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ESA Status: Under Review
Suckley’s cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus suckleyi) is a parasitic bee species found throughout northern North America in prairies, grasslands, and meadows. From 2008 to 2017, only 16 occurrences of Suckey’s cuckoo bumble bee were recorded, but much of the species’ range has not been thoroughly sampled.
After receiving a petition to list the bee on the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) released a 90-Day Finding in 2020. The USFWS found substantial scientific or commercial information, which indicated action may be warranted. The 90-Day Finding determined several potential threats to Suckley’s cuckoo bumble bee including habitat loss from livestock grazing and fire management, loss of hosts and transmission of diseases from hosts, pesticide use, agricultural development, climate change, loss of genetic diversity, and compounding effects. The substantial findings now initiate a 12-month status review to evaluate these potential threats.
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More Information
Species Profile for Suckley’s Cuckoo Bumble Bee – U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Photo Credit: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Map Credit: Idaho Department of Fish and Game