A new study shows that Minnesota’s bee population is in trouble after researchers discovered signs of inbreeding and their overall numbers dropping.
The Rusty Patched Bumble Bees have been listed as endangered since 2017 and new research shows things haven’t gotten much better since then.
University of Minnesota researcher Elaine Evans says if things continue in this direction, it’s unclear what the ripple effect could be.
“There may be other species that are then impacted and eventually, we know that pollinators are really important for the food that we eat and for supporting pollination of most of the plants that are out there,” Evans said.
Evans says one the remaining populations is found exclusively around the Twin Cities area and that planting pollinator gardens is one way residents can help.
“If we don’t take care of things now, things are going to be pretty dire in the future,” Evans warned.