The rusty patched bumblebee is the first native bee to be named an endangered species in the United States.
According to the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service officials, they do not know what caused the decline, but they are on the verge of extinction.
“The bee could be disappearing for many reasons,” according to Serina Jepson, Director of Endangered Species and Aquatic Programs for the Xerces Society. “Disease and pesticides are the two biggest threats to the existence of the rusty patched bumblebee, compounded by loss of habitat,” Jepson said in an interview with Fox News. “Of additional concern is the widespread use of persistent, long-lasting, highly toxic insecticides within the range of the rusty patched bumblebee, which pose a threat to its continued existence.”
Research has shown colonies of the rusty patched bumblebee have decreased by at least 87 percent since the 1990s. While they once lived in 31 states in the eastern U.S. Currently this bee can only be found in 13 states.
Extinction of this species could have a large impact on the production of fruits and vegetables, according to Eric Lee-Mader, the pollinator program co-director at the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
“Bumblebees are among the most widely recognized and well-understood group of native pollinators in North America and contribute to the pollination of food crops,” Lee-Mader said in an interview with Fox news.
Their extinction could also have a financial impact.
“Native pollinators in the U.S. provide essential pollination services to agriculture which are valued more than $9 billion annually,” Lee-Mader said.
