Ohio Bee Atlas is a cooperative effort of US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, The Ohio State University, The University of Akron, as well as several Ohio park districts and other conservation organizations. It was primarily established to document the distribution and identity of bumblebees due to the recent listing of the rusty patched bumblebee (Bombus affinis) as a federally endangered species (more information here). However, records of all bees are encouraged. Through iNaturalist, observers can upload observations of bees in Ohio.
Bombus affinis, USGS Bee Lab
Sign up with iNaturalist to join the Ohio Bee Atlas effort. The image at the bottom of this page from iNaturalist describes the process of posting observations.
The rusty patched bumble bee was once a common species throughout much of Ohio, occupying a variety of habitats that include prairies, woodlands, marshes, agricultural landscapes and residential parks and gardens. Photos of the back and face are most useful for identification, but feel free to submit records simply as “bee”. Here is a pocket guide from The Xerxes Society to aid in the identification of the bumblebee.
Learn more about Ohio bee identification here.
