Join the Bumble Bee Brigade: Help Monitor Wisconsin’s Native Bumble Bees

What if your next walk through a nature preserve could help protect one of Wisconsin’s most important—and increasingly vulnerable—pollinators?

This season, the Door County Land Trust is inviting community members to join the Bumble Bee Brigade, a statewide citizen science effort working to better understand and conserve Wisconsin’s native bumble bees.

Coordinated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Bumble Bee Brigade partners with volunteers across the state to conduct long-term monitoring of native bumble bee populations. By participating, volunteers help collect critical information about where bumble bees live, how they use habitat, and how populations may be changing over time.

And in a rapidly changing world, that information matters.

Why Bumble Bees Need Our Help

Bumble bees are some of our most important pollinators, helping native plants reproduce and supporting healthy ecosystems and food systems. Yet many species are facing serious challenges.

According to the Wisconsin Bumble Bee Brigade, of the 20 bumble bee species found historically in Wisconsin, one is federally endangered, seven are considered State Species of Greatest Conservation Need, and three more are classified as Species with Information Needs.

Scientists are still working to understand the distribution, habitat needs, seasonal timing, and population status of Wisconsin’s bumble bees—information that is essential for effective conservation planning.

That means community observations can play an important role in helping fill the gaps.

Since 2018, volunteers across Wisconsin have been assisting the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in monitoring bumble bees. This year, the Door County Land Trust is organizing bumble bee surveys at several nature preserves to contribute data to the statewide project and better understand how bumble bees are using Land Trust properties.

What Volunteers Will Do

No expertise in bumble bee identification is required.

Participants will search for bumble bees within designated survey areas at Land Trust preserves, record information about site conditions, and take photographs of the bees they encounter. Those photos are then used to identify species and are verified by experts at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The process is approachable, hands-on, and a great opportunity to sharpen your observation skills while spending time outdoors.

More Than Monitoring

Joining the Bumble Bee Brigade is about more than data collection.

It’s a chance to slow down and notice the remarkable diversity of pollinators sharing our landscapes. Volunteers often come away with a deeper appreciation for native habitats, flowering plants, and the vital ecological role bumble bees play.

It’s also an opportunity to contribute directly to meaningful conservation work and become part of a growing community of citizen scientists helping protect Wisconsin’s biodiversity.

Whether you’re a lifelong naturalist or simply curious about the buzzing life around you, there’s a place for you in the Brigade.

How to Participate

Interested in joining?

Email Paige Witek at stewardship@doorcountylandtrust.org to learn more and sign up.

Participants are also encouraged to visit the Wisconsin Bumble Bee Brigade website to watch training videos and learn more about the project before heading into the field:

Wisconsin Bumble Bee Brigade website

Sometimes conservation starts with the smallest things—like stopping to notice a bee.