CNDDB News Blog

The Biogeographic Data Branch continually works to improve our data and tools for everyone. We announced back in June that BIOS 6 has launched. Though BIOS 6 is similar to BIOS 5, there are some differences that may hang up even our most experienced users. Therefore, we want to bring your attention to several training videos and user guides that are available on our training page that may assist you in using this new tool.

• Training videos
  • BIOS 6 Basics, BIOS 6 Tools, BIOS Advanced Tools – A series of videos that cover the background, purpose, structure, and tools in BIOS, ranging from the basic functions to the most advanced tools.
  • Accessing CNDDB and Spotted Owl Data using BIOS and RareFind – A video that demonstrates various ways our users can use BIOS and RareFind to dig deeper into the data within the CNDDB and Spotted Owl Observation Database.
• User guides
  • BIOS 6 Getting Started – A condensed version of basic BIOS 6 functions
  • BIOS 6 Data Viewer User Guide – Full user guide of BIOS 6 functions
  • Using the CNDDB Data in BIOS 6 – A guide to a subset of BIOS 6 tools that a CNDDB user may typically use.
  • CNDDB QuickView Tool User Guide for BIOS 6 – A guide to using the QuickView Tool in BIOS 6
  • Using the Spotted Owl Reports Tool in BIOS 6 – Instructions for generating Spotted Owl reports in BIOS 6

Please note that BIOS 5 will no longer be available starting January 2023 as we fully transition to BIOS 6. Please share with others that may need to know this information. If you have questions about BIOS 6, you can submit them to BIOS@wildlife.ca.gov.

Bombus franklini photograph by James P. Strange, USDA-ARS Pollinating Insect Research Unit, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A year ago in October of 2021, we posted about the legal status of bumble bees in California. Four of these bumble bees (B. franklini, B. crotchii, B. occidentalis, B. suckleyi) were petitioned for listing as endangered species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) in 2018. The California Fish and Game Commission determined that listing all four species as endangered “may be warranted” in June 2019, and the species advanced to candidacy. The Commission’s determination was challenged in court soon after, and candidacy or related protections were stayed during much of the ensuing litigation. A California court of appeal ultimately upheld the Commission’s determination, and the state Supreme Court declined to review the case. Candidacy was reinstated for all four bumble bee species on September 30, 2022. As candidate species, they receive the same legal protection afforded to endangered or threatened species (Fish & G. Code, §§ 2074.2 & 2085).

Both the Suckley’s and western bumble bees have been petitioned for federal listing and received positive 90-day findings. The species status assessment for western bumble bee is scheduled to be released in fiscal year 2024, and Suckley’s in fiscal year 2025.

The California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) tracks an additional two species of bumble bee considered species of greatest conservation need. This table includes the current status of all bumble bees tracked by the CNDDB:

Bombus occidentalis photograph by iNaturalist user @johnccnd (CC BY-NC 4.0) from Plumas County, California

The California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) tracks 6 bumble bees (Bombus sp.) that are identified as species of greatest conservation need. Four of these bumble bees were petitioned to the State of California in 2018 and the Fish and Game Commission advanced them to candidacy in June 2019 (B. franklini, B. crotchii, B. occidentalis, B. suckleyi). This was challenged in court and in November 2020 the Superior Court ruled that insects are not eligible for listing under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). Pending ongoing litigation, no bumble bees have legal status under CESA and none are currently considered candidates for listing by the State.

However, effective 23 September 2021, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has listed Franklin’s bumble bee (Bombus franklini) as federally Endangered. Franklin’s bumble bee has one of the smallest ranges of Bombus spp. worldwide, only known from the Klamath Mountains region of northern California and southern Oregon. Franklin’s bumble bee has faced precipitous decline. The last known detection of Franklin’s bumble bee in California was in 1998 and the last known detection in Oregon was in 2006, the latter despite regular survey efforts to historic sites. Some fear this species may already be extinct.

Additional resources:

• Overview of the listing process under CESA, Weiland et al. 2021, California Fish and Wildlife Journal, Special Endangered Species Issue:28-40 (PDF)
• Almond Alliance of California v. California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sacramento Superior Court No. 34-2019-80003216.
• Franklin’s bumble bee, USFWS Environmental Conservation Online System
• Franklin’s bumble bee species status assessment, USFWS 2018
• Nature Serve Conservation Ranks
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Pollinators
• US Fish and Wildlife Service: Pollinators
• Xerces Society Pollinator Conservation Program