Rusty Patched Bumblebee On The Verge Of Extinction: Pesticides Reason For Bees' Tragic Fate?

The rusty patched bumblebee is the first bee to be extinct in the United States. The species is on the verge of extinction and researchers do not know yet what caused the decline.

According to a report, there are a number of reasons why the rusty patched bumblebee's population has declined. It may be caused by pesticides and diseases and also a loss of habitat for the species. Toxic insecticides may also contribute to the extinction of the bee.

It is indicated that the colony for the rusty-patched bumblebee has decreased to 87% since the 1990's. The bee occupied 31 states before and now these native bees only occupy 13 states. There have been programs that help preserve the bumblebee's habitat.

The rusty patch bumblebee is also called the Bombus affinis. It is one of the 47 varieties of bees that can be found in the U.S. and Canada. Recently more than a quarter of the species have been lost. This brings the insect to be near extinction. It is known that bumblebees are key pollinators of crops. They work on blueberries, cranberries, and tomatoes. The agricultural aspect of the nation may be affected if the species will totally be gone. It is helpful if the government will find more ways in order to preserve the population of the rusty-patched bumblebee.

Meanwhile, it is reported that 20 years ago, the rusty-patched bumblebee had been prevalent. In fact, people would shoo the bees away because of the species visibility. In the year 2000, there was less visibility of the rusty-patched bumblebee anywhere.

For the last two decades, there has been a significant decline of the rusty-patched bumblebee's population. Recovery plans are still in development in order to bring back the bumblebee's population as before. As of this time, it is the first bumblebee listed to be near extinct.