It's Official - This Bee Has Been Added To The Endangered Species List

Jun 19, 2018 by apost team

The tiny bumblebee, namely the rusty-patched one has joined the gray wolf, grizzly bear, northern spotted owl and around 700 other species on the list of endangered animals. It's the first bee in the Continental United States to receive this protection. The long overdue action comes on the heels of a report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that says their population has declined by a startling 95 percent. 

Back in the mid to late 1990s, the rusty-patched bumblebee was considered abundant in 28 states ranging from the North and Midwest to the South and two Canadian provinces. Since the turn of the century, this habitat has been reduced to only 13 states and Ontario. 

The rusty-patched bumble lives in a variety of habitats including prairies, marshes, woodlands, and residential parks and gardens. Their survival depends on a continuing supply of flowering plants from spring to fall. They must have plenty of nectar and pollen from flowering plants near their nest sites. 

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Researchers have been trying to piece together the causes of the rusty-patched bumblebee's dramatic decline. They have identified multiple threats to its existence including disease, pesticides, the effects of climate change, and loss of habitat. 

Scientists discovered that the decline of wild bumblebees occurred along with the decline of commercially-bred ones whose demise was blamed on a parasitic fungus. The disease spread from commercial colonies to wild ones. Insecticides used to kill "bad" insects may also kill important pollinators. Herbicides kill the flowering plants they feed on. 

Scientists are still studying the effects of climate change on this breed of the bumblebee. Droughts, storms, floods, and early frost may be leading to decreased resources for them. The bumblebees could also be having a decline in habitats due to farming. Large crops of one kind may interfere with the plant diversity they need. 

It took more time than expected to get this helpful insect on the extinction list. A five-year campaign by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has led to the rusty-patch bumblebee to be listed as endangered. 

You can help save the rusty-patch bumble bee and other pollinators by planting native wildflowers in your yard, garden, or even in containers. Avoid using pesticides; instead, use a companion planting system to discourage insect pests you don't want. And if you have the perfect spot for it away from the wind, provide bee and insect hotels for them to nest in.

It's simple to do your part to help save the bees! Do you think you will give any of these tips a try? Show this article to your friends and family so they can help too!