Rusty patched bumblebee put on US endangered list

FOR THE first time in US history, a bumblebee species has been put on the endangered species list. The rusty patched bumblebee

(Bombus affinis) was so prevalent 20 years ago that pedestrians in Midwest cities fought to shoo them away. Now even trained scientists and experienced bee watchers find it difficult to find them. “I’ve never seen one, and I live pretty close to where there have been populations documented,” said Tamara Smith, a US Fish and Wildlife Service biologist stationed in Minneapolis.

Fearing that the striped black and yellow pollinator could be lost forever, Fish and Wildlife designated the animal as endangered on Tuesday. The designation triggers protections such as regulations against knowingly destroying the bumblebee’s habitat and habitat creation. It also raises awareness about the plight of the bumblebee and requires a long-term plan to restore its population.

The rusty patched bumblebee was selected for the list because of its former abundance and astonishing plummet. All the people interested in bees started talking to each other and said they hadn’t seen this bee for a while. Soon they were nowhere to be found in places that were once buzzing with them.

The list of suspected causes for the disappearance include farm pesticides, household herbicides, human development, disease and climate change.