# Decline in Bumble bees



## max2 (Dec 24, 2009)

Have a look at this report:
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/60752


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Lots of bumble bees found here. Lots of wasps also
87% decline of bumble bees is kinda a stretch dont you think?


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## BWrangler (Aug 14, 2002)

Hi Guys

I'm hoping it's only 87%. There's been a much greater loss here in central Wyoming. I've written a little about it here:

http://beenatural.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/silenc/

Regards - Dennis


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## lighto (Jul 27, 2010)

This study says up to 96% decline, of the Bumble bee .. http://www.pnas.org/content/108/2/662


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## chillardbee (May 26, 2005)

We use to have the artic bumblebee by the droves down here, I remember catching them in jars and letting them go back in the early 80's. I can't find any anymore. there are however, other species still thriving, some of which I've never notice around these parts until now.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

There has been a general decline in many parts of the animal world. Insects, amphibians and other critters are experiencing die offs never seen before. It could be related to the generally polluted environment. There is nowhere you can go where pesticides and other chemical pollutants aren't found. Are we going to do something about it? Can we, if we wanted to?


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## Omie (Nov 10, 2009)

It's so discouraging. 
There are many things we can do, but I'm not sure if they really make much of a difference in the face of such massive ongoing environmental pollution and loss of habitat.
I do as much educating as I can when I talk to people, I put up bat house and native bee nesting sites, bird boxes, water, flowers, I don't apply poisons, i convince folks not to kill bees and bats and snakes and such....but....


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## iwombat (Feb 3, 2009)

Read the study a little closer. 97% decline in 4 species of BB. Those species were chosen for the study because they knew they were in decline already. This is by no means indicative of BB population in general.

No population decline noticeable here, I can tell you.


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## Kieck (Dec 2, 2005)

Right. The decline is in diversity of species of bumble bees, rather than in sheer numbers of bumble bees. A few species now dominate the total mix of bumble bees. I think this sort of thing should be expected -- as the environment becomes homogenized, life forms everywhere will be reduced to those few that are best adapted to it.


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

I've noticed that I haven't seen bombus species for 15 to 20 years in my area - we used to see hundreds of them each day during spring when was in grade school. Finally this year a few sightings.

So many other species absent - I'd see 6 kinds of butterflies every day, now I see 1 butterfly a month. Fewer everything except people.

We need to drastically change the way we are doing things. Inbreeding is a symptom of severe population and range loss, next step is extinction. 

Reduce your heat, energy, chemical, water use, and habitat impact footprint.


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