Public Radio For Eastern North Carolina 89.3 WTEB New Bern 88.5 WZNB New Bern 91.5 WBJD Atlantic Beach 90.3 WKNS Kinston 88.5 WHYC Swan Quarter 89.9 W210CF Greenville

Donate

Play Live Radio

Next Up:

0:00

0:00 0:00

Available On Air Stations

Stung By Pesticides And Disease, Rusty Patched Bumblebee Now Endangered

Published January 13, 2017 at 12:52 PM EST

This 2012 photo provided by The Xerces Society shows a rusty patched bumblebee in Minnesota. (Sarina Jepsen/The Xerces Society via AP)

The rusty patched bumblebee is making American history, but no one is celebrating.

For the first time, a bumblebee species has been placed on the endangered species list. The dramatic decline in the bumblebee population is causing concern since the rusty patched, and other bumblebees, are critical pollinators — specializing in crops like blueberries, potatoes and tomatoes.

Here & Now‘s Robin Young talks with Scott Black, executive director of the Xerces Society, which works to preserve and protect pollinators and their habitats.

Here’s a video about bumblebees’ role as pollinators:

[Youtube]