Lesley Hamamoto, a biologist from Sacramento, has been awarded the prestigious title of winner in the 2026 Robbin Thorp Memorial First-Bumble-Bee-of-the-Year Contest. She was presented with her prize, a specially designed coffee cup from the Bohart Museum of Entomology, during a recent visit to the museum. The cup features an illustration of the endangered Franklin’s bumblebee, a species extensively studied by the late Professor Robbin Thorp.
The award ceremony took place at the Bohart Museum, where Professor Emerita Lynn Kimsey, who led the museum for 34 years, and Tabatha Yang, the education and outreach coordinator, presented Hamamoto with the honor. The contest, which began in 2021, celebrates the legacy of Thorp, known for his lifelong dedication to pollinator conservation.
Hamamoto secured her victory by being the first participant to photograph and submit an image of a bumblebee for the year. At exactly 9:59 a.m. on January 2, 2026, she captured a photo of a black-tailed bumblebee, Bombus melanopygus, while it was nectaring on manzanita in the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden. Contest rules dictate that the first individual to document a bumblebee in the Yolo and Solano counties must send the image to the Bohart Museum to win.
As a biologist and botanist with the Department of Water Resources in California, Hamamoto has contributed to the study of native plants and their ecosystems since 2008. Her connection to UC Davis is deep; she is an alumna and previously worked at the university. Furthermore, she actively participates in the California Bumble Bee Atlas and currently serves as the president of the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society.
The coffee cup awarded to Hamamoto serves as a tribute to the research of Professor Thorp, who dedicated two decades to monitoring bumblebee populations along the California-Oregon border. Tragically, the Franklin’s bumblebee, Bombus franklini, is now feared extinct, highlighting the critical importance of conservation efforts that Thorp passionately advocated.
During her time at UC Davis, Hamamoto had the privilege of taking courses taught by both Thorp and Kimsey, including a natural history class focused on insects. Thorp, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 85, continued his research until just a week before his death, illustrating his unwavering commitment to bumblebees. Each January, he eagerly anticipated the arrival of the first bumblebee of the year, a tradition that lives on through this contest.
The recognition of Hamamoto not only honors her individual efforts but also serves to raise awareness about the significance of bumblebees and the need for their protection. As pollinators, these bees play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and supporting agriculture. Through initiatives like the First-Bumble-Bee-of-the-Year Contest, the Bohart Museum aims to engage the public in conservation efforts and inspire future generations to appreciate and protect these essential species.
