The Decline of Pollinators in Patagonia

Marina Arbetman stands in a raspberry field near Osorno, Chile, grappling with the sight of non-native bumblebees disrupting local ecosystems. Despite her awareness of the situation, witnessing the impact firsthand evokes a mix of confusion and sadness. Her concern stems from the presence of buff-tailed bumblebees, Bombus terrestris, which are legally introduced and are harming the native bumblebee population, particularly Bombus dahlbomii, Patagonia's only endemic species, now classified as endangered. Once abundant, B. dahlbomii has seen its numbers decline by over 90% since 2016, largely due to competition and disease spread by B. terrestris.