A small insect is getting a lot of attention in the United States. 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. The rusty patched bumblebee is named for a rust-colored line on its back. The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service announced this month it was adding the bee to its endangered species list. 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. The government agency will make a plan to help the dying bees recover. The agency said that such a plan might help other insects, like butterflies. 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. 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. Land owners are also being urged to cut back on their use of pesticide products. 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. 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.
Title: Bumblebee Added to US Endangered Species List
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/endangered_bees.m4a' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Bumblebee Added to US Endangered Species List' data-article-id='2158'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='5771'>A small insect is getting a lot of attention in the United States.</span> <span data-start-time='5771' data-end-time='23458'>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.</span> <span data-start-time='23458' data-end-time='32167'>The rusty patched bumblebee is named for a rust-colored line on its back.</span> <span data-start-time='32167' data-end-time='43229'>The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service announced this month it was adding the bee to its endangered species list.</span> <span data-start-time='43229' data-end-time='49938'>The insects are “on the brink of extinction,” according to the service.</span> <span data-start-time='49938' data-end-time='56042'>It said the bees were once found in 28 states.</span> <span data-start-time='56042' data-end-time='63417'>But there now are only small populations remaining in 13 states.</span> <span data-start-time='63417' data-end-time='69271'>The government agency will make a plan to help the dying bees recover.</span> <span data-start-time='69271' data-end-time='76646'>The agency said that such a plan might help other insects, like butterflies.</span> <span data-start-time='76646' data-end-time='85271'>U.S. officials think land owners can take small steps to help the rusty patched bumble bee.</span> <span data-start-time='85271' data-end-time='94813'>They say land owners can be friendlier towards bees by using native plants in their gardens.</span> <span data-start-time='94813' data-end-time='101771'>The insects directly fertilize many kinds of fruit and vegetable crops.</span> <span data-start-time='101771' data-end-time='110188'>And they fertilize grain crops used to feed cattle and milk cows.</span> <span data-start-time='110188' data-end-time='117938'>It costs billions of dollars to duplicate the job the bees do for free.</span> <span data-start-time='117938' data-end-time='125938'>Land owners are also being urged to cut back on their use of pesticide products.</span> <span data-start-time='125938' data-end-time='135542'>The officials also suggest that gardeners leave their plants alone at the end of the summer instead of cutting them.</span> <span data-start-time='135542' data-end-time='141938'>That way, the bees will have a place to live over the winter.</span> <span data-start-time='141938' data-end-time='154896'>The Fish and Wildlife Service says the rusty patched bumblebee was added to the endangered species list partly because of habitat loss.</span> <span data-start-time='154896' data-end-time='161479'>Other reasons were disease, pesticides and climate change.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/endangered_bees.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=7983 data-hint-location='43229' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/what_does_extinction_mean.m4a'>What does extinction mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='when something has died out completely'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/using_native_plants.m4a'><span>using native plants</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/when_something_has_died_out_completely.m4a'><span>when something has died out completely</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/use_of_less_pesticides.m4a'><span>use of less pesticides</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/help_dying_bees_recover.m4a'><span>help dying bees recover</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=7984 data-hint-location='85271' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/what_will_help_to_protect_the_bees.m4a'>What will help to protect the bees?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='native plants'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/native_plants.m4a'><span>native plants</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/habitat_loss.m4a'><span>habitat loss</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/pesticides.m4a'><span>pesticides</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/climate_change.m4a'><span>climate change</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=7985 data-hint-location='23458' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/the_rusty_patched_bumblebee_is_named_for_a__blank__on_its_back.m4a'>The rusty patched bumblebee is named for a <span class='blank'>rust-colored line</span> on its back.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='rust-colored line'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/rustcolored_line.m4a'><span>rust-colored line</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/milky_patch.m4a'><span>milky patch</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/cattle_brand.m4a'><span>cattle brand</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/butterfly_wing.m4a'><span>butterfly wing</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
Sound Name: https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1640/endangered_bees.m4a
Preview
