NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Once found in much of the United States, wildlife officials are now seeking to add federal protections for a species of bumble bee that researchers believe is "declining at an alarming rate."
There over 250 species of bumble bee worldwide — more than 40 of which are found in North America. However, many species have reportedly shown signs of decline across the country, with the Southern Plains bumble bee now half as abundant as it was a few decades ago.
“Southern Plains bumblebees have already disappeared from six states and desperately need Endangered Species Act protection to survive,” Jess Tyler, an entomologist for the Center for Biological Diversity said in a news release. “The Act has an incredible track record of keeping species from going extinct and putting them on the path to recovery.”
Back in 2022, Tyler authored a petition to list the species as endangered under the Endangered Species Act — something that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now taking into consideration as the Southern Plains bumble bee is one of nine species that could receive protection.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the nine species selected face enough risk of extinction that they warrant being monitored over the next year. Afterward, federal officials will determine whether they should be added to the "endangered" list or considered "threatened."
The Southern Plains bumble bee previously inhabited 26 states across the Great Planes and along the southeastern Gulf coastal plain, but according to Tyler's petition, the species has disappeared from Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Dakota and Ohio.
While less abundant, the bee, which is one of the largest bumble bees in North America, can still be found in parts of Tennessee. However, few states currently offer any protections for the Southern Plains bumble bee.
The only bee mentioned in Tennessee’s State Wildlife Action Plan is the Eastern Carpenter Bee. Tennessee’s Department of Transportation has worked to establish a Pollinator Habitat Program, but there is no mention or protections specifically for the Southern Plains bumble bee.
Despite declining numbers, many other species are also without protection. Only two bumble bee species — the rusty patched bumble bee and Franklin’s bumble bee — are currently protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Research has shown that the Southern Plains bumble bee's decline has likely been the result of multiple threats, including ongoing habitat loss due to agriculture and development, pesticide exposure, pathogens from commercial bees, climate change, and small population size.
According to the petition submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Southern Great Plains lost nearly five million acres of perennial grassland habitat between 1982 and 2015, and agricultural interests continue to drive habitat loss.
Scientists have also found that the increased use of herbicides over the last two decades has removed many of the native flowers and plants that species like the Southern Plains bumble bee rely on for energy and nutrients.
Some pesticides can also kill bumble bees and harm bees' immune systems, hindering reproduction.
Without federal protections, some scientists fear that the species, which plays an important role in the health of natural ecosystems and agricultural systems, could face extinction, with recent analysis showing a continued pattern of decline.
According to the petition, animal pollination — the vast majority of which is done by bees — is required for the successful production of nearly 75% of leading global food crops and 35% of the global food supply.
The eight other animals that are being monitored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service range from tiny rabbits to colorful fish. The only other species on the list that is found in Tennessee is the yellow-spotted woodland salamander.
Once a species is on the official list of endangered and threatened wildlife or plants, a host of protections kick in, including protecting their habitat, recovery efforts and restrictions on people transporting or selling the species.
from WKRN News 2 https://ift.tt/POKwJut
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