Historical diversity and distribution of bumble bees in South Dakota

Authors: MARTENS, ABIGAIL - South Dakota State University; JOHNSON, PAUL - South Dakota State University; Beckendorf, Eric; Hesler, Louis; Daniels, Jesse; Roeder, Karl

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/16/2022
Publication Date: 3/6/2023
Citation: Martens, A.P., Johnson, P.J., Beckendorf, E.A., Hesler, L.S., Daniels, J.D., Roeder, K.A. 2023. Historical diversity and distribution of bumble bees in South Dakota. Abstract. Monarch and Native Pollinators Summit, Watertown, SD, March 2-3, 2023.

Interpretive Summary: Twenty-nine different kinds of bumble bees were recorded from 9,202 historical records of occurrence in South Dakota represented by 8,509 specimens and 693 community science observations. Records cover 130 years from 1891 to 2021 and are primarily based on specimens held in 21 museum and university collections, the online databases Symbiota Collections of Arthropods Network (SCAN) and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), with additional “research grade” observational records from the online resources iNaturalist.org and BugGuide.net. Records includes new specimens acquired from recent or ongoing surveys on the Prairie Coteau, the Ft. Pierre National Grassland, and the Badlands Bombing Range. The majority of records come from Pennington, Lawrence, Custer, Brookings, and Day counties. The five most commonly collected or reported species were the brownbelted bumble bee, American bumble bee, yellow bumble bee, Hunt bumble bee, and twospotted bumble bee. Of the historically recorded species, 66% were collected or observed since 2020, including six species of conservation concern (southern plains bumble bee, American bumble bee, rusty-patch bumble bee, western bumble bee, yellowbanded bumble bee, and Morrison bumble bee). The critically endangered rusty-patch bumble bee, variable cuckoo bumble bee, and Suckley cuckoo bumble bee were not among South Dakota specimens or observations in the last 50 years. Data absence remains as not all counties have records and ~55% of counties had fewer than five species reported. Future efforts should focus on under-sampled areas to fill-in baseline knowledge of the native bee fauna towards completing a more complete view of bumble bee distributions in the region along with determining critical habitat conditions for each.

Technical Abstract: Twenty-nine (29) species of bumble bee (Bombus spp.) were recorded from 9,202 historical records of occurrence in South Dakota represented by 8,509 specimens and 693 community science observations. Records cover 130 years from 1891 to 2021 and are primarily based on specimens held in 21 museum and university collections, the online databases Symbiota Collections of Arthropods Network (SCAN) and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), with additional “research grade” observational records from the online resources iNaturalist.org and BugGuide.net. Bee nomenclature followed Williams et al. (2024). Data includes new specimens acquired from recent or ongoing surveys on the Prairie Coteau, the Ft. Pierre National Grassland, and the Badlands Bombing Range. The majority of records are from Pennington, Lawrence, Custer, Brookings, and Day counties. The five most commonly collected or reported species were B. griseocollis, B. pensylvanicus, B. fervidus, B. huntii, and B. bimaculatus. Of the historically recorded species 66% were collected or observed since 2020, including six species of conservation concern (B. fraternus, B. pensylvanicus, B. fervidus, B. occidentalis, B. terricola, and B. morrisoni). The critically endangered B. affinis, B. variabilis, and B. suckleyi were not represented by South Dakota specimens or observations in the last 50 years. Data absence remains as not all counties have records and ~55% of counties had fewer than five species reported. Future efforts should focus on under-sampled areas to fill-in baseline knowledge of the native bee fauna towards completing a more complete view of bumble bee distributions in the region along with determining critical habitat conditions for each species within a greatly denaturalized environment.