Bumble Bees

Bumble bees are excellent pollinators of many crops. There are over 50 species in North America.

B. occidentallis

Once common to the area with there numbers representing at least 25% of the bumble bee population. In 1998 this species disappeared from the Puget Sound region. Several nests of these were removed prior to 1998. In 2012 there were reported sightings in a park in the Seattle area and also on the Olympic peninsula. In 2013 there were more sightings in these same areas. Looks like they are slowly making a comeback. If you see them please let us know where you saw them and when this was. Several species have declined across the country with concerns for their survival.