Why survey for bumblebees?
During spring and summer, bumblebees are among the most familiar insects seen visiting flowers. Their fuzzy black and yellow bodies are easy to recognize as they buzz from plant to plant. Bumblebees are strongly linked with areas containing large numbers of flowering plants. In fact, their often ubiquitous presence in gardens makes it easy to take these insects for granted. However, if patterns detected in other parts of the world hold true for Arkansas, bumblebees may not be as common as we like to think. Evidence is building that populations of bumblebees, and other native bees, are experiencing significant declines. An intensive nationwide survey in the United Kingdom revealed that half of the bumblebee species in that country are close to extinction. Factors cited as contributing to these declines include intensive agriculture, pesticide use, habitat loss, and urban development. Those same factors are also at work in Arkansas. Bees: The Ultimate Pollinators Even if bees are declini
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