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: 

Wisconsin Bumble Bee Brigade

Saving Wisconsin's Native Pollinators

Corn Ethanol vs. Solar: A Land Use Comparison 

Milwaukee County Parks: Conservation