Bumble Bee

Bumble Bee by Arabella H, Nicole, Matea, and Chela, Ms Rabina's 6th grade class 2014, Thomas Starr King Middle School. Felt, faux fur, and fabric appliqué, with rubber stamps.
Bumble Bee by Matea C, Arabella H, Nicole T, and Chela.  Ms Rabina’s 6th grade class, Thomas Starr King Middle School, 2014. Felt, faux fur, and fabric appliqué, with rubber stamps.

There are 250 known species of Bumble Bee (genus Bombus). They are social animals living in small colonies. Bumble Bees are important pollinators, and are used to pollinate green house plants such as tomatoes, peppers and strawberries. They are increasingly at risk due to climate change, habitat loss, and use of pesticides. The IUCN has formed a Bumblebee Specialist group to study the plight of Bumble Bees world wide, and has listed Franklin’s Bumble Bee as critically endangered.

To learn more about Bumble Bees go to:

http://savethebumblebees.com

http://www.xerces.org/bumblebees/

http://bumblebeeconservation.org/about-bees/why-bees-need-help/

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/environmentalists-sue-to-list-bumble-bee-as-endangered/