SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Laura Ellman advanced legislation through the Senate on Sunday to officially designate the black and gold bumblebee as the state bee of Illinois, recognizing the important role pollinators play in ecosystems and agriculture across the state.
“There’s a buzz among Springfield that this bill will highlight the critical pollinators that impact our environment, food systems and local ecosystems,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “This legislation is not only about recognizing an important native species, but also celebrating the students who turned their research and civic engagement into action.”
House Bill 4438 would designate the black and gold bumblebee – and known as bombus auricomus – as the official state bee. The species is known for its large size, bright yellow color and role as a prominent pollinator throughout Illinois’ grasslands, prairies and open fields.
The initiative originated with eighth grade students at Lincoln Junior High School in in central Illinois, who researched pollinators and worked with the Illinois State Board of Education to organize a statewide student vote on which bee should represent Illinois. After thousands of students participated, the black and gold bumblebee was selected.
Illinois currently recognizes several official state animals and wildlife species, including the northern cardinal as the state bird, the monarch butterfly as the state insect and the white-tailed deer as the state animal. The black and gold bumblebee would join that list under the legislation.
“The black and gold bumblebee may be small, but it means a lot to the students at Lincoln Junior High School and many throughout Illinois,” said State Representative Janet Yang Rohr (D-Naperville). “I am so proud that we took their initiative to highlight a pollinator that has such a large impact on Illinois’ agriculture and ecosystem. The black and gold bumblebee will become the state bee of Illinois, and it is all because of the hard work of those students.”
House Bill 4438 passed the Senate on Sunday and heads to the governor’s desk for further consideration.
