Bumble Bees in the Floral Marketplace Across Landscapes
Category: Research Poster
Author(s): Keirs Manlapas, Laura Lukens, John Mola, Hannah Burke
Presenter(s): Keirs Manlapas
Mentors(s): John Mola, Hannah Burke
Bumble bees are generalist foragers that collect nectar and pollen from a wide range of flowers, often making distinct nutritional choices within what is available. Natural landscapes typically provide native floral communities, while urban areas contain a mix of cultivated and non-native plants that may differ in nutritional value. How bumble bees adjust their behavior in developed landscapes dominated by ornamental and invasive species remains unclear. Understanding these patterns is important for determining how urban floral communities can support pollinators and guide conservation strategies. We designed a study to examine bumble bee foraging across 12 sites in Fort Collins, Colorado, including residential areas, natural spaces, and managed gardens. To evaluate floral use relative to availability, we collected corbicular pollen from nine Colorado bumble bee species and compared pollen composition with floral surveys conducted at each site. All pollen and flower samples have been mounted on microscope slides for analysis. We will identify pollen grains based on size and morphology to determine plant species present in corbicular loads. By comparing collected pollen with available floral resources across land-use types, this study assesses how bumble bees interact with urban floral communities and supports pollinator-friendly management in human-dominated landscapes.