A particular occupant in the lower Lynn Canal may be hiding out in plain sight, but not documented by scientists. Derek Sikes, a professor of entomology from Fairbanks is interested in knowing whether the western bumblebees live located in Haines.
Sikes is seeking an insect with one characteristic. Western bumblebees have that fuzzy bumblebee appearance. It is yellow in its thorax however, its abdomen is completely black, with the exception of an ounce of white towards the at the end.
“It is very distinct with this and distinctive white fork,” he said.
Western Bumblebees once were widespread across Western North America. As global warming increases, Sikes says the bees are disappearing from the southern portion in their distribution. Yet, biologists aren’t seeing them migrate north in order to enjoy their preferred temperature. This implies that their areas of coverage are decreasing.
Sikes states that if these trends are continued, the species could disappear before the close this century. Sikes says the US Fish and Wildlife Service is examining declaring the species endangered.
To determine if the bees are found in Alaska Biologists are modeling their habitat.
“Looking at all the variables like temperature, precipitation and many other variables. Then deciding, “Ok that’s the place where it happens, but where else could it occur?” he said. “What other regions of the globe have the same habitat and the same habitat?”
This is what led Sikes towards Skagway in the first place, as did Haines. He claims that the population of western bumblebees is fading off in British Columbia, at the southernmost point of Southern Southeast. The panhandle in general is too humid and humid for this species. Looking for the species, Sikes visited Haines this summer, while another colleague visited Skagway. They walked to the flower patch to collect some flowers.
“The most basic way to do this is to walk around, we search for flowers, then we net them, then we go to another location and then we attempt to complete the entire roads as we can in the time we’re on the road,” he said.
In order to aid in the hunt, biologists have signed up local volunteers. Haines residents Patty Kermoian is one of the locals.
“He was in Haines and I sat down with him for a short time and I was provided with a bee net as well as some collecting vials. He explained to me what I needed to do. He also handed me a document,” she said.
So far, no luck.
“Mostly it’s when I’m on the go, I glance at the bees everywhere, I’ve snatched a few from my net, but they weren’t right and so I let them go,”” she added.
Sikes claims that after looking for two consecutive summers Sikes is convinced the sample he’s found is representative of the higher Lynn Canal bee population. So far, there have been six different kinds of local bees however, he has not found any western Bumblebees.
He claims that if bees are found at Skagway or Haines it is likely that they came via in the Interior and traveled through the roads.
“In our research, almost all bees were eating introduced plants such as daisies that have eyes, clover, as well as orange hawkweed as well as other non-native species that are found along roads,” he said.
Sikes believes that the roads aid the bees in replicating their meadowland habitat.
“Because they don’t appear in cold, dark forest. They prefer hot and sunny,” he said. “And the road network, as fake as it is it is a huge advantage for these Bumblebees. All these plants that are invasive. We usually think negatively of invasive plants, however they provide a lot of food to these bumblebees.”
To aid Sikes in his quest for answers, anyone can take the image of a honeybee or other insect and then post it on iNaturalist an app that is free. A clear photograph from the stomach is vital.
Sikes advises that if the bee was caught in a net place it in an air-tight container. As it emerges the bee will slow down for a short time until it is warm. This lets you get an even better image. He’d want to view the picture. Send the image to [email protected]
