Bumble Bees

More than one-quarter of the bumble bee species in northeastern North America have either vanished or are in serious decline. Wild bees pollinate wildflowers and most crops in the Northeast, including blueberries, tomatoes, squash and apples. Harmful parasites accidentally imported from Europe and a class of pesticides toxic to bees most likely account for the bumble bee declines. Learn more about some of the bumble bees that concern us most and how you can help restore our pollinators.

Rusty-patched Bumble Bee

Not long ago the Rusty-patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis) was among eastern North America's most common bee. This docile bumble bee, whose workers and males are adorned with a single brightly colored abdominal patch, have been in serious decline for more than a decade. Learn more »

Yellow-banded Bumble Bee

Until recently, Yellow-banded Bumble Bee (Bombus terricola) was broadly distributed across much of eastern North America. But by the early 2000s its populations had apparently crashed across its range. It is one of the earliest bumble bees to emerge in the spring, with observations of queens as early as March and April in some areas. Learn more »