John,

At some point over the past few years, you’ve probably heard the saying that we must “save the bees.” This is, of course, true, as if they were to ever go extinct, the repercussions on not just the environment, but on human life, would be dire. However, efforts to save bees from population decline have a big problem: They’re focused on the wrong bees.

When most folks think of bees, they are thinking of honey bees – a nonnative species that was brought over to the United States from Europe hundreds of years ago. And while honey bees did suffer a decline in the 2000s due to pesticides, parasitic mites, and the loss of habitats, honey bee colonies have increased by 80% since the 1960s due to their commercial use. The bees that are in true danger are wild bees.

There are thousands of different wild bee species in America who actually play an even more important role in pollination than honey bees. However, wild bees don’t have the advantage of having a massive industry working to sustain their populations like honey bees do.

That means it’s up to us to make sure wild bees aren’t wiped out. Many species of wild bees are already on the verge of extinction, including more than a quarter of North American bumblebees – so we can’t afford to waste any time.

Our SEEC members work around the clock to address threats to our ecosystem and protect thousands of endangered species like wild bees from the threat of extinction. Will you show your support for their critical work by making a contribution today?

Thanks for your help!

— SEEC PAC