Dr. Nathan Rank Finds Rare Bee Variety in Michigan
Congratulations to Dr. Nathan Rank, who was visiting family in Michigan recently and came across a "ghost" in his mother's driveway - a dead Rusty-Patched Bumble Bee. The Rusty-Patched Bumble Bee was the first bee to be put on the endangered species list in 2017, and has been thought to be locally extinct from Michigan for more than 25 years. An incredible find for our Department Entomologist! Photo credit: Dr. Nathan Rank, CC BY-NC 4.0
Read more about Dr. Rank's discovery in Michigan Live: https://www.mlive.com/environment/2025/08/incredibly-rare-bumble-bee-ghost-reappears-in-michigan-after-25-years.html
Specs from iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/548620218