By RogersEdge Reporter Staff
Loyola University Chicago is going to spend the summer searching for the rare Rusty Patched Bumble Bee at its Retreat and Ecology Campus (LUREC) in suburban Woodstock.
With the recent sighting of the endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee at LUREC, Loyola says it wants ensure the center’s ecosystem is carefully documented, and the biodiverse area is properly maintained to ensure the growth of native species.
The rusty patched bumble bee population has declined by almost 90 percent in the past 20 years, with causes ranging from habitat loss, intensive farming, disease, pesticide use and climate change, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
LUREC will be hosting “BioBlitzes” this summer, in an effort to find as many species of various organisms as possible in a given area over a 24-hour period. Ecological experts gather together to lead teams who search for a specific set of organisms.
