Europe’s bumblebees threaten the world’s largest bumblebee

Patagonia’s largest bumblebee has gained public attention as a threatened native species. Bombus dahlbomii placed second in The Guardian’s online vote for invertebrate of the year, behind the neon-green sea slug Costasiella kuroshimae, which is about the size of a grain of rice and produces its own “solar panels.”

The vote sought to raise awareness of invertebrates, the most numerous group of animals and one that provides many free services essential to human survival. The giant bumblebee’s place in the ranking has also highlighted the pressure it faces in its Patagonian habitat.

European bumblebees are imported by South American growers to pollinate commercial crops. Researchers say the imported insects carry diseases to native South American bumblebees and compete with them for nesting sites and food.

Researcher Anton Gradišek submitted Bombus dahlbomii’s candidacy and is working with an international team to develop acoustic monitoring for Patagonian bumblebees. Argentine bumblebee researcher Marina Arbetman said it was “very frustrating” that Chilean authorities had not been persuaded to stop importing and breeding European bumblebees despite the scientific information gathered about the risks.

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It is very frustrating that, despite all the scientific information we have gathered, including that European bumblebees transmit diseases to native South American bumblebees and compete with them for nesting sites and food, we have still not persuaded the authorities in Chile to stop importing and breeding European bumblebees.