A seven-year study by Washington State University (WSU) has revealed that less-maintained lands around the Puget Sound are home to a diverse array of wild bee species, including some never before recorded in Snohomish and King counties.
The research, published in the journal Ecology and Evolution, found that ‘marginal lands’—such as abandoned golf courses and areas beneath power lines—support more bee species than managed parks and farms.
“Someone looking from the outside would say this is a junky old golf course that has been left to rot,” said David Crowder, a professor in WSU’s Department of Entomology and the study’s corresponding author.
“But it has 118 bee species in it, some that have never been seen before in our state.”
The study involved sampling bees at three sites in the Puget Sound region, where researchers collected over 25,000 specimens representing 118 confirmed species over seven years.
“Different species do different jobs in the environment,” Crowder explained. “If you have a diverse community of species, they’ll be pollinating plants throughout the year.”
The study’s findings suggest that urban ‘wastelands’ with wild flowering plants can host larger bee populations than areas specifically managed for bees.
Researchers believe this could influence future urban planning and conservation efforts.
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