Bumblebees In BC Cranberry Bogs

Discussion in 'Celebrate Biodiversity' started by Just Curious, Jun 16, 2009.

  1. Just Curious

    Just Curious Active Member

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    Location:
    New Westminster BC
    In 20 years of walking cranberry bogs in BC, I have never seen the number of bumblebees as there are this year. The numbers are 3 to 4 times what one would see in a normal year.
    Anyone else notice larger than normal numbers?
    What could have caused such a huge increase?
     
  2. stephencoughlin

    stephencoughlin Member

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    Location:
    Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Just Curious,

    Your observation seems quite astute; I have noticed an influx in the number of bumblebees as well.
    It is quite a strange phenomenon to experience first hand when I have heard so often of the waning bumblebee population.
     
  3. Just Curious

    Just Curious Active Member

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    Location:
    New Westminster BC
    Stephen:

    Today there was so much bee activity that they were almost competing for cranberry flowers, quite a sight. It seems all wild bee populations have faired well this year. We rented 250 hives this year with about 80,000 bees in each hive but in the fields, wild bees are just as numerous as the rentals.
    I talked with a bumblebee expert from Ag Canada and she felt the dry spring helped with less in nest drownings and more foraging opportunities. They must die by the millions in a cold wet spring.
    It's all interesting.
     

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