California Department of Fish and Wildlife Releases Guidance on Conserving Four Candidate Bumble Bee Species

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife recently published a document intended to assist CDFW staff, project proponents and others in understanding where and when four bumble bee species that are candidates for listing under the California Endangered Species Act may be present on the landscape and provide examples of measures that may help avoid or minimize impacts to them. The document, 'Considerations for Conserving Crotch's Bumble Bee (Bombus crotchii), Franklin's Bumble Bee (Bombus franklini), Western Bumble Bee (Bombus occidentalis) and Suckley's Cuckoo Bumble Bee (Bombus suckleyi),' provides an overview of life history, seasonal ecology and species-specific information for the four bumble bee species. As of September 2022, Crotch's bumble bee (Bombus crotchii), western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis), Franklin's bumble bee (Bombus franklini) and Suckley's cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus suckleyi) became the first insect species to become candidates for listing under CESA. They are protected by the same take prohibitions given to species listed as endangered and threatened under CESA. Because information on species distribution, ecology, conservation needs and legal status continues to evolve, this document is intended to be a flexible, science-based resource that may be updated as new information becomes available or as species status changes through future California Fish and Game Commission determinations under CESA, said the agency. 'This document is nonregulatory and provided for informational purposes only,' said CDFW. 'It does not establish legal requirements, CDFW policy or mandatory avoidance and minimization measures, nor does it replace project-specific review or applicable federal, state or local laws and regulations.' If project proponents believe their project may result in incidental take of these bees, CDFW recommends contacting the CDFW regional office closest to the project's location to discuss specific project-related concerns and options to comply with CESA, if necessary, based on proposed project activities.