Could bumble bees become only insect on California's endangered species list?

ON HOW THIS COULD IMPACT MORE THAN BEES. MIKE: IT’S NOT EVERYDAY THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT INSECTS ON THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT, BUT THAT’S WHAT THE GAME COMMISSION IS GOING TO CONSIDER ONE WEEK FROM TODAY. TAKE A LOOK, WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE ARE NOT YOUR GENERIC HONEYBEE TYPES, BUT INSTEAD FOUR SPECIFIC SPECIES OF CALIFORNIA BUMBLEBEES NATIVE TO CALIFORNIA. ONE OF THEM, THE FRANKLIN BUMBLEBEE, SO ELUSIVE IT HASN’T BEEN SEEN IN THE WILD BY SCIENTISTS SINCE 2006. ACCORDING TO A FISH AND WILDLIFE OF HER IN APRIL, EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT ACTION MAY BE WARRANTED TO LIST THESE BUMBLEBEES. AGAIN, WHAT IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING IS NEXT WEDNESDAY EIGHT VOTE IS SLATED BEFORE THE CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME COMMISSION IF THE COMMISSION DECIDES TO MOVE IN FAVOR OF THIS IT WILL TRIGGER A YEAR-LONG SCIENTIFIC PROCESS TO DETERMINE IF THESE FOUR BUMBLEBEE SPECIES SHOULD IN FACT BECOME THE ONLY IN SEX TO BE LISTED ON CALIFORNIA’S ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT. BACK OUT HERE LIVE YOU MIGHT BE ASKING YOURSELF -- WHY DO I CARE? REMEMBER, BEES ARE IMPORTANT POLLINATORS FOR OUR FOOD SUPPLY ON MANY FARMS AND THESE BUMBLEBEES, THEY PLAY A ROLE IN FOODS LIKE TOMATOES, MELONS, PEPPERS, ALMONDS, EVEN COTTON. ANY BE SPECIES ALLOWED TO GO EXTINCT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT DOWN THE ROAD ON OUR F

The California Fish and Game Commission will consider whether to begin the process of listing four native bumble bee species as part of the state's Endangered Species Act during a hearing next week in Redding.This process was triggered by a legal petition filed by conservation and food safety groups requesting the western bumble bee, Franklin's bumble bee, Crotch's bumble bee and Suckley cuckoo bumble bee be listed, according to a news release issued by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation."It's very unique for the commission to have received a petition on bees. While the idea of listing insects is not new (the federal ESA lists eight species of bees), there are currently no insects listed under the California ESA," said Jordan Traverso, California Department of Fish and Wildlife deputy director of communication.An April report compiled by the Department of Fish and Wildlife found evidence suggesting action "may be warranted" to address population and historic range declines across all four species.Bees are an essential pollinator in an array of farm food products grown in California.The commission is set to hear this issue at its June 12 meeting in Redding.If the commission agrees to move forward, it would trigger a 12-month scientific process to determine if the bumble bee species qualify for official endangered species listing under the California Endangered Species Act.

REDDING, Calif. (KCRA) —

This process was triggered by a legal petition filed by conservation and food safety groups requesting the western bumble bee, Franklin's bumble bee, Crotch's bumble bee and Suckley cuckoo bumble bee be listed, according to a news release issued by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

"It's very unique for the commission to have received a petition on bees. While the idea of listing insects is not new (the federal ESA lists eight species of bees), there are currently no insects listed under the California ESA," said Jordan Traverso, California Department of Fish and Wildlife deputy director of communication.

An April report compiled by the Department of Fish and Wildlife found evidence suggesting action "may be warranted" to address population and historic range declines across all four species.

Bees are an essential pollinator in an array of farm food products grown in California.

The commission is set to hear this issue at its June 12 meeting in Redding.

If the commission agrees to move forward, it would trigger a 12-month scientific process to determine if the bumble bee species qualify for official endangered species listing under the California Endangered Species Act.

Could bumble bees become only insect on California's endangered species list?

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