Forage plants that Bombus fervidus, golden northern bumblebees, were found on at Barnes Prairie, Prairie Remnants and adjacent hedgerows, Racine County, WI from 2012-2022
Bombus fervidus, golden northern bumblebees, are one of the earliest bumblebee species that were seen on Barnes Prairie and prairie remnants, a number of small, original tallgrass prairies in southeastern Wisconsin. Several of these prairie remnants are bordered by hedgerows, consisting of several tree species including bur oak, black walnut, sugar maple, green ash, black cherry, American elm and box elder. Shrubs in the hedgerows were predominantly non-native honeysuckle, snowberry, gray dogwood and common buckthorn. Some of the understory plants in the hedgerows were Virginia waterleaf, Virginia bluebell, jack-in-the-pulpit, Solomon’s seal and trout lily.
Numerous surveys of Bombus fervidus were made in these areas each year, May through September, from 2012-2022. Flowers the bees were seen on were noted in journal logs, and photographed, when possible.
Bombus fervidus, golden northern bumblebee, was observed at a prairie remnants and adjacent hedgerows usually within a week of Virginia bluebell flowers opening, in early to mid-May. In spring, these bees were found foraging on Virginia bluebells, Virginia waterleaf, hoary puccoon, white baptisia and cream baptisia. In late spring to mid- summer, they visited Solomon’s seal, old field thistle, Canada thistle, silphium species, purple prairie clover, wild bergamot, purple coneflower (not native to the prairie, but planted in the 1970’s), gray-headed coneflower and St. Johnswort species. In late summer to late September, the bees were found on bottle gentian, white gentian, prairie gentian, black-eyed Susan, sweet black-eyed Susan and sneezeweed.
Over the years, many of the prairie remnants have become degraded, and developed to residential and commercial use. Fewer bees have been seen, especially in the last few years. In degraded areas, Bombus fervidus has been found foraging on common teasel, Dipsacus fullonum (Dipsacus sylvestris) and purple clover, Trifolium pratense.
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