The rusty patched bumble bee became the first wild bee in the continental US to gain federal protection when recently it was added to the government’s list of endangered and threatened species.
The bee was once widely found in the upper Midwest and Northeastern US.
It was listed after U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration lifted a hold it had placed on a plan for federal protections proposed last fall by the administration of former President Barack Obama.
Pollinators like the rusty patched bumble bee play an essential role in maintaining the food supply, with bees in the U.S. pollinating more than 90 commercial crops including nuts, fruits and vegetables.