Answering key bumble bee conservation questions by studying discovered wild nests: A Bombus affinis case study

The nesting ecology of wild bumble bees is not well resolved, but information learned from discovered nests can be of great conservation value. Data collected at nests on foraging patterns, caste-specific behavior, and health (e.g., pathogens) is invaluable for understanding bumble bee behavior and ecology, but difficult to decipher solely from foraging observations away from the nest. Wild nests are often found opportunistically, and due to a lack of standardized guidance on data collection, the information collected alongside nest discoveries is often idiosyncratic. Here we provide a framework for data collection when nests are discovered to ensure the data are as complete as possible and comparable across studies. To meet these goals, we provide an action plan which includes key conservation questions and methodological guidelines both for in-situ data collection and post season nest excavation. This plan is ordered by increasing complexity of data collection methods and includes sug..., Data was collected by conducting observations of B. affinis nests as described in the main text. Processing of raw data conducted as shown in the attached R script. , , # Answering key bumble bee conservation questions by studying discovered wild nests: A Bombus affinis case study

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.gqnk98sxt](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.gqnk98sxt)

## Description of the data and file structure

Data was collected conducting several 10-minute observations of wild *Bombus affinis* nests as detailed in the main text. Data represents observations of castes of bumble bees entering or exiting the observed nests and details the number of individuals observed.

### Files and variables

Inside the .zip file are 3 primary files.

**GP_Data.csv** - this represents data collected by Genevieve Pugesek while observing a nest in the Madison, Wisconsin area. It contains columns for date, the direction of movement of observed individuals (\"activity\"; either in or out of the colony), the caste of the observed individuals, a column for summarizing the concatenation of activity + caste, and a count of the activity observed.

**LaX_Data.csv** - similar to G...