Wisconsin's Vanishing Bee

The Defender

EpisodeSep 20, 202320m

Wisconsin's Vanishing Bee

The Defender

EpisodeSep 20, 202320m

Endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee nest discovered in Milwaukee County Before the 1990s, they were everywhere in Wisconsin and beyond. Native Rusty Patched Bumblebees nested and foraged across 28 states and parts of Canada. Then the population hit a sudden, rapid decline. By 2017, the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee had become so scarce it was the first bee listed as a federally endangered species. In this episode, a walk deep into the Wisconsin woods for the rarest of discoveries: a nest of Rusty Patched Bumblebee queens. Amy looks at what it's going to take to bring our bees back and meet the dedicated experts and volunteers who are working hard to save our pollinators. Host: Amy Barrilleaux Guests: Elizabeth Braatz, Bumble Bee Brigade Coordinator and Terrestrial Insect Ecologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Jay Watson, Terrestrial Insect Ecologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Halley Minser, Restoration Ecologist, Milwaukee County Parks Background Reading: Wisconsin Bumble Bee Brigade Saving Wisconsin's Native Pollinators Corn Ethanol vs. Solar: A Land Use Comparison Milwaukee County Parks: Conservation

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Welcome to the Defender, Wisconsin's environmental podcast, where we talk about the most pressing environmental issues facing Wisconsin and how you can plug in to defend our air, water, land and climate. The Defender is hosted by former radio and TV journalist Amy Barrilleaux. She'll help cut through the jargon and all the misinformation that's out there and have real conversations about how to build a healthy, sustainable future. Every week, Amy talks with scientists, advocates, farmers, experts, and just everyday people who are working right here in Wisconsin to make a difference to protect this place we call home.

www.cleanwisconsin.org/podcast

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