Linking microbial with nutritional diversity in the invasive bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) across Tasmania

Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) are globally important pollinators but are invasive across Tasmania since 1992. Australia is the only continent free of the honeybee colony destroying Varroa mite, therefore assessing pollinator health prior to the mites’ imminent arrival is critical. Bee health is tightly linked with diet, the bee gut microbiome, and environmental conditions. This project aims to characterise nutritional diversity (i.e. of pollen) within invasive B. terrestris and how this interacts with bee gut microbiomes across variable environments across Tasmania. This project paves the way for biotic and abiotic processes to be accounted for in the management of pollinator threats.