Head to head
Franklin's Bumblebee vs Rusty Patched Bumblebee
Franklin's Bumblebee
VS Rusty Patched Bumblebee
Franklin's bumblebee and the rusty patched bumblebee are two Critically Endangered North American bumblebees that declined steeply in recent decades, one in the West and one in the East.
| Franklin's Bumblebee | Rusty Patched Bumblebee | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Bombus franklini | Bombus affinis |
| Range | Mountain meadows and grassland in southern Oregon and northern California | Grassland and open habitat across parts of the eastern and midwestern United States, now in scattered remnants |
| Status story | Has not been reliably seen since 2006 and may be extinct | The first bee species federally listed as endangered in the United States |
| Decline | A very rapid decline in the 1990s and 2000s | Down by an estimated 90 percent from historical numbers |
| Causes | Thought to have been hit by a disease spread from commercially reared bumblebees | Pathogens from commercial colonies, pesticides, habitat loss, and climate change |
| Diet | Nectar and pollen from wildflowers such as lupines and poppies | Nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowering plants |
| Markings | Not specifically documented | A small rust-coloured patch on the abdomen of workers and males, absent in queens |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered, with a decreasing population | Critically Endangered, with a decreasing population |
Franklin's Bumblebee vs Rusty Patched Bumblebee: common questions
Which bumblebee may be extinct?
Franklin's bumblebee, which has not been reliably seen since 2006.
Which was the first bee on the US endangered list?
The rusty patched bumblebee, the first bee species ever placed on the United States endangered species list.
What caused both declines?
Pathogens spread from commercially reared bumblebees are suspected in both, along with habitat loss and, for the rusty patched bumblebee, pesticides and climate change.