Bumblebees Dying in North America

Four common species of bumblebees have been disappearing over the past 20 years. A new study estimates that these populations have declined as much as 96%. The disappearance of the bees is still a mystery, but some scientists think that the bees may have been infected by a fungus called Nosema bombi, which is an invasive fungus from Europe.

Bumblebees pollinate important crops, such as blueberries and tomatoes. They are more efficient pollinators than honeybees.

Read more about this study on National Geographic News.

Read about the honeybee mystery on National Geographic Kids.

Get the facts on honeybees in the Creature Feature.

Photograph by Bill Beatty, Visuals Unlimited

Comments

rebel89
January 7, 2011, 12:43 pm

IF PEOPEL WOULDENT TRESSPASS ONTO BEE TEROTARY AND DISTURB THEM AND HAVE THEM COME OUT AND STING US OR BITE US THEN WE WOULDENT BE LOSING BEE’S (JUST THINK ABOUT IT WOULD YOU LIKE HAVING SOMEONE COME TO YOUR HOUSE AND KILL YOU)?
acrseasnake
January 7, 2011, 12:50 pm

what is nosema bombi
pitbull
January 7, 2011, 1:08 pm

thats my moms favorite bug she will be sad
sad123
January 7, 2011, 4:32 pm

I like how bees fly.
animallover123
January 8, 2011, 3:36 am

Thats bad news cause if we want to eat veggies or honey, or even see flowers growing, we need the bees. WE ARE NOT THE JELLOW, WE’RE THE FELLOW, BLACK AND YELLOW, HELLO!. Please bees come back…..
hannahbananaclark
January 12, 2011, 7:31 pm

that is so ugly! it looks like a monster from the midevel time! i hope i never meet one! WOW! oh bees…
bregouge1
January 17, 2011, 6:48 pm

I love bees,so i’m really sad.
doodlegirl101
January 22, 2011, 9:40 pm

Im with all of you.:-( You can do it bees!!!!!!!
(I dont wanna give up my fruit)
Bryan
February 9, 2011, 10:15 am

One pro about this is that I won’t get stung anymore, and one con about this is that Bumble Bees want be able to make honey.
sparkle2601
February 27, 2011, 8:34 pm

horrible problem but funny fungi scientific name Nosema Bombi!! hehehehehe
barnowl24601
January 8, 2012, 7:57 pm

this is all really sad!!!
no the bees can not go!
hang in there bees!
barnowl24601
February 14, 2012, 6:44 pm

And I also agree with sparkle2601
Funny scientific name!! NOSEMA BOMBI!! So funny horrible problem though!
qm666
April 27, 2012, 4:51 pm

I wish the the bees would stay. It will be sad because they wouln’t polinate the flowers. I think people are killing them just they sting, people shouldn’t be killing them. But I don’t think honey bees are endangered, so thats good!