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The genome of the endangered Franklin's bumble bee is being sequenced as part of the Beenome100 Project. (Photo by Colleen Meidt, ARS)
Museum Artifacts that Tell More than History Lessons
A critically endangered bumble bee in the western United States may help researchers develop conservation strategies to protect the species as well as other pollinators that are vital to U.S. agriculture production.
Located in the hills of southwest Oregon and northern California, the Franklin’s bumble bee (Bombus franklini) is a generalist pollinator that collects nectar and pollen in its native region, primarily from alpine flowering plants. After experiencing severe population declines since the 1990s, the bee was last observed in the wild in 2006 and is currently listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Learn more...
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