Yellow-Banded Bumble Bee

The 2024 Collaboration with Wildlife Preservation Canada

In a collaboration to bring awareness to Canada’s species at risk, Wildlife Preservation Canada and signature member of Artists for Conservation Sarah McComb Turbitt created a challenge for Sarah to paint as many endangered Canadian species as she can during January 2024. In this collection, 15% will be donated to WPC. WPC saves critically endangered species whose numbers in the wild are so low that hands-on action is the last defence to save them from extinction. WPC is the only organization in Canada to provide this critical need for wildlife in recovery efforts across the country, from the single population of endangered frogs in BC to the disappearing pollinators across Ontario.

“Yellow-banded bumble bees use a technique called “buzz pollination,” where the bee grabs hold of a flower in its jaws and vibrates its wings to shake loose pollen that would otherwise be inaccessible to other bees. Since the 1990s, bumble bee numbers have been plummeting, and that spells ecological disaster. Ninety percent of all flowering plants need pollinators such as the yellow-banded bumble bee to reproduce.”

“Today, WPC is the only organization in Canada rebuilding wild bee populations through captive breeding. Thanks to recent breakthroughs, we’ve figured out how to dramatically increase the number of queens we produce. Once they’re released into the wild, they can establish their own colonies, producing hundreds of pollinators to sustain the ecosystems around them.” Learn more about how you can help at wildlifepreservation.ca.

Reference photography for inspiration was kindly provided by Tiffani Harrison.

All original artwork is hand-signed by Sarah McComb-Turbitt and includes a certificate of authenticity and white cotton gloves for handling the painting upon delivery.