Mapping the Knowledge Landscape: A Bibliometric Visualization of Bumblebee Research Over Four Decades (1980–2024)

Abstract

Bumblebees are a group of approximately 265 species of large-bodied bees adapted to cold climates, widely distributed in diverse regions like subarctic, temperate, subtropical, and tropical areas. However, the decline in bumblebee populations and induced risks in pollination services has stimulated growth in related research. This study conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of bumblebee research over four decades (1980–2024), tracing its historical evolution, current hotspots, and emerging trends. Key findings reveal a consistent increase in both publications and citations related to bumblebees over the past four decades. A total of 1005 scholarly journals published articles on the application of bumblebees, with 200,185 co-citation counts. The United States, the United Kingdom, and several European countries are at the forefront of bumblebee research, with major institutions such as University of California System contributing significantly to the field. The analysis identifies emerging research hotspots in ecology, plant, zoology and molecular biology, highlighting a shift towards interdisciplinary approaches. The analysis of authors and co-cited authors networks revealed 1398 authors contributed to the total number of papers. Dave Goulson ranks first with 160 publications and 2576 co-citations. The keyword co-occurrence network of bumblebee showed three periods, and the strongest citation burst linked to research on pollination and ecosystem services. The evolution of bumblebee research highlights ‘wild bee,’ ‘foraging distance,’ and ‘social learning’ as key emerging topics. The study identifies trends with significant implications, including a growing interest in pollinator conservation and the ecological role of bumblebees, and suggests new directions for future bumblebee research.