Photo Credit: Amanda Weltman, WRRB.

Photo Credit: Amanda Weltman, WRRB.

Kw'iahnǫ dekwoo (bumble bees)

WRRB and GNWT staff had a delightful time assisting with kw'iahnǫ dekwoo (bumble bee) collecting near Behchokǫ̀ and the Ingraham Trail in July 2024. This sampling was part of the 2024 Roadside Bumble Bee Surveys, run by the Government of Canada.

We collected kw'iahnǫ dekwoo specimens from each location and placed them in 90% ethanol for preservation, harming no other wildlife or wildlife habitat during the process. Following the collection, this specimen will be analyzed and identified.

In the NWT, there are 22 known species of kw'iahnǫ dekwoo. Identifying kw'iahnǫ dekwoo species helps us to understand the connections between these pollen lovers and our ecosystem, aiming to, of course, save the kw'iahnǫ dekwoo!

You can read more about NWT kw'iahnǫ dekwoo and how to identify them here - https://www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca/.../bumble_bee_guide.pdf