In 2010 Connecticut became the first state to add bees to its Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species list. According to a recent article in Connecticut Wildlife, beginning in the late 1990’s there has been a decline in the presence of many wild bumblebee species in the state. The reason for the decline is not known but bees are susceptible to environmental stressors such as habitat alterations, pollution, and pesticides. Bees are essential to the food chain because they support fruit and seed production through pollination. The five species added to the list are the affable bumble bee (special concern), Ashton’s bumble bee (special concern), fringed loosestrife oil-bee (special concern), macropis cuckoo (endangered), and yellow banded bumble bee (special concern). The article, Five Bee Species Added to Connecticut’s Endangered Species List (January/February 2011, pg. 4), is available in the Legislative Library.
The Connecticut 2010 Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species list is available at on the DEP's website.
