Adopt a grid cell
Volunteers: Thanks for joining us! If you have not adopted a grid cell yet, please do so by following the instructions beneath the map. We encourage you to adopt a cell within one of the purple priority areas. Please note that the light green patches on the map are currently known endangered rusty patched bumble bee zones. Green grid cells that are predominately covered by currently known endangered rusty patched bumble bee zones are not open to adoption by those not covered by a recovery permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. If your activities are covered by a USFWS permit and you are interested in adopting one of these cells, please adopt these grids. We will contact you to discuss special instructions.
Volunteers without a permit may adopt a purple grid cell that contains a red patch, but must conduct their surveys outside of the land covered rusty patched bumble bee zones. Collection in these areas requires special care, so volunteers adopting those grid cells must commit to attending a brief training session held annually in early June or review the recording, available on our Online Training page. Please see the Events page for more details about other training sessions.
Survey Priorities
Where we need your help: Our goal is to conduct surveys in grid cells that were not surveyed in the previous year. These priority regions include biologically unique landscapes or ecoregions that are relatively under surveyed. Surveys in northern Minnesota are particularly relevant for examining populations of the yellow banded bumble bee, a species has experienced severe decline but can still be common in some areas. Surveys in southwestern Minnesota could help document populations of the American bumble bee and the southern plains bumble bee. Many parts of the northwestern part of Minnesota have never been surveyed!
Map key:
Bright purple: High priority. Fewer than two completed Atlas surveys.
Gray: Low priority. We have at least two completed Atlas surveys, but the grid is open for adoption. If you can, please try for a purple cell.
Green: Requires FWS permit to adopt grid.
Yellow blobs: These are scattered across the map, primarily in southeastern MN and indicate areas where it is recommended to have a FWS permit to handle bumble bees. If a grid is less than 50% covered with yellow, the underlying grid is open for adoption to anyone, but please survey outside of the yellow areas unless you have a FWS recovery permit.
Dark green: These patches on the Public Land layer are scattered across the map and represent public lands that are open for surveying.
Step 1: Find your desired grid cell
After reading through the requirements and instructions, use the map above to select the grid cell you'd like to conduct surveys in. You can use the search bar or the Google Map of grid cells to find a specific location. Take note of your desired cell number (ex: MN_68) and then proceed to Step 2.
Use controls in the map to open the legend, zoom in or out, search for specific locations, or change the basemap.
The darker green patches on the Public Access layer highlight public lands that can help you determine appropriate locations for surveys.
Step 2: Adopt your grid cell and sign our volunteer agreement
To adopt a grid cell, please visit https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/pages/adopt-a-grid-cell
Step 3: Receive Confirmation
Thank you! Within 2-3 days you will receive an email from us confirming the grid cell that you have adopted. If you do not hear from us, or have questions, please feel free to contact us.
Now you can prepare and plan for your surveys!