[Pollinator] The Xerces Society files ESA petitions for seven Hawaiian yellow-faced bees

[Sarina Jepsen]

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For immediate release
March 23, 2009
*Contacts: *
*Scott Hoffman Black*, Executive Director, The Xerces Society; 503-449-3792
*Karl Magnacca*, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Zoology;
knm956 at gmail.com

HAWAIIAN YELLOW-FACED BEES FACED WITH EXTINCTION

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation Petitions Federal
Government for Endangered Species Act Protection

Portland, OR - The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation petitioned
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list seven species of Hawaiian
yellow-faced bees as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Although a scientist in the early 1900s called Hawaiian yellow-faced bees
“almost the most ubiquitous of any Hawaiian insects,” surveys by biologist
Karl Magnacca have demonstrated that that seven species – *Hylaeus
anthracinus, Hylaeus longiceps, Hylaeus assimulans, Hylaeus facilis, Hylaeus
hilaris, Hylaeus kuakea and Hylaeus mana* —are in imminent danger of going
extinct.

“There is no doubt that these species are in trouble,” said Scott Hoffman
Black, Executive Director of The Xerces Society for Invertebrate
Conservation.  “Without immediate attention these species may not make it
through the next decade.”

Despite their small size, these Hawaiian yellow-faced bees are extremely
important. These bees are critical pollinators of many endangered native
Hawaiian plants and the decline of these bees could lead to the extinction
of endangered plants. Alternatively, protection of these pollinators could
aid the recovery of these plants.

“Pollinators are keystone species in many ecosystems,” said Sarina Jepsen,
Endangered Species Coordinator with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate
Conservation. “But these Hawaiian yellow-faced bees are likely even more
important since many Hawaiian native plant species are not well adapted to
pollination by non-native pollinators.”

Hawaiian yellow-faced bees were historically found on all of the Hawaiian
Islands and in a variety of habitats, including coasts, dry forests and
shrublands, mesic and wet forests, and subalpine shrublands. All Hawaiian
yellow-faced bees strongly depend on an intact community of native plants
and are mostly absent from habitats dominated by non-native plant species.

Hawaiian yellow-faced bees are threatened by loss of habitat due to
development (especially in coastal areas), fire, and the impact of feral
ungulates such as pigs, predation by invasive ants, and the loss of native
vegetation to invasive plant species. Conservation of these important
pollinators will require the active management of natural areas where
populations are known to exist.

Read more about Hawaiian yellow-faced
bees<http://www.xerces.org/hawaiian-yellow-faced-bees/>>>

Petition to list *Hylaeus anthracinus* and *Hylaeus longiceps* as Endangered
under the ESA<http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/hylaeus_anthracinus_and_longiceps_petition.pdf>>>
Petition to list *Hylaeus assimulan*s as Endangered under the
ESA<http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/hylaeus_assimulans_petition.pdf>>>
Petition to list *Hylaeus facilis* as Endangered under the
ESA<http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/hylaeus_facilis_petition.pdf>>>
Petition to list *Hylaeus hilari*s as Endangered under the
ESA<http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/hylaeus_hilaris_petition.pdf>>>
Petition to list *Hylaeus kuakea* and *Hylaeus mana* as Endangered under the
ESA<http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/hylaeus_kuakea_and_mana_petition.pdf>>>

ABOUT THE XERCES SOCIETY
The Xerces Society is an international, nonprofit organization that protects
wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. For
over three decades, the Society has been at the forefront of invertebrate
conservation, harnessing the knowledge of scientists and the enthusiasm of
citizens to implement conservation programs.

PHOTO CREDIT
Hawaiian yellow-faced bee (*Hylaeus *sp.) on ohia by Karl Magnacca.

###

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