Rusty bumblebee 1st wild bee in US to get federal protection
The US Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday listed the rusty patched bumblebee as an endangered species, making it the first wild bee in the country to gain such federal protection. Known as Bombus affinis, its population has declined by nearly 90% since the late 1990s. Its falling numbers have been attributed to climate change, habitat loss and pesticides. 