In this episode of Nature of the Upstate, we take a closer look at the important world of bumblebees. Here in South Carolina, community scientists through the Southeast Bumblebee Atlas have identified four native species. We’ll learn a bit about these four species, as well as why bumblebees are essential to the environment, what threats they face, and how you can support these pollinators in your backyard and beyond.

Community Science projects:

https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/pages/southeast

https://www.inaturalist.org/

Information about Bumblebees:

Bie, M., Song, K., Dong, H., Zhao, W., Lin, H., Shi, D., & Liu, D. (2025). Advancing sustainable agriculture through bumblebee pollination: Bibliometric insights and future directions. Sustainability, 17(5), 2177. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17052177

https://xerces.org/bumble-bees

Field Guides:

Beadle, D., & Leckie, S. (2018). Peterson Field Guide to the Common Bees of Eastern North America. Princeton University Press.
Williams, P. H., Thorp, R. W., Richardson, L. L., & Colla, S. R. (2014). Bumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide. Princeton University Press.