Protecting a thistle in New Mexico could be a big win for bees
Earlier this week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the Wright's marsh thistle as a threatened species and designating critical habitat for the plant under the Endangered Species Act. Which could be a big win for bees in the surrounding area.
The Wright's marsh thistle is a rare wetland species that grows (not surprisingly) in marshy habitats that have water-saturated soils all year round. Historically, this plant was found on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona, New Mexico, Chihuahua and Sonora. But now the Wright's marsh thistle is believed to be extirpated from Mexico and Arizona, and has been confirmed in only eight locations in New Mexico. In these remaining areas, the thistle is threatened by cattle and grazing, non-native plants, unnaturally prolific native plants, oil and mining operations, the depletion of aquifers, and drought.
So (after several different legal actions) the Service has decided to act.
Interestingly, one thing the Service identifies as being essential to the survival of the Wright's marsh thistle is an abundance of insect pollinators, particularly bees. And this, of course, is a relationship goes both ways.
The proposed rule states that the “most common pollinators of the thistle are bees, especially bumble bees”. Unfortunately, it doesn’t tell us specifically which species or if any of them specialize on this plant. Which is not unheard of. The thistle long-horned bee (Melissodes desponsa), for example, collects only the pollen of thistles to feed her young who cannot survive on pollen from other plants.
Generally speaking, we know that thistles are pretty attractive forage for bees in terms of both nectar and pollen. They can provide an important food source in late-summer and fall when other flowers aren't blooming. And both the American and the rusty patched bumble bees – one threatened, the other endangered – visit thistle.
Having the Wright’s marsh thistle afforded protection under the Endangered Species Act would certainly be a win for bees and other pollinators. Not only by keeping this one species alive, but also because the Fish and Wildlife Service identifies “diverse native floral communities” as essential for attracting the bees that will ensure the survival of this thistle. So all the native flowering species around this plant will need to be protected as well.
The Service is now taking public comments on the proposal to list and protect the Wright's marsh thistle, through Nov. 30, 2020.
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One More Thing…
“Before you cut back your garden, think about the bees that may be nesting in stems. Here is a guide to how they use stems and how you can help them. More info at www.beelab.umn.edu/wild-bees/wild-bees-and-houses” From Elaine Evans @fuzzybumblebee via Twitter.