The rare San Francisco leaf-cutter bee, which is endemic to the Bay Area, had not been seen since 1980.
SAN RAFAEL, CA—(August 6, 2024)—The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy working with the National Park Service, California State Parks, Marin Water, and Marin County Parks as the One Tam partnership, announces the finding of the rare San Francisco leaf-cutter bee (Trachusa gummifera) in Marin County. Scientists have documented T. gummifera, which is endemic to the Bay Area, less than 100 times total, and not since 1980. Tamalpais Bee Lab, a community science program of One Tam, found T. gummifera on public lands in Marin County.
The find came out of One Tam’s work to monitor the health of the Mt. Tamalpais region. “It’s a big win and highlights the benefits of our One Tam collaboration,” said Mischon Martin, Chief of Natural Resources and Science, Marin County Parks. “One Tam has always been about leveraging resources on the ground—providing opportunities for community science, conducting biological surveys, and coordinating the work of local, state, and national land managers—we wouldn’t have found this species without working together like this.”
In initial surveys from 2017-2022 to inventory the local bee community, T. gummifera was not detected. In the following years, One Tam devised a new community science effort, a search party, to try to find it. With confirmation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Tamalpais Bee Lab team documented sightings of T. gummifera while scouting potential survey sites this summer. T. gummifera is a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in California’s State Wildlife Action Plan and one of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Terrestrial Invertebrates of Conservation Priority.
“How exciting it is to find a bee that hasn’t been seen in so long,” said Hillary Sardiñas, Pollinator Coordinator at CDFW. “If a species turns up after 50 years, it gives us hope that others are still out there, too. We need local efforts like One Tam’s search parties to support our most imperiled insect species.”
Now that the bee has been found, One Tam is working with CDFW to obtain the permits necessary to continue investigating this special status species.
“This is hopeful news in a time when we are hearing a lot about trouble for insects, especially pollinators,” said Sara Leon Guerrero, Community Science Program Manager at the Parks Conservancy, who manages the Tamalpais Bee Lab and made the initial sighting. “We’re excited for what’s next—the chance to learn more about this species that’s largely unknown to us, and to invite the community to learn along with us.”
Learn more about the Tamalpais Bee Lab: onetam.org/tamalpais-bee-lab.
About One Tam: One Tam is a partnership of the National Park Service, California State Parks, Marin Water, Marin County Parks, and the nonprofit Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to ensure the long-term health of Mt. Tamalpais. Our partnership leverages the skills and resources of each partner and inspires community members to support the long-term stewardship of the mountain. www.onetam.org
California State Parks: The California State Parks are dedicated to providing for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state's biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. www.parks.ca.gov
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy: The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service overseeing the Golden Gate National Recreation Area—82,000 acres of national parkland spanning the San Francisco Bay Area, including Muir Woods, Ocean Beach, Crissy Field, and Alcatraz Island. The Parks Conservancy is a membership organization created to preserve the Golden Gate National Parks, enhance the experiences of park visitors, and build a community dedicated to conserving the parks for the future. With our local and federal partners, the Parks Conservancy is committed to the work of supporting Bay Area national parks as places where we can further racial and social justice for our community and climate resilience for these protected lands. www.parksconservancy.org
Marin County Parks: Marin County Parks maintains 18,400 acres of public parks and open space preserves. It is dedicated to educating, inspiring, and engaging the people of Marin in the shared commitment of preserving, protecting, and enriching the natural beauty of Marin's parks and open spaces, and providing recreational opportunities for the enjoyment of all generations. www.marincountyparks.org
Marin Water: Marin Water is a public utility providing water to more than 191,000 people in a 147-square-mile area of southern and central Marin County. In operation since 1912, MMWD is the oldest municipal water district in California. The district’s mission is to manage natural resources in a sustainable manner and to provide customers with reliable, high-quality water at a reasonable price. www.marinwater.org
National Park Service: Golden Gate National Recreation Area is one of the most visited parks in the National Park Service, hosting more than 17 million visitors in 2022. A diverse park with abundant recreational opportunities, as well as natural, cultural, and scenic resources, it encompasses more than 82,000 acres across three counties, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo. The park also administers two other NPS areas, Fort Point National Historic Site, a Civil War era fortress built on the northernmost point of land in San Francisco, and Muir Woods National Monument, which comprises an impressive stand of old growth coastal redwoods in Marin County. www.nps.gov/goga
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