Rusty patched bumblebee

The rusty patched bumblebee (Bombus affinis) is a species of bumblee, identifiable by a rust-colored patch on their back. They are key pollinators for many crops, like apples, cranberries, onions, and plums, as well as certain medicinal plants used by Canadian First Nation peoples.

The rusty patched bumblebee once dominated vast areas of Midwestern and Eastern Canada and the United States, but have since declined to sporadic populations around Illinois, Missouri, and southern Ontario. Their numbers have dropped drastically due to factors like habittat fragmentation, pathogens, and pesticide use. If they were to go extinct, that would have significant negative ecological and economic effects in the area.