The American Bumblebee Has Nearly Vanished From Eight States

Authored by smithsonianmag.com and submitted by 9mac
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The American bumblebee (Bombus pensylvanicus)—once abundant and found lazily floating around in grasslands, open prairies, and some urban areas throughout the United States—now face a rapidly declining population.

According to a proposed rule released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the species' population has dropped nearly 90 percent and could qualify for protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Independent's Graeme Massie reports. Despite dwindling population numbers, the American bumblebee is not protected in any state or by federal law.

American bumblebees are a vital pollinator for wildflowers and crops, and their decline could have severe consequences for the environment. The species has completely vanished from eight states, including Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Idaho, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Oregon, Ben Turner reports for Live Science. The bumblebee species have declined by 99 percent in New York. In the Midwest and Southeast, population numbers have dropped by more than 50 percent.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials first conducted a 90-day review of the American bumblebee—along with the Siuslaw hairy-necked tiger beetle and the Long Valley speckled dace—and found that the species should be further studied to determine whether they should be added to the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants, per the Independent.

Depending on the results of a forthcoming year-long review, the American bumblebee could be legally protected under the ESA, which would provide rules and framework for saving the species from extinction, reports Live Science. Currently, only two bumblebee species, the rusty patched and Franklin's, receive ESA protection.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's announcement came about after an August 2021 petition for protecting the American bumblebee under the ESA was filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Bombus Pollinator Association of Law Students, an Albany Law School student group.

"This is an important first step in preventing the extinction of this fuzzy black-and-yellow beauty that was once a familiar sight," said petition co-author Jess Tyler, a Center for Biological Diversity scientist, in a statement. "To survive unchecked threats of disease, habitat loss, and pesticide poisoning, American bumblebees need the full protection of the Endangered Species Act right now."

Researchers can trace the bee's plummeting population numbers back to multiple threats, including pesticides, habitat loss, climate change, diseases and competition from non-native honeybees. States with the most significant dip in bee numbers have the largest increase in the use of pesticides like neonicotinoids, insecticides, and fungicides, per Live Science.

Pesticides like neonicotinoids harm the bumblebee's natural homing system, disrupt their communication strategies, and weaken their immune systems, reports Live Science. According to the Independent, the largest remaining American bumblebee populations are located in the southern Great Plains and southeastern states.

If the bee is placed under federal protection, farmers or developers who harm the insects could face up to $13,000 in fines each time one is killed, Live Science reports.

Matt3989 on October 13rd, 2021 at 20:58 UTC »

Maine Rhode Island New Hampshire Vermont Idaho North Dakota Wyoming Oregon

This was found after U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials completed a preliminary 90 day study of the species. A more indepth study is taking place now to determine if it should be added to the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants which would protect it under the Endangered Species Act.

Also:

The bumblebee species have declined by 99 percent in New York. In the Midwest and Southeast, population numbers have dropped by more than 50 percent.

 

States with the most significant dip in bee numbers have the largest increase in the use of pesticides like neonicotinoids, insecticides, and fungicides, per Live Science.

dzastrus on October 13rd, 2021 at 20:39 UTC »

I have a small flower farm in New Hampshire. Kind of an island of pollination going on. We have tons of bumblers this year. Last year, not so much. Last year lots of Monarchs, this year just a few. It's f_ing sad how they're barely making it. Their fluctuations make me wonder about a silent spring in my lifetime. I don't want that.

kry1212 on October 13rd, 2021 at 20:05 UTC »

When we talk about saving the bees, this is one of the kinds we mean that are threatened. Native pollinators.

Honey bees are important too, but they’re not native to North America. Beekeepers keep those.

The native bees and other pollinators are who we need to be saving.