To view the photo-rich magazine version, click here.
Originally appears in the Fall 2022 issue.
By Green Teacher staff
Overarching inquiry question: What makes a particular site attractive to bumble bees?
Materials:
Nature journaling sheets (one per student)
Writing utensils (one per student)
Hands lenses (optional)
Preliminary work:
*Visit the North-America-specific Bumble Bee Watch website: https://www.bumblebeewatch.org/.
*Click on the tab “Bumble Bee Species”: https://www.bumblebeewatch.org/app/#/species/profile
*Sift through the listed species and by checking the range maps, determine which bumble bee species occur in your area.
*Read through the Bumble Bees FAQs (Appendix A below) to establish a solid baseline of knowledge about bumble bee ecology.
Note: If you are not based in North America, seek a bumble bee list for your area.
Core activity:
*Conduct a field study of a site where numerous flowering plants are in bloom. Ideally, this would be on the grounds of your education facility, but if this is not possible, try to find somewhere nearby.
Note: Because bumble bees are generalist foragers, they visit a wide variety of plants. Even flowering plants (e.g., White Clover) on semi-manicured lawns can abound with bumble bees.
*Each student (or groups of students — educator’s choice) completes this worksheet.
Tips:
*The site data, including weather, can be taken as a class.
*If multiple bumble bee species are present, have each student/group focus on one species.
*Sketches of bumble bees and flowers are encouraged on the worksheet.
Follow-up:
*Based on the descriptions of the bumble bees observed during the site visit, determine which species was/were observed. Remember to references the Bumble Bee Watch website to help with identification.
*Have each student/group share their results with the entire class/group. Based on the observations, discuss and answer the following discussion questions?
What about this site makes it attractive to bumble bees? (Give specific evidence.)
What about this site is potentially unattractive to bumble bees? (Give specific evidence.)
How could this site be made more attractive to bumble bees?
What specific steps could be taken to make this site more attractive to bumble bees? What would the time and financial costs be?
Optional extension:
*Write a report to a person or group in charge of the study site and propose how it could be altered to be more attractive to bumble bees. Include in this report an action plan that includes the following:
-required tasks
-human and time resources
-materials needed
-project budget (start-up and annual)
Additional Resources:
Bees: An Identification and Native Plant Forage Guide by Heather Holm (2017)
Bumblebee Economics by Bernd Heinrich (2004)
Bumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide by Paul Williams, Robbin Thorp, Leif Richardson, & Sheila Colla (2014)
A Sting in the Tale: My Adventures with Bumblebees by Dave Goulson (2014)
Possible adaptation
*If this activity is conducted in early spring (in temperate locations), the only active bumble bees would be queens searching for suitable nesting sites. This activity could be adapted, then, to involve learners following queen bumble bees to see which locations they select for nesting.
Additional educational activities about wild native bees will be added throughout the summer of 2022. Click here to find these activities.