Loss of the natural environment, pesticides and disease have caused the population of the American bumblebee (Bombus pensylvanicus) to decline by 89% in two decades. In the past, these were abundant insects, especially in pastures, on the prairies and near cities. He has now completely disappeared from 8 US states. This is a big problem because it is an important pollinating insect.
The population of the American bumblebee is declining rapidly
According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, population of the American bumblebee could qualify for protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). These are the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Idaho, North Dakota, Oregon and Wyoming. Even in other states, this bumblebee is in danger of disappearing completely, for example in New York the population has dropped by 99%. More than half of the population has disappeared in the southeast and midwestern United States.
Bumblebees lack legal protection
The sad fact is that this bumblebee is not yet protected by any law. A particularly great enemy of American bumblebees are pesticides, which impair the ability to reproduce, the possibility of communication between bumblebees and the immune system of bumblebees. With a weak immune system, the bumblebee easily succumbs to various diseases. The largest remaining American bumblebee populations are located in the southern Great Plains and southeastern states. Unless swift action is taken to save this species, it could become extinct in the near future.
Source:
https://www.livescience.com/american-bumblebee-endangered
Credit:
youtube.com/watch?v=EGtvfkGYNx0
