Endangered Bumble Bee Lawsuit Filed Against Interior Department

Environmentalists are taking the Interior Department to court, alleging the agency hasn’t carved out critical habitat for the endangered rusty patched bumble bee.

The suit filed Jan. 15 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia cuts against the wishes of the agricultural, cotton, and homebuilding industries, which have argued that a critical habitat designation will harm their businesses.

The insect is important for pollinating crops, including blueberries, cranberries, clover, and tomatoes, as well as wild flowers and plants that feed wildlife, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.

It was the first bumble bee listed under ...