Rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis)

Species Status: Endangered in Canada; Critically Endangered globally (IUCN assessment)
Action Required: Conservation breeding and reintroduction
One of the most common species of bumble bee in southern Ontario as recently as the 1980s, this hard-working pollinator is now on the brink of extinction throughout its large range. Despite thorough surveys of historic sites across Ontario, the rusty-patched bumble bee has not been observed in Canada since 2009.
The Ontario Recovery Strategy for rusty-patched bumble bee calls for a number of conservation measures, including restoring habitat, continuing to search for wild rusty-patched bumble bees at their historic sites and, if any queens can be located, establishing a conservation breeding program.
What we are doing
Find out how Wildlife Preservation Canada is helping save native pollinators, including bumble bees, and how you can make a difference.