Rusty Patched Bumble Bee Is 1st In USA To Be Listed As Endangered
Prior to the mid- to late 1990s, the rusty patched bumble bee was widely distributed across areas of 31 States/ Provinces: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Since 2000, the rusty patched bumble bee has been reported from 14 States/Provinces: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ontario, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Sadly, the rusty patched bumble bee has experienced a swift and dramatic decline since the late 1990s. Abundance of the rusty patched bumble bee has plummeted by 87%, leaving only a few small, scattered populations in 13 states and one province.
In this week’s segment of The Neonicotinoid View, host June Stoyer and Colorado beekeeper, Tom Theobald talk about the recent news about the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee as the first bee in the continental United States to be listed as endangered. Also, discussed is new research that proving how imidacloprid cripples the echo location ability in bats and causes brain cell death. This new research proves what top scientists have been warning us about for decades. Stay tuned!
Suggestions By US Fish and Wildlife Service To Help Conserve The Rusty Patched Bumble Bee?
Below are suggestions by the US Fish & Wildlife Service for the public. While these suggestions seem great, the reality is, until people understand the impact of neonicotinoids and ban them, all they are doing is adding to the already toxic environment responsible for this species’ decline as well as numerous others.
From Xerces Society news release. Photo: Christy Stewart
Garden:
Grow a garden or add a flowering tree or shrub to your yard. Even small areas or containers on patios can provide nectar and pollen for native bees.
Native plants:
Use native plants in your yard such as lupines, asters, bee balm, native prairie plants and spring ephemerals. Don’t forget spring blooming shrubs like ninebark and pussy willow! Avoid invasive non-native plants and remove them if they invade your yard. For more information on attracting native pollinators, visit www.fws.gov/pollinators/pdfs/PollinatorBookletFinalrevWeb.pdf.
Natural landscapes:
Provide natural areas – many bumble bees build nests in undisturbed soil, abandoned rodent burrows or grass clumps. Keep some unmowed, brushy areas and tolerate bumble bee nests if you find them. Reduce tilling soil and mowing where bumble bees might nest. Support natural areas in your community,
Minimize:
Limit the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizer whenever possible or avoid them entirely. Pesticides cause lethal and sublethal effects to bees and other pollinators.
The Monarch Butterfly: It’s Also A Ghost In The Making But Still Not Listed As Endangered!
The Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) has rapidly decline but has not joined the endangered species list. According to FWS.org, the monarch butterfly is not currently listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) or protected specifically under U.S. domestic laws.
New Research Proves Neonicotinoids Kill Bats
A research team from National Taiwan Normal University, lead by Professor of Life Sciences, Dr. Wu Chung-hsin found that bats feeding on imidacloprid-tainted insects were unable to fly along learned paths and often got lost while hunting.
Dr. Wu Chung-hsin
According to environmental author and bee health advocate, Graham White, “this is an extremely important scientific discovery – as far as I know it is the first study to confirm that neonicotinoids can affect the brains of mammals directly – destroying neurons – and in the case of bats, destroying their ability to echo-locate and navigate.
About The Neonicotinoid View:
“The Neonicotinoid View”, which is produced by The Organic View Radio Show is unique, weekly program that explores the impact of neonicotinoids on the environment. Tune in each week as host, June Stoyer and Colorado beekeeper, Tom Theobald, explore the latest research and news from the beekeeping community.
Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheOrganicViewRadioShow
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/TheOrganicView
Listen to previous shows: http://theorganicview.com/wiki
Contests: http://www.theorganicview.com/contests
Please support our efforts by donating to the show by making a donation to TheOrganicView! Even a dollar helps!