Giant Patagonian bumblebee (Bombus dahlbomii) Case Study

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MBZF Grant 210527048
Invertebrate

Continent: South America

Country: Argentina

Grant Amount: $5,000

Awarded Date: December 16, 2021

Carolina Laura Morales

Grupo Ecologia de la Polinizacion INIBIOMA, Universidad Nacional del Comahue-CONICET


Quintral 1250

Bariloche

Rio Negro

8400

Argentina

Tel: 02944776920

Mob: 02944776920

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SAVING THE PATAGONIAN GIANT BUMBLEBEE FROM EXTINCTION BY REMOVING ITS MAIN THREAT, THE INVASIVE BUFF TAILED BUMBLEBEE

SAVING THE PATAGONIAN GIANT BUMBLEBEE FROM EXTINCTION BY REMOVING ITS MAIN THREAT, THE INVASIVE BUFF TAILED BUMBLEBEE. Bombus dahlbomii, the world's largest bumblebee has drastically declined since the invasion of European Bombus terrestris following commercial introduction in Chile for crop pollination. By downregulating the importation of colonies and reducing the local densities of this invader we expect the recovery of B. dahlbomii populations.

We aim to encourage recovery of B. dahlbomii populations by boosting the success of emerging foundress queens through culling invasive bumblebees, to reduce pathogen spillover and competition for nesting and food resources. While the viability of this approach will be tested at specific target sites and thus cover a local scale, target sites have high visibility by visitors, enabling their use as case examples in community science and public outreach programs reaching a much broader area. We expect that by combining on-site actions with broad communication, we can foster awareness about the problem of invasive species, and thus enhance our objective of promoting instances of dialogue between Argentinian and Chilean authorities to downregulate the importation of European bumblebee colonies in Chile. Our specific objectives are. 1) At the local scale, to remove B. terrestris in selected sites in the ANPBR. 2) At the regional scale, to promote empathy, critical thinking and commitment in local communities of the ANPBR on this species to favor educational, communication and active actions towards its conservation- 3) At the national and binational scales, to promote the instances of dialogue between Argentinean and Chilean authorities to regulate the importation of European bumblebee colonies in Chile.

Grant documents

MBZF Grant 210527048 - located in Argentina, South America