Cochrane residents are being encouraged to participate in the Great Canadian Bumble Bee Count.
Organized by Friends of the Earth, an environmental organization, and Bumble Bee Watch, an organization that tracks bumble bees in North America, the Great Canadian Bumble Bee Count hopes to collect data about the distribution of native bees across Canada.
According to Friends of the Earth, there are 40 confirmed species of bumblebees in Canada. Bees’ survival has become increasingly threatened by habitat loss and the use of pesticides.
“Dwindling bee populations could have severe consequences for food crops, garden plants and wilderness areas. Farmers in Eastern Canada, for example, rely heavily on approximately 70 species of native insects, including many species of bumble bees, to fertilize their crops.,” states Hinterland Who’s Who’s website.
It’s important to note the count is only concerned with bumblebees and not honey bees. In order to participate in the count, residents are asked to snap a picture of bumblebees they come across, note the location, and upload the photo to bumblebeewatch.org.
As of July 29, 201 submissions have been made to the count. The count will run until Aug. 15.
