For more on this issue, see The Mercury News.
Here is a picture of the endangered Western Bumblebee (New York Post)
Certain bumblebee species are becoming endangered due to pesticide use, development taking their habitats, and other anthropogenic causes (The Mercury News). They are currently protected under the California Endangered Species Act. It should remain this way, especially because protecting these species is also protecting countless other species.
The Issue
In 2019, The California Fish and Game Commission added bumblebee species, such as the Western Bumblebee, to the endangered species list (Marin Independent Journal). Being on this list gives them protection from the Endangered Species Act. This is good because these species are actually endangered and should be protected. Some species lost up to 98% in abundance (Marin Independent Journal)! Despite how threatened these species are, some agricultural organizations still want these species taken off the endangered species list. They argue that the risk of being fined for the accidental killing of a bee is too great (The Mercury News). We must find a solution to these inconveniences because many other species are counting on bees to protect them too.
Why Bees Matter
Bees support approximately one third of the world's food supply (UCMMG)! Bees greatly contribute to protecting biodiversity by pollinating flowers, which is important for ecosystem resilience. If that is not enough for you, bees also benefit the economy. Through the pollination of crops, California alone gains six billion dollars a year just from the crops bees pollinate for us (UCMMG). Bees native to California also depend on California's native plants, such as Eriodictyon californicum (nature.berkeley.edu). In order to allow the bees to provide us with this ecosystem service, we must protect both the endangered bee species as well as our precious native plants.
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