An investigation of Cleveland’s native bee population through sampling at two urban green spaces

A common motif of contemporary urban planning is the inclusion of green spaces, some designed for urban beautification but others as reservoirs of native biodiversity. Both types of green spaces may support native bee populations. We are in the process of sampling from two distinct green spaces in Cleveland. One is downtown on the Cleveland State University (CSU) campus, consisting of areas for beautification and unmanaged remnants, dominated by exotic, landscape-oriented plants and cut grass, producing a high level of disturbance. The second is on the Smith Family Gateway (SFG) at the Cleveland Museum of Art, which was intentionally designed to enhance native ecology, and is unmanaged among multiple prominent, large green spaces. CSU is broken into 5 smaller transects, while the SFG is composed of one large transect. Both sites are sampled, from March to August, 3 times a month with pan traps painted in white, fluorescent yellow, and fluorescent blue paints. They are placed roughly 2 meters apart, and left out for 24 hour periods. We predict a less diverse bee community at CSU, with an abundance of generalists, while more bee types, especially ground and stem nesting bees, may persist at the SFG site. Upon completion, the data from this experiment should help characterize community dynamics of native urban bees, giving insight into how to effectively foster more robust pollinator assemblages.