The Franklin’s bumblebee
Much of what we learn about the Franklin bumblebee that was last sighted in 2006 comes from Robbin Thorp, a retired (and tireless) entomologist. His unpublished studies suggest that colonies have significantly declined since 1998— to such an extent that between 2004 and 2005, not a single bee was spotted.
This rare bumblebee — one of over 20,000 apian species — can only be found between northern California and southern Oregon. In general, the main threats to bumblebees include exotic diseases introduced by commercial greenhouses, loss of habitats, and agricultural pesticides.
