Biologists Team Up with Community Scientists to Record Over 350 Wild Bee Species in Vermont
October 21, 2025A decade-long study published in the journal Northeastern Naturalist found that 352 wild bee species call Vermont home, with 60% of those species likely in need of conservation action. The study, led by researchers from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE), in collaboration with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department (VFWD), and experts from across the continent, provides the first comprehensive faunal list and conservation assessment of Vermont’s wild bees. Learn more »
The State of Vermont's Wild Bees 2022
November 15, 2022Wild bees are a diverse and ecologically important. As one of the most important groups of pollinators, bees provide essential ecological and agricultural services. Documented declines of a few species have caused concern about a possible collapse of all bee populations. Our understanding of the conservation status, threats, and even the natural history of many species is still in its infancy. Over the past decade, thousands of community scientists and professional biologists have helped us to survey wild bees across Vermont, allowing us to assess their conservation status for the first time. Read the report »
Study Reveals Striking Decline of Vermont’s Bumble Bees
December 12, 2018A new study examining 100 years of bumble bee records reveals that almost half of Vermont’s species, which are vital pollinators, have either vanished or are in serious decline. After conducting the state’s most extensive search for bumble bees, and combing through historical records from museum collections, the team has concluded that four of Vermont’s 17 bumble bee species appear to have gone extinct. The study, led by researchers from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE) and the University of Vermont (UVM), was published in the Journal of Insect Conservation. Read the Press Release »
