It's Official: Bumblebee Has Been Added To The Constantly Growing List Of Endangered Species

Sep 04, 2018 by apost team

The rusty-patched bee is the first bumblebee species to be added to the list of endangered animals. This type of bee joins the northern spotted owl, the gray wolf, the grizzly bear and hundreds of other animals whose futures are unclear.

Scientists estimate that a majority of the population now is restricted to twelve states and Ontario, Canada. This particular species of bumblebee used to be common throughout the midwest and east of the United States. Now, 95% of the remaining population can be found in these isolated, constrained pockets.

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Discussing the endangered species with Forbes, a bumblebee ecologist and research entomologist revealed that the rusty-patched bee can now only be found in a few select spots in the country.

The rusty-patched bumblebee is known in the scientific community as Bombus affinis. It is named for the red patch found on its abdomen. Despite having an intended spot on the endangered list since February 10, 2018, the government's hesitation didn't see the rusty-patched bumblebee have an official spot until earlier this month.

Sarah Jepsen is the director at the Xerces Society and focuses on the protection of endangered species. She expressed her excitement surrounding the inclusion of this bumblebee onto the endangered list. Now that the Fish and Wildlife Service as listed the bee as endangered, it can receive the protection needed for survival.

This particular species of bumblebee has been under threat from a wide-variety of different sources. As humans have continued to populate wild areas and create urbanized environments, the natural habitats of these rusty-patched bees have greatly been reduced. This led to a stark decline in their population size.

Part of the conservation project will see that grasslands and other natural habitats of the rusty-patched bee are preserved and not eliminated. The Fish and Wildlife Service hope that these protected areas will give this bumblebee the chance to thrive once again.

A senior conservation biologist at the Xerces Society assures that this conservation project will help many more insects and pollinators. In addition to the rusty-patched bumblebee, other species in these preserved habitats will also likely see a boost in population and health. When one organism in an ecosystem is thriving, others tend to follow suit.

Despite receiving some overwhelming support, the listing of the rusty-patched bumblebee has also been met with stark criticism. Several organizations and companies have signed a petition asking for a one-year delay on the listing.

Darryl Fears, a Washington Post contributor, believes that the listing will be followed by a series of lawsuits. The outrage of the listing is ironic as over one-third of fauna in the United States depends on such pollinators.

This is the first species of bumblebee to be put on the endangered list. Spread the word to any friend and family who share the same concerns about the environment. The more people that know, the more chance there is for change.