Fifteen years ago was the last time that Dr. Robbin Thorp (U.C. Davis) observed a Franklin's bumble bee. Unfortunately, no one has seen one since. Starting in the late 1990's, this species began mysteriously disappearing from the landscape, prompting an Endangered Species petition co-authored by the Xerces Society and Dr. Thorp. In 2019, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service formally recognized this species' status and Franklin's bumble bee is now Proposed Endangered, with a final ruling likely due some time in 2021.

The number one need for Franklin's bumble bee is to find it!

This species has a very narrow range, roughly from Roseburg, Oregon down to Mt. Shasta in California. We believe that this species may be persisting in wilderness pockets of this region, but we won't find it unless we look. To help raise awareness of this species and direct survey effort where it is most needed, we are announcing a workshop for July 8, 2021.

In this workshop, we will discuss the known ecology of this species (and other bumble bees), and the conservation challenges it faces. We will also cover the practicalities of surveying for a Proposed Endangered species, with participation from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Agenda:

Module 1: Bumble Bee Ecology and Conservation

Module 2: Finding Franklin's Bumble Bee

Module 3: Survey and ID

Details:

July 8, 2021 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PDT

Platform: Zoom/Webinar

Presenters:

Rich Hatfield, the Xerces Society

Leif Richardson, the Xerces Society

Jeff Everett, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service