Many wild bee species are in serious decline, with over 700 native U.S. bee species at risk. For example, the rusty patched bumblebee saw a 90% drop in its population before being listed as endangered. The American bumblebee is following a similar path, with a 90% decrease since 2000.
Saving the bees isn’t just about honeybees. Wild bees are facing the same threats – like harmful pesticides, loss of habitat, and climate change – but they also rely on healthy environments full of native plants to thrive.
Neonicotinoid pesticides are particularly devastating, causing paralysis and death in honeybees, and even impacting native species like blue orchard bees, which produce fewer offspring when exposed to these chemicals.
To protect bees, we need to reduce pesticide use, protect vital habitats, and address climate change. Supporting native plants and wildflowers on public lands is a simple but effective way to help safeguard these important pollinators.
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