Training Workshops (required)
Participants in the California Bumble Bee Atlas will need to take part in a two-hour training session to learn about bumble bees and the project. This is a necessary step towards getting yourself named on the project's Scientific Collecting Permit. We have scheduled three of these live, remote workshops in spring, 2025. If none of these dates work for you, you can instead watch a recording of a previous training workshop (this one is from 2024 and the content is similar to this year's training; we'll post a 2025 recording after our March 12th training). Please note, we will provide registration links for these events shortly!
March 12, 2025, 5:00-7:00pm. California Bumble Bee Atlas Training Workshop. Register at this link.
April 9, 2025, 5:00-7:00pm. California Bumble Bee Atlas Training Workshop. Register at this link.
May 15, 2025, 5:00-7:00pm. California Bumble Bee Atlas Training Workshop. Register at this link.
Webinars (optional)
As a complement to the training workshop, on April 13, 2024, 9:00-11:00am, we hosted an optional webinar on the Ecology and Conservation of Bumble Bees. This presentation was for bumble bee atlas volunteers across the 20 states in which the program is active in 2024. To see a recording of this presentation, visit our training video page! We'll present more webinars like this in 2025.
Field events are opportunities to join project staff in the field to learn project methods and to catch and handle bumble bees. These events are optional for Atlas volunteers, but they are fun and informative, so please consider joining us! We're working on planning 10 field events for 2025, and will post them here as they are scheduled. Register for an event here!
April 9 (Wed.) Fairfield Osborn Preserve, Pennygrove, Sonoma Co. 12:00pm-3:00pm. We'll meet at the preserve headquarters off of Lichau Road, then take a walk to search for bumble bees. Registration for this event will be conducted by the Preserve. Details to come!
April 12 (Sat.) Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, Gridley, Colusa Co., 10:00am-1:00pm. Meet at the headquarters parking lot. We'll take a walk to learn about bumble bees and the Atlas project. 3207 Rutherford Road Gridley, CA 95948.
June 22 (Sun.) Piedras Blancas Light Station and Outstanding Natural Area, San Simeon, San Luis Obispo Co., 10:00am-1:00pm. Meet in the parking lot at the light station. We'll search for bumble bees in coastal grasslands and learn about conducting surveys for the Atlas.
Participants in the California Bumble Bee Atlas will need to take part in a two-hour training session to learn about bumble bees and the project. This is a necessary step towards getting yourself named on the project's Scientific Collecting Permit. We have scheduled three of these live, remote workshops in spring, 2025. If none of these dates work for you, you can instead watch a recording of a previous training workshop (this one is from 2024 and the content is similar to this year's training; we'll post a 2025 recording after our March 12th training). Please note, we will provide registration links for these events shortly!
March 12, 2025, 5:00-7:00pm. California Bumble Bee Atlas Training Workshop. Register at this link.
April 9, 2025, 5:00-7:00pm. California Bumble Bee Atlas Training Workshop. Register at this link.
May 15, 2025, 5:00-7:00pm. California Bumble Bee Atlas Training Workshop. Register at this link.
Webinars (optional)
As a complement to the training workshop, on April 13, 2024, 9:00-11:00am, we hosted an optional webinar on the Ecology and Conservation of Bumble Bees. This presentation was for bumble bee atlas volunteers across the 20 states in which the program is active in 2024. To see a recording of this presentation, visit our training video page! We'll present more webinars like this in 2025.
- March 5, 2025, 5:00-6:00pm. Bee Atlas Party! This is an opportunity to recap the 2024 season across the 20 US states where we worked, and discuss what comes next. We'll start with a short presentation about the broader project, then move into break-out rooms for a presentation and discussion about each state/regional project. This event is not required for project volunteers, and is open to all! Register for this Zoom-based meeting here.
- April 19, 2025, 5:00-7:00pm. Bumble Bee Ecology and Conservation. This is a two-hour presentation by Xerces' Bumble Bee Atlas staff, in which we'll go deeper on the biology, life history, and conservation needs of bumble bees. This event is not required for project volunteers, but we hear that it's a great compliment to the required training workshop! Register for this Zoom-based webinar here.
- Are you looking for more guidance on identifying bumble bees on the West Coast? We have you covered! Last year, we conducted webinars on female and male bumble bee identification in Western North America, which you can find on our Training Videos page.
Field events are opportunities to join project staff in the field to learn project methods and to catch and handle bumble bees. These events are optional for Atlas volunteers, but they are fun and informative, so please consider joining us! We're working on planning 10 field events for 2025, and will post them here as they are scheduled. Register for an event here!
April 9 (Wed.) Fairfield Osborn Preserve, Pennygrove, Sonoma Co. 12:00pm-3:00pm. We'll meet at the preserve headquarters off of Lichau Road, then take a walk to search for bumble bees. Registration for this event will be conducted by the Preserve. Details to come!
April 12 (Sat.) Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, Gridley, Colusa Co., 10:00am-1:00pm. Meet at the headquarters parking lot. We'll take a walk to learn about bumble bees and the Atlas project. 3207 Rutherford Road Gridley, CA 95948.
June 22 (Sun.) Piedras Blancas Light Station and Outstanding Natural Area, San Simeon, San Luis Obispo Co., 10:00am-1:00pm. Meet in the parking lot at the light station. We'll search for bumble bees in coastal grasslands and learn about conducting surveys for the Atlas.
COVID-19 UPDATE: We understand that the current situation with the coronavirus is constantly evolving and differs by community. We have undertaken the California Bumble Bee Atlas with the understanding that the situation with Covid could change quickly -- and differ by location. The most important consideration during this sensitive time is personal and community health. Please follow all relevant regulations and the advice of health care professionals when developing your survey plans for the Atlas. Don't hesitate to stay closer to home if that is the right thing for you and/or your community; the health of our volunteers is of paramount importance. Thank you!
