Bumble Bees, A Special Concern For Texas Endangered Species Conservation
Up until 2008, the European decline in bumble bee species remained distant to US concerns. For the most part, our national leaders considered local reports of such decline as unreliable and unscientific personal opinions. By the time researchers from the University of Illinois actually engaged in serious assessment of the problem, four species of North American bumble bees had already experienced range contractions of as much as 87-percent. All total, researchers investigated 21 species of North American bumble bees. Eleven species proved to have a 50-percent or better decline in populations.
As of October 2016, the US Fish and Wildlife Service have limited the endangered species protection status to seven species of native Hawaiian bees. However, a current US Wildlife proposal now seeks to include the rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) among those protected under the US Endangered Species Act.
Texas Wildlife authorities are well aware of the economic and ecological values that bumble bees promote and secure within Texas borders. Working in conjunction with researchers from the University of North Texas and the University of Texas at Austin, the Texas Wildlife agency is actively seeking documented bumble bee observations from statewide residents. You can take part by joining the Nongame and Rare Species Program’s citizen-science initiative.
But even if you do not actively join the fight to preserve Texas wildlife, don’t let a bee problem become seek and destroy. Preventive Pest Control provides competent, thorough and complete pest control throughout the South Western United States. Our licensed and certified professionals can safely remedy your bee problem by removal rather than obliteration. Rather than killing bees, we relocate bees.
Bumble Bees, Essential To Agriculture Pollination Services
According to Eric Lee-Mäder program director of the non-profit Xerces Society, bees provide the US agriculture industry with over $9 billion worth of native pollination services. Shamefully, human development as well as invasive species generates the greatest threat to our bee population. Due to loss of vital habitat, national bee populations have become more and more sparse and splintered.
Rusty patched bumble bees contribute to ecosystems, wildflower reproduction, and the security of our food supply. The ecosystem repercussions of declining bumble bees spread so far as to affect grizzly bears as well as plants and songbirds. Bumble bee crop pollination includes crops such as:
- Blueberries
- Clover
- AND specifically tomatoes.
Americans cannot afford to ignore the protection of the US bee population. So don’t kill. If you have a bee problem, Preventive Pest Control can help with stinging insect control. We will relocate the bees.