Date of Award:

8-2026

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Biology

Committee Chair(s)

Fabiane Mundim

Committee

Fabiane Mundim

Committee

Jonathan Koch

Committee

Ricardo Ramirez

Committee

Norah Saarman

Abstract

Managers rely on insect monitoring traps to detect insect pests that harm crops and protect food and other agricultural production. However, these traps also capture non-target insects, including bumble bees, raising concerns about whether repeated trapping could harm pollinator populations. This thesis explores whether bees caught as non-targets, also called bycatch, in routine pest monitoring traps can be used to better understand bumble bee populations, and whether traps pose risks to their long-term persistence. Using bumble bees collected from pest surveillance traps placed in crop fields across Utah, this research examined seasonal patterns in body size, timing of capture, and family relatedness among bees sampled over multiple years. Results showed that worker (non-queen) bees became smaller later in the season, while queens showed little change in size across the year. Analyses indicated that bumble bee population genetic diversity remained stable across time, with high genetic diversity and no evidence of population genetic decline. This pattern suggests that bumble bees caught as bycatch reflect large, healthy populations and are not harmed through pest trapping efforts. Together, these findings show that non-target captures in pest monitoring traps can provide valuable information about pollinator populations without requiring additional bee collection. The study also identifies times of year when capturing vulnerable bees may be more likely, offering guidance for adjusting monitoring practices. Overall, this work demonstrates how existing pest surveillance programs can be improved to protect crops while also supporting pollinator conservation.

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