Clay Bolt is a conservation photographer on a mission. He has started an epic multi-year journey across North America to document our disappearing bees, with the hopes of photographing as many of the more than 4,000 species found on the continent. Among them is the rusty-patched bumblebee.
In a fascinating look at facts about bees, Bolt informed us that the rusty-patched bumble bee’s numbers have dropped 87 percent in the past 15 years.
Fortunately, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has filed a petition to get the rusty-patched bumble bee added to the endangered species list, which would give it federal protections. But with the speed the species is declining, it’s something that would have to happen as rapidly as possible. In the meantime, Bolt has journeyed to Curtis Prairie, a 75-year-old restored research site, with the hopes of documenting the species before it disappears. Here is a beautiful, informative, and often funny look at what it’s like to hunt for a rare bee:
Learn more about Bolt’s amazing project by visiting his website.
