“Sadly, it is one of many types of bees, the bumble bee, whose numbers are declining for numerous reasons. Habitat loss, pesticide use, pollution and mites are reducing the number of bee colonies in the U.S.. Without them, most plants would need to be pollinated by hand. Birds and wind pollination are usually specific to certain plants and cannot be relied on to do the work of a population of bees.”

Insect Identification (www.insectidentification.org)