"Genome Completion Could Save Endangered Rusty Patched Bumblebee"

The US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service have released a high-resolution map of the genome of the endangered rusty patched bumblebee, which could help save the species from extinction. The map is part of the Beenome 100 project, which aims to create a comprehensive library of detailed genome maps for over 100 diverse bee species found across the US. The rusty patched bumblebee plays a crucial role as a pollinator of several wildflowers and crops, but its population has seen a drastic decline of nearly 87% over the past two decades.