American scientists have achieved a significant milestone in bee research that offers fresh hope for the endangered rusty-patched bumblebee. The scientific community is buzzing with excitement today over an announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
In a joint effort, these agencies have released a high-resolution map of the rusty patched bumblebee’s genome. This map, teeming with intricate details, may pave the way to pull this native pollinator back from the brink of extinction.
Rusty patched bumblebee part of Beenome 100
This significant achievement is part of a larger, pioneering initiative known as Beenome 100. This project is spearheaded by the ARS and the University of Illinois. Beenome 100 aims to create a comprehensive library of detailed genome maps for over a hundred diverse bee species found across the United States.
With the big questions surrounding bees, the researchers believe that this invaluable genetic repository can help provide some answers. They hope to uncover what genetic variances render a bee species more vulnerable to climate change or increase their susceptibility to pesticides.
Read more at earth.com
