Dear John,
A single Franklin’s Bumblebee hasn’t been sighted since 2006. Rusty Patched Bumblebees have declined by 87% since the late 90s. Now, the Mojave Poppy Bee -- a critical pollinator in the Mojave Desert -- is on the brink of extinction.
Mojave Poppy Bees are dying from habitat loss, diseases, pollution, and of course -- pesticides. And if this bee disappears, more than one endangered species will be lost -- it’s the only pollinator for rare desert wildflowers.
The Mojave Poppy Bee must be protected under the Endangered Species Act to stop things from getting worse. But that will only happen if people like you pressure the Fish and Wildlife Service to act.
Send in your comment: Demand Endangered Species Act protections for the Mojave Poppy Bee!
We’re in the midst of an insect extinction crisis and we can’t let the Mojave Poppy Bee be the next casualty! Losing this pollinator would be disastrous for desert ecosystems. Irreplaceable desert flowers like the Las Vegas bear-poppy and the dwarf bear-poppy could disappear forever.
Despite growing evidence of the decline in nearly 4,000+ bee species, the Rusty Patched Bumblebee is the only bee on the endangered species list. Meanwhile, the Mojave Poppy Bee hasn't been seen across 80 percent of the habitats it occupied just 25 years ago. Endangered status would help minimize the impacts of habitat loss, disease, and pesticide exposure on this precious pollinator.
Without these protections, our bees and the flowers they pollinate may not be around for future generations to enjoy. We need the Fish and Wildlife Service to step up and protect as many bees as possible -- starting with the Mojave Poppy Bee.
Help send 35,000 comments: Protect the Mojave Poppy Bee from extinction.
The Mojave Poppy Bee is just one more example of how bee-killing pesticides are poisoning our environment and destroying bee habitats.
Bee populations are in decline around the world -- threatening both our environment and the food we eat. Scientists are warning that we could be on the brink of a “catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems.”
The first step to helping the Mojave Poppy Bee recover is listing it as an endangered species. But we need to act fast.
Don’t let wild bees become extinct: Tell the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the Mojave Poppy Bee before it’s too late.
Standing with you,
Jason Davidson,
Food and agriculture campaign associate,
Friends of the Earth
