone.\u201d There are some Not-So-Fun Facts about bumblebees, too.<\/p>\n
Can we help BBs and other native bees? We certainly can.<\/p>\n We can census them by participating in Citizen Science efforts like the Great Sunflower Project\u2019s Backyard Bee Count<\/a> and by checking pollintor conservation<\/a> to see if they have other surveys in the area.<\/p>\n We can plant clumps of bee-friendly, native plants that have different heights, shapes, colors and blooming seasons. Plant enough, and you\u2019ve created a habitat, and butterflies and birds will be happy, too.<\/p>\n Heard of bird houses and bat houses? Here are two plans for DIY bee shelters from Dragonfly Woman: New Bee House<\/a> and Bee House From Recycled Wood<\/a>.<\/p>\n Many native bees nest in the ground or in dead trees. Can you spare a patch of lawn? Rototill or spade up a small area on the lawn\u2019s edge and see what comes in. Leave a dead tree standing.<\/p>\n See Bumblebee Guide<\/a> to try your hand at BB Identification. The BugLady\u2019s BB IDs are tentative (but she\u2019s blown away by the big Black and Gold BBs (maybe) with the crew cuts).<\/p>\n For more information about bees: Bee Basics—An Introduction to Our Native Bees<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nHelping Bumblebees<\/h3>\n