[update]

> Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Idaho, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Oregon

Are the eight states from the title. Though it seems New York should be included since it says "The bumblebee species have declined by 99 percent in New York."

Also noteworthy

> In the Midwest and Southeast, population numbers have dropped by more than 50 percent.

To nobodies surprise, the culprit is pesticides. Interestingly the west's bumblee population isn't listed as being in trouble.

[cratermoon]

> the west's bumblee population isn't listed as being in trouble

What do you call Idaho, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Oregon?

[speedybird]

North Dakota is generally considered the mid-west, no? I suppose mid-west is a sort of west, but I tend to think "the west" starts when the Rocky Mountains start; about half-way through Montana.

[bombcar]

“The West” means “California” to many.

[5faulker]

This is another example of "progress trap" that we didn't see coming until it's too late to act.

[metagame]

We've known what we're doing to all types of bees for a long time. Here's a paper from 01999 talking about pesticides and their toxicity to bees:

https://ucanr.edu/sites/uccemerced/files/40411.pdf

There are many articles that have found viral audiences throughout the 02000s about how other bee species are on extinction spirals because of the American agriculture industry's lack of regulation. This happening to the bumblebee is not a real surprise and we've definitely seen it coming within the window to act.

[taeric]

Per Wikipedia, the American bumblebee doesn't live in the west. Such that the Midwest states listed are as far west as it goes.

Or am I reading the page wrong?

[Tagbert]

There are other bumble bee species in “the west”. that seems likely to be true in other areas.

In the Seattle area there are: yellow bumble bee tricolored bumble bee yellow-faced bumble Western Bumble Bee Franklin's bumble bee Rusty patched bumble bee

I have seen reports that at least some of these species ranges are greatly reduced.

[olah_1]

I read somewhere that we used to use nicotine-based pesticides in the past and the bee issue happened when we switched away from that.

I guess China still uses nicotine-based pesticides?

[ambientenv]

Neonicotinoids - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neonicotinoid

[bitcurious]

> To nobodies surprise, the culprit is pesticides. Interestingly the west's bumblee population isn't listed as being in trouble.

To my surprise. There is very little farm land in New Hampshire. For the East Coast, it’s very wild.

[StanislavPetrov]

Anecdotally I live in New York and have seen plenty of bumblebees this year.

[msrenee]

There are a lot of species people call bumblebees. This one particular species, Bombus pensylvanicus, has disappeared from much of its range. You may be seeing insects that are called bumblebees, but not likely the species being talked about in the article. If you do have the knowledge and experience to be certain that you are seeing lots of Bombus pensylvanicus in particular, get in contact with your nearest Fish and Wildlife Service office. That's a big deal.

[pc86]

Is this type of comment helpfully, generally? Ancedotes are typically ignores because they don't show the full picture. If we have verifiable evidence of a staggering decline in population of a given species, "yeah well I've seen plenty of 'em!" doesn't seem particularly useful - to the larger discussion, toward any sort of objective "truth," or really... anything.

[pfdietz]

Probably Bombus impatiens. I see them all over my property in the Finger Lakes.

[devb]

There are at least 17 species of bumblebees in New York.

[JoeAltmaier]

Iowa, haven't seen one in years.