3.12 Insects
relative abundance of the Southern Plains Bumble Bee continues, this species could poten- tially go extinct before the end of this century (Hatfeld et al. 2012) . In 2013, a petition was submitted to request that the Rusty-patched Bumble Bee be listed as an Endangered Species under the ESA. Another species, the Variable Cuckoo Bumble Bee is considered to be critically endangered because the population has declined by more than 80% overall based on historic records, while more current survey data show declines in relative abundance of more than 99% during the past decade (Hatfeld et al. 2012) . Declines are at least in part due to pathogen infection, habitat alterations and conversion, declines in habitat quality, and exposure to certain types of insecticides and other environmental chemicals. Te St. Francis’ Satyr butterfy is only known from Cumberland and Hoke counties in the Sandhills ecoregion. Te larval host of the St. Francis’ Satyr is sedges ( Carex spp.) (Murdock 1996) . Tis butterfy is known to inhabit wide, wet meadows dominated by sedges and other wetland graminoid species. Tese wetlands are often acidic and ephemeral boggy areas that are relicts of beaver activity. Tese sites must be continually maintained to prevent woody vegetation from becoming established. Te USFWS has determined the Rattlesnake-master Borer Moth warrants protection under the ESA, but there are no current plans to propose listing because there are other species considered a higher priority for listing (USFWS 2013) . Tis moth species occurs in 16 popula- tions in fve states, including North Carolina. Its only food source is a prairie habitat plant, the Rattlesnake-master ( Eryngium yuccifolium ).
Spruce–fr Moss Spider occurs in well-drained moss and liverwort mats growing on rocks in well-shaded areas of spruce–fr forests in the Appalachian mountains of North
Carolina and Tennessee. As published in the Federal Register (USFWS 2001) the USFWS designated primary elements found in the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina and portions of the Cherokee National Forest in North Carolina and Tennessee as critical habitat for this species. Within these areas the primary elements consid- ered as critical habitat include the Fraser Fir or fr-dominated spruce–fr forests at and above 5,400 feet elevations. It also includes moderately thick and sheltered mats of humid (not wet) moss and liverwort
Spruce–fr Moss Spider (USFWS) https://upload. wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/ Spruce_Fir_Moss_Spider.jpg/200px-Spruce_Fir_ Moss_Spider.jpg. Used under license CC BY 2.0
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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