Protection of Native Bumblebees in California: Importance of Conserving Bumblebees for Collective Benefit
On a blissful spring day in California's lush Central Valley, a humble Crotch's bumble bee perches upon a vibrant lupine flower. Adorned with a fuzzy yellow-black body kissed by pollen, it buzzes from bloom to bloom, executing its crucial, silent work that keeps our food supply plentiful and wildlands ebullient.
Yet, this creature—and numerous of its fellow kin—are swiftly vanishing.
In every corner of California, four native bumble bee species are now precariously clinging to survival. The perils are numerous: pesticides, habitat loss, disease, and climate change. Yet, this heartbreaking tale begins not only in the Golden State but echoes across the nation, with far-reaching consequences. Approximately one-third of the food we ingest depends upon pollinators like bees. When bees are in peril, so is our very sustenance.
Join us while we delve deeper into the lives of these bees that Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Food Safety, and The Xerces Society are vigilantly working to protect.
Behold the Bees
Why Are Bees Struggling?
Bees encounter various risks. Expanding human settlements have usurped much of their habitat. Pesticides, particularly neonicotinoids, inflict harm upon bees' flight, feeding, and reproduction abilities. For bees, diseases transmitted from commercially farmed ones can pose serious threats, and climate change is wreaking havoc on the availability and timing of food sources.
Our organizations have long been champions in minimizing pesticide use and safeguarding pollinators. We've engaged in legal battles against the EPA to ban hazardous chemicals, gathered support for petitions against their use, and worked diligently to seal loopholes that render pesticide-laced seeds unregulated. Additionally, we collaborate with farmers, ranchers, and natural area managers across the USA to reinstate pollinator habitats.
In California, we submitted a petition in 2018 to the California Endangered Species Act, requesting full-fledged legal protection for these four bumble bee species. With the Stanford Environmental Law Clinic, we successfully defended this listing in court. The Bumble Bee Atlases enable us to track and monitor the status of these species across California and beyond.
Are Bees Endangered?
In 2018, our collaborative initiative petitioned California to bestow full legal protection upon these bees. Following years of heated debates, lawsuits, and extensive scientific evaluations, the California Fish and Game Commission is expected to issue a final resolution soon.
While we anxiously await the decision, these bees currently qualify as 'candidates' and enjoy robust protection from activities that may potentially cause harm or disturb their ecosystems. If the Fish and Game Commission officially designates these species as endangered under California's Endangered Species Act, these protections will persist into the future. But we refuse to idly wait for that decision. Pollinator habitat restoration projects are already underway in agricultural lands, urban spaces, and alongside roadways.
Why This Matters Everywhere
California is the nation's most productive agricultural state, yielding over 13% of the country's total food supply. When pollinators in California face hardship, the repercussions stretch far beyond the Golden State, impacting dinner tables from Alaska to Kansas, New York and beyond. Beyond food, however, this is about preserving biodiversity. More than 80% of wild plants rely heavily on insect pollinators like bees to reproduce. Bees serve as trustworthy indicators of healthy ecosystems.
Save the Bees
Anyone, regardless of location, can exert positive influence on bee populations. Here are four straightforward actions to consider:
- EMPLOY POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY FLOWERS: Introduce plants, like milkweed, coneflower, or bee balm, that attract and support bees.
- AVOID PESTICIDES: Minimizing the usage of pesticides in your garden and encouraging others to do the same can create a safer world for bees.
- ADVOCATE FOR ORGANIC FARMERS: Support farmers who prioritize pollinator habitat conservation.
- STAND UP FOR POLLINATOR PROTECTIONS: Voice your opinions to advocate for enhanced safeguards for pollinators in your state.
To contribute directly to the conservation of these vital pollinators, consider engaging in bumble bee atlas projects wherever you reside. Additionally, discover how to create a pollinator garden at home.
As we patiently wait for California's final decision, we remain steadfast in our fight for the bees. With effective protections and a little help from each one of us, these four species still have a fighting chance to recover and flourish.
- The perils faced by these disappearing native bumble bee species in California, such as habitat loss, pesticides, diseases, and climate change, are not limited solely to the Golden State and have far-reaching consequences for the nation's food supply, as approximately one-third of the food we eat depends upon pollinators like bees.
- California's humble Crotch's bumble bee, like many other bee species, encounters risks from various sources including habitat loss, pesticides, diseases, and climate change, which are not limited to one state, but have far-reaching implications for the nation's food supply and biodiversity.
- The four native bumble bee species in California, threatened by pesticides, habitat loss, diseases, and climate change, are not alone in their struggle, as bees across the nation, essential for food production and biodiversity, face similar perils.
