How are native bee species in the US doing in light of the major threats they are facing? What more do we need to know to protect them? There are over 3,600 species of native bees in the United States, but we only know the conservation status (i.e., how well they are doing) of about 20% of them. This makes it difficult to make decisions about how to prioritize bee conservation. 

Joining us to discuss this problem is Saff Killingsworth, Xerces Endangered Species Conservation Biologist. Saff coordinates the State of the Bees initiative, working with researchers and land managers to assess the status of wild bees in the western U.S. and address their conservation needs. She also works to advance conservation of butterflies and fireflies in Arizona. 

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Photo: az3/Flickr CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.