Bumblebee Added to US Endangered Species List

The rusty patched bumblebee is the first of its species to be declared endangered in the lower 48 states -- meaning every state except Alaska and Hawaii.
这种铁锈色长有斑纹的大黄蜂是其种类中首个被列为濒危物种的种类，美国本土48个州（除了阿拉斯加州和夏威夷以外）均将其列为濒危物种。

The rusty patched bumblebee is named for a rust-colored line on its back.
长着铁锈色斑纹的大黄蜂因其背部有铁锈色的条纹而得名。

The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service announced this month it was adding the bee to its endangered species list.
本月美国鱼类和野生动物管理局宣布，大黄蜂被列入濒危物种名单。

The insects are “on the brink of extinction,” according to the service.It said the bees were once found in 28 states.But there now are only small populations remaining in 13 states.
据该局报道，这种昆虫“正濒临灭绝。”据称，此种黄蜂曾活跃在28个州。不过目前，仅剩13个州还存在着数量很少的大黄蜂。

The government agency will make a plan to help the dying bees recover.
政府机关将制定计划，帮助濒临灭绝的大黄蜂重获繁荣。

The agency said that such a plan might help other insects, like butterflies.
政府称，该计划可能会帮助到蝴蝶等其它昆虫。

U.S. officials think land owners can take small steps to help the rusty patched bumble bee. They say land owners can be friendlier towards bees by using native plants in their gardens.
美国官员认为，土地所有者可以采取措施帮助这种大黄蜂。他们认为，土地所有者可以在他们的花园里种植本地生植物，更加友好地对待蜜蜂。

The insects directly fertilize many kinds of fruit and vegetable crops.And they fertilize grain crops used to feed cattle and milk cows.It costs billions of dollars to duplicate the job the bees do for free.
这种昆虫可以直接为许多水果和蔬菜施肥。他们还可以为用来饲养牛和奶牛的谷类作物施肥。完美复制蜜蜂无偿做的工作需耗资数十亿美元。

Land owners are also being urged to cut back on their use of pesticide products.
政府还鼓励土地所有者减少使用杀虫剂产品。

The officials also suggest that gardeners leave their plants alone at the end of the summer instead of cutting them.That way, the bees will have a place to live over the winter.
官员还建议园艺师在夏末时不要裁剪他们的植物，让植物自由生长。蜜蜂可通过这种方式找到过冬的住所。

The Fish and Wildlife Service says the rusty patched bumblebee was added to the endangered species list partly because of habitat loss.Other reasons were disease, pesticides and climate change.
鱼类和野生动物管理局表示，这种大黄蜂被列入濒危物种，部分原因是由于它们遗失了栖息地。其它原因是由于疾病、农药和气候变化的影响。

Officials are worried that other bees will suffer, too.Another species of bees in Hawaii is also endangered.
目前官员担心其它蜜蜂也会遭此厄运。夏威夷另一种蜜蜂也濒临灭绝了。

I’m Dan Friedell.
丹·弗里德尔为您报道。