Endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee nest discovered in Milwaukee County
Before the 1990s, they were everywhere in Wisconsin and beyond. Native Rusty Patched Bumblebees nested and foraged across 28 states and parts of Canada. Then the population hit a sudden, rapid decline. By 2017, the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee had become so scarce it was the first bee listed as a federally endangered species. In this episode, a walk deep into the Wisconsin woods for the rarest of discoveries: a nest of Rusty Patched Bumblebee queens. Amy looks at what it's going to take to bring our bees back and meet the dedicated experts and volunteers who are working hard to save our pollinators.
Host:Amy Barrilleaux
Guests:Elizabeth Braatz, Bumble Bee Brigade Coordinator and Terrestrial Insect Ecologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Jay Watson, Terrestrial Insect Ecologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Halley Minser, Restoration Ecologist, Milwaukee County Parks
Background Reading:Saving Wisconsin's Native Pollinators