Cooperative Agreement F26AC00047

THE OHIO RIVER ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (NWR) SPAN FOUR HUNDRED MILES OF THE OHIO RIVER WITH HEADQUARTERS LOCATED IN WILLIAMSTOWN WEST VIRGINIA. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ASSESS BEE DIVERSITY AT PRIORITY SITES IN THE REFUGE. ALTHOUGH MANY SURVEYS OF DIFFERENT TAXA HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED AT THE REFUGE INCLUDING MUSSEL AND BIRD SURVEYS A SYSTEMATIC INVENTORY OF BEE DIVERSITY HAS NOT YET OCCURRED. THIS PROJECT WILL HELP TO ESTABLISH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE RICHNESS OF NATIVE BEE SPECIES AT THE REFUGE AND MAY ADDITIONALLY PROVIDE INSIGHT TO HELP BETTER MANAGE HABITAT FOR BEES AND OTHER POLLINATORS AT THE REFUGE. THIS PROJECT WILL TAKE PLACE JANUARY 1 2026 AND END DECEMBER 31 2026.EVERY OTHER WEEK FROM MAY TO OCTOBER 30 BEE BOWLS WILL BE PLACED IN 150M TRANSECT 5M APART AND FILLED WITH SOAPY WATER AS PER THE UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (USFWS) BEE SURVEY PROTOCOL. BOWLS WILL BE PLACED ON POSTS AS NECESSARY TO KEEP THEM AT THE LEVEL OF THE VEGETATION AND FLOWERS. GPS LOCATION OF THE START AND END POINT FOR EACH TRANSECT WILL BE RECORDED. AFTER 24 HOURS THE RESEARCHER WILL COLLECT THE INSECTS FROM THE BOWLS INTO 70% ETHANOL. SPECIMENS WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE LAB AND SORTED. BEES WILL BE WASHED PINNED LABELED WITH LOCATION AND DATE AND IDENTIFIED AS GENUS OR SPECIES. WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE RECORDED FOR EACH SITE AND SAMPLING PERIOD INCLUDING TEMPERATURE WIND SPEED AND CLOUD COVER. ADDITIONALLY THE TYPE AND RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF FLOWERING PLANTS WILL BE RECORDED FOR EACH SITE USING THE DAFOR SCALED MODIFIED FROM THE SUTHERLAND 2006 AS DESCRIBED IN USFWS BEE SURVEY PROTOCOL. DURING THE 24 HOUR SAMPLING PERIOD ONE HOUR WILL BE SPENT NETTING BEES ON FLOWERS OR IN FLIGHT WITHIN THE TRANSECT AREA TO ENSURE A BETTER CROSS SECTION OF BEE DIVERSITY. FOR BEES CAUGHT BY NET INFORMATION ABOUT THE FLOWER CAUGHT ON WILL BE INCLUDED ON THE LABEL.DURING APRIL BUMBLE BEES WILL NOT BE KILLED BUT WILL INSTEAD BE CAUGHT LIVE PHOTOGRAPHED FOR IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES AND RELEASED TO PREVENT ACCIDENTALLY KILLING A BUMBLE BEE QUEEN. OPPORTUNISTIC NETTING OF BEES ON FLOWERS MORE THAN 40M FROM THE TRANSECT MAY ALSO OCCUR IF THERE ARE NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT SPECIES PRESENT IN THE AREA. ONCE PER MONTH PHOTOS OF THE START AND END OF THE TRANSECT WILL BE TAKEN AND STORED IN A PHOTO FILE WITH THE DATE AND LOCATION INFORMATION. SAMPLING WILL BEGIN IN APRIL WHEN THE FIRST FLOWERS AND BEES EMERGE AND CEASE IN OCTOBER WHEN FLOWERING HAS CEASED AND NO MORE BEES ARE EVIDENT FLYING.