Groups ask federal authorities to regulate commercial bumblebees to control disease

Groups seek regulation of bumblebee importation

GRANTS PASS, Ore. — Conservation groups want federal agricultural authorities to start regulating shipments of commercially domesticated bumblebees to protect wild bumblebees from deadly diseases.

The groups said Tuesday that four species of bumblebees once common in the United States have seen drastic declines — and the evidence points to diseases spreading out of greenhouses that use domesticated bumblebees.

Scott Black of the Xerces (ZER’-sees) Society says federal regulation is needed because while some states, like Oregon, prohibit importation of bumblebees, others, such as Washington and California, allow it.

Bumblebees are responsible for pollinating about 15 percent of all the crops grown in the U.S. Key crops are hot house tomatoes, peppers and strawberries.