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Environment

‘Panda of the insect world’: the moscardón bumblebee creates buzz for invertebrate of the year

The Guardian Environment Sunday 09 August 2026, 11:00 UTC By Patrick Barkham 1 min read
Key Points

Bombus dahlbomii, a giant ginger bumblebee fondly known as the flying mouse, is in decline in its native Patagonia due to commercial farmingRevealed: the top 10 invertebrates of the yearWe all love bumblebees. Not only are they beautiful, busy and social, they perform pollination services that are crucial for plants, crops and human civilisation. Any bumblebee would be a worthy winner of invertebrate of the year but a gorgeous giant ginger bumblebee fondly known as the flying mouse?

Bombus dahlbomii, a giant ginger bumblebee fondly known as the flying mouse, is in decline in its native Patagonia due to commercial farming

We all love bumblebees. Not only are they beautiful, busy and social, they perform pollination services that are crucial for plants, crops and human civilisation.

Any bumblebee would be a worthy winner of invertebrate of the year but a gorgeous giant ginger bumblebee fondly known as the flying mouse? Come on!

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Bombus (ORG) Patagonia (LOCATION)
Originally published by The Guardian Environment Read original →

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