Researchers use out-of-the-box method to locate critically endangered bumblebees: 'The smell is always there'

Researchers use out-of-the-box method to locate critically endangered bumblebees: 'The smell is always there'

The rusty patched bumblebee became the first bee to be federally listed as endangered in 2017, but researchers studying this rare and charming creature are getting help locating it from an unexpected source: dogs, The Guardian reported. The rusty patched bumblebee is native to the midwestern and eastern U.S. and used to be quite common across that range. However, its population has since dropped by almost 90%, making it one of the many essential…