Photo: Robert Pickett / Corbis Documentary / Getty Images
(Midwest) -- The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service is designating 33 counties in 6 states, including Iowa, as critical habitat for the endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee.
The designation includes 1.5 million total acres and several metropolitan areas including Chicago, Minneapolis, Iowa City, and Milwaukee. Counties in Iowa, Illinois, Virginia, West Virginia, Minnesota, Wisconsin are included in the designation.
A critical habitat designation does not affect land ownership or authorize government access to private land but does allow the Fish and Wildlife Service to monitor the conservation of an endangered species. The designation may affect development or actions involving federal agencies, typically limited to urban or suburban settings.
The Rusty Patched Bumble Bee was listed as endangered in 2017 and is the first species of bumble bee to receive federal protection.