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Greetings,
Flowers are in bloom, queen bees are buzzing, and the 2024 survey season is now open. We hope you had a chance to attend the online trainings this spring and are geared up for the field.
Our target date for you to start surveying is based on the time when queens are usually settled in their nests and have produced a few batches of workers. This typical phenology varies year to year and from the northern to southern parts of the state. Because of this, we hope you'll take part in determining the best time to start your surveys. Go for a walk outside and observe the bumble bee activity—if you're seeing mostly workers then it's a good time to start surveying. You can also look at the flowers blooming in your area—if you see Monarda (a.k.a. wild bergamot or beebalm), it's a good time to start surveying.
We've been granted a permit to conduct surveys in select State Parks and Scientific and Natural Areas (SNAs) this year. If you're interested in surveying these areas, please contact Elise (berns234@umn.edu) or Elaine (elainee@umn.edu) to see if your desired park is on our list and for further instruction.
Notes for Returning Participants:
- If you have not logged into the new version of BumbleBeeWatch.org (data submission portal), please be aware that you will need to reset your password the first time you log in. Your email, username, and data have transferred over.
- We have condensed the data sheets to a single page, the new sheet can be accessed on the website under Print Materials. You may continue to use last season's data sheets if they're already printed.
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