Invertebrates
Franklin's Bumblebee
Bombus franklini · also called Franklin bumblebee
In a mountain meadow on the border of Oregon and California, the last Franklin’s bumblebee anyone saw was working a lupine in 2006, and no one has reliably seen one since.
Overview
Franklin’s bumblebee, Bombus franklini, is a Critically Endangered bumblebee that lived in a tiny area of southern Oregon and northern California. Its sudden decline, with no confirmed sighting since 2006, has made it one of the best-known cases of a pollinator’s rapid disappearance.
A bee that vanished
The fate of Franklin’s bumblebee has become a warning about how quickly a species with a very small range can decline when disease and habitat change strike.
Status
Critically Endangered, with a decreasing population and possibly extinct.
Franklin's Bumblebee: common questions
When was Franklin's bumblebee last seen?
It has not been reliably seen since 2006, and it may be extinct.
Where did Franklin's bumblebee live?
It lived in a small area of southern Oregon and northern California, one of the smallest ranges of any bumblebee.
Why did Franklin's bumblebee decline?
It is thought to have been hit by a disease spread from commercially reared bumblebees.
What did Franklin's bumblebee feed on?
It fed on nectar and pollen from wildflowers such as lupines and poppies.