Wild Bumble Bees Near Extinction:

"WASHINGTON -- The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Defenders of Wildlife, Natural Resources Defense Council and Dr. Robbin Thorp today submit a citizen petition to the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) requesting the Secretary to take action to regulate the movement and health of commercial bumble bees.

Read the petition:

http://www.xerces.org/petition/xerces-bumblebee-petition-to-aphis.pdf


Recent work by Dr. Robbin Thorp and The Xerces Society has established that at least four species of formerly common North American bumble bees have experienced steep declines; two of those species teeter on the brink of extinction. A major threat to the survival of these wild bees is the spread of diseases from commercially produced bees that are transported throughout the country.

“The federal government does not regulate the movement of bumble bees throughout the United States, nor does it certify that bumble bees that are moved be free of diseases,” said Sarina Jepsen, endangered species program director of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. “However, this petition clearly shows that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has the authority to regulate the interstate movement of bumble bees under the Plant Protection Act and two other laws.”

Bee pollination is essential to the reproduction ...."

snip

http://www.defenders.org/newsroom/press_releases_folder/2010/01_21_2010_wild_bumble_bees_teeter_on_brink_of_extinction.php

http://www.xerces.org/bumblebees/

http://www.xerces.org/give/

Never heard of “commercial bumble bees”. I’m thinking it is a typo. Honey bees have been domesticated for a long time but commercial bumble bees? I thought bumble bees were all wild.

I have nothing against these little guys but if they are sick what can be done to help?

Honey bees are preferred because they can be moved constantly, bumble bees are a replacement bee, but can only be shipped once (i.e. Shipped and released). Once released the bumble bee will pollinator any plant in the area if it is in Flower (And not one of the 20% of plants the do NOT need a pollinator).

Given that Bumble Bees do NOT overstay winter in their hives, each spring brings a new generation of Bumble Bees. Bumble Bees also do NOT produce honey (Again, for the simple reason they do NOT stay in their hives during winter). This makes the bumble bee a poor replacement for the honey bee (Which do stay in their hives and can thus be moved all over the country throughout the year) EXCEPT if you do NOT plan to move them as the crop go in and out of the Flower stage (This also requires that the user of Bumble Bees have multiple crops so that as one crop ends in flower cycle another starts up). Thus Bumble bees are NOT liked by farmers who practice mono-culture.

On the other hand if Honey bees can not be used (The area is to cold for Honey bees OR Honey bees are just NOT available) then the best alternative is the Bumble Bee.

More on Bumble Bees:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumblebee
http://www.bumblebee.org/
http://www.bumblebee.org/terr.htm
http://www.farminfo.org/bees/bumble-bees.htm

and we have been pesticide free for over 5 years.

We've had many native bees in the yard, as well as birds, butterflies, mantises, lizards, snakes, and horsehair worms. :o

And this is a small yard in the city. :D

the horsehair worms.:P

:D