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John,
Queen bees are getting cozy underground, preparing for their long winters' naps.[1]
In a few months, when frosts thaw and green shoots emerge from the soil, queen bees will expect to wake up to a world full of flowers and plants to pollinate.
But habitat loss and pesticides are killing wild bees. When their winter slumbers are over, many queen bees will wake up to a struggle for survival.[2]
We're working to change that. As part of our End of Year Drive, we have a goal to raise $150,000. Donate by Dec. 31 to help protect bees, so they wake up to a world where they can thrive.
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Next spring, many queens will wake up to landscapes doused in pesticides. Here in the U.S., bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides are used on 150 million acres of farmland, as well as on many lawns and gardens.[3]
All this despite the fact that neonicotinoids (neonics) paralyze bees and even kill them. What's worse, neonics can also make whole colonies vulnerable to disease.[4,5]
Neonics are 1,000 times more deadly to bees than DDT. It's absurd that these chemicals are just sitting in stores, easily accessible.[6]
We're working to restrict neonics by urging major companies to take these bee-killing pesticides off their shelves. Donate today to help protect bees.
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Right now, more than a quarter of native bumblebee species are inching towards extinction.[] If we don't change course, queen bees will wake up to a world that threatens their survival.[7]
With your help, we're helping create more pollinator gardens on state highways and on public lands. We're also giving people the tools they need to make their lawns and gardens pollinator-friendly.
And, to protect bees from pesticides, we're working to restrict the use of neonics. Twelve states have already limited the use of bee-killing pesticides, including here in Colorado. We're also urging companies to get bee-killing pesticides off their shelves.[8]
Together, let's create a better world for queen bees to wake up to. Donate to our End of Year Drive by midnight on Dec. 31 to help us reach our goal of raising $150,000.
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Thank you,
Ellen Montgomery
1. Darren Incorvaia, "Hibernating bumblebee queens have a superpower: Surviving for days underwater," Science News, April 16, 2024.
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2. Phoebe Weston, "Could become a death spiral': scientists discover what's driving record die-offs of US honeybees," The Guardian, July 8, 2025.
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3. Steve Blackledge, "How just a single seed can kill 80,000 bees," Environment America, June 30, 2025.
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4. Oliver Milman, "Fears for bees as US set to extend use of toxic pesticides that paralyse insects," The Guardian, March 8, 2022.
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5. Hesham R El-Seedi, Hanan R Ahmed, Aida A Abd El-Wahed, et-al. "Bee Stressors from an Immunological Perspective and Strategies to Improve Bee Health," Veterinary Sciences, April 21, 2022.
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6. Steve Blackledge, "How bee-killing pesticides poisoned a community," Environment America, September 24, 2024.
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7. Jan Peterson, "Bumble Bee Atlas: A Nationwide Buzz," U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, May 2, 2023.
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8. Steve Blackledge, "Seven actions that can save bees and other pollinators," Environment America, June 26, 2025.
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Your donation will be used to support all of our campaigns to protect the environment, from saving the bees and protecting public lands, to standing up for clean water and fighting climate change. None of our work would be possible without supporters like you. Environment Colorado may transfer up to $50 per dues-paying member per year into the Environment Colorado Small Donor Committee.
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