#endangered

[voldsrud]

Endangered animal of the week #2

Despite being renamed as part of a sponsorship agreement, this penguin's population is declining due to unfavorable SEO.

[endangered-species-of-li]

Bees

(An American Bumble Bee in Worcester Co., Maryland (9/18/2013). Determined by John S. Ascher/BugGuide. Media by Scott Housten.)

According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. This, the internet has made sure that we know. But does everyone know more about the inner workings of a bee? Or why they’re so significant to the wellbeing of an ecological system?

There are many different species of bees. Not only are there honey bees, but there's bumble, or even stingless bees. For the start of June, which is National Pollinator month, as well as Pride month, let's look at 3 different species of bees that may be found on Long Island -- the American bumble bee, the common eastern bumble bee, and the southeastern blueberry bee.

Bombus pensylvanicus, or better known as American bumble bees, is your average joe schmo when it comes to bees. It used to be one of the most widespread and common bee species you could find across the United States, but now it's confined to more southern states with the occasional spotting further up north. There’s a chance that these bees could be completely extinct here on Long Island -- an event known as local extinction, where a species could be completely wiped out in one area, but may still exist in other parts of the world. In 2024, there were only 47 recorded occurrences of the American bumble bee in New York.

A more common bumble bee found on Long Island that has a lot more of a stable population is bombus impatiens, the common eastern bumble bee. This species can be found, funnily enough, on the eastern side of North America. Common easterns nest underground between 1-3 feet down, very similarly to the last species of bee for this article.

Southeastern blueberry bees (habropoda laboriosa) also nest underground, between 1 to a little over 2 feet down. Now, every species, at some point, has experienced same-sex attraction. But, not often is it recorded, especially not for something as small as a bee. As mentioned in Bruce Bagemihl’s 1999 book, Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity, and James H. Cane’s 1994 journal article on nesting and mating habits of these bees, there have been known occurrences of homosexual behavior in S.E. blueberry bees on different sites across the U.S., where males would mount each other while waiting for the female bees to emerge from hibernation. The southeastern part of their name is a little misleading, as they are found all along the eastern coast of the United States, but anything can be south if you think about it hard enough. The blueberry part of their name comes from the fact that they most frequently pollinate blueberry bushes! 

Now, what do these bees have in common? Well, each of these bees (as well as all bumblebees) perform a type of pollination called “buzz pollination”, which comes from the sound that the bees make when they rapidly vibrate their wings to help release pollen -- that fine, powdery dust that carries the sperm of a plant inside of it, and makes us sneeze like crazy. The bees pick up the pollen and carry it to other flowering plants nearby in the search for more pollen and nectar to feed their colony with, as bumblebees often don’t produce enough honey to keep it as a continuous food source.

When concerning population, common eastern bumble bees have the most stable population of the three here, and are thriving as such -- though that does not mean we can be carefree about their populations. Southeastern blueberry bees have a relatively stable population, but there is a risk of them becoming endangered (as with every species) when Georgian reports found that there were less of these bees than usual in commercial blueberry farms. While that is not indicative of an endangered species, it is still important to maintain these bee numbers. As mentioned previously, American bumble bees may be completely extinct here in Long Island, as there have been very few reported sightings of them in the past couple of years.

The major causes for the endangerment of bee species have to do with pesticide use, climate change, and habitat loss. The main killer of bees from pesticide use is the use of insecticides with neonicotinoids, which attacks the central nervous system of insects. While it is not usually used to target bees, pesticides with neonicotinoids very often affect non-target species in a sprayed or nearby region. It worsens a bees immune system, reproductive chances, communication between bees, and makes it harder to find their home. Climate change affects bee populations by pushing temperatures out of their ranges of tolerance, making survival less likely with the stress, and makes bees lose synchronization with the plants that they pollinate. If temperatures rise quicker, it causes plants to flower earlier on in the season, before bees get the chance to come out of hibernation. It worsens their chances to find sufficient food sources, leading to starvation. Finally, habitat loss among all three species has to do with the ground. Land development, a frequent villain here on Long Island when concerning endangered species, takes up opportune open fields for these bees to nest. Without this open land, bees are more vulnerable to predators and abiotic stresses.

How can we help a dying species? Well, unless reintroduction is possible later in time if the American bumble bee populations become more stable, there isn’t much we can do to help them. Prevention is our best friend in helping the other two species stay strong on the island. Limiting pesticide use all together is crucial, but if absolutely necessary, use pesticides at night and avoid flowering plants to lessen the chances of a bee being affected by it. For climate change, encouraging the three r’s -- reducing consumption, reusing goods whenever possible, and recycling products -- is important, but so is political action. Keeping politicians' promises on climate concerns and making sure they uphold those promises is important when thinking about who we want to represent us in our local or federal government. At home, we can build pollinator gardens with native plants to give bees an abundant source of food. Seed libraries are helpful ways of getting free seeds, and can be found all over the island! Even going to your local library is a great way to get yourself aware of what plants live here and how to grow them. You can look into projects like ReWild Long Island that focuses on planting native plants to help the biodiversity of our home thrive.

Maybe bees logically should not be able to fly, but that doesn't mean they can’t. As long as we help their populations grow, we can see these fuzzy little guys soar.

[harpagornis]

[voldsrud]

Endangered animal of the week #1

Poachable and approachable, this hog-adjacent creature is a great addition to any poacher's poachfolio.

[ansy1984]

Tourist accused of hurling rock at endangered Hawaiian monk seal was trying to protect sea turtles, lawyer says

The defense attorney for a tourist from Washington state accused of hurling a coconut-sized rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal says his client was trying to protect sea turtles and has since been physically assaulted, threatened and doxed. Igor Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Honolulu Wednesday on charges of harassing and attempting…

Tourist accused of hurling rock at endangered Hawaiian monk seal was trying to protect sea turtles, lawyer says

[marywoodartdept]

So Cold

So Cold

[jumpycfrazzled]

Cougar cub. Puma concolor. Found in marshes, dense forests, and mountains in Canada. It is considered endangered in Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick.

[ansy1984]

This year's most endangered historic places nod to America 250 and equality promise

WASHINGTON — The Stonewall National Monument, the President’s House Site and the Women’s Rights National Historic Park are among 11 sites on this year’s annual list of the most endangered historic places in the United States compiled by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The 2026 list, announced Wednesday, marks America’s 250th anniversary with the foundational principle that everyone…

This year's most endangered historic places nod to America 250 and equality promise