Issue date May 1, 2018:

From Canada Post’s Details magazine:

When bees begin to appear, it is a sure sign that summer is on the way – and designer Andrew Perro and illustrator Dave Murray have come up with a honey of an issue to help celebrate.

Experts believe there are approximately 4,000 species of bees native to North America. Two of the more than 850 species native to Canada can be found on our latest stamp issue.

The rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis), once common in parts of Ontario and Quebec, was the first bee species to be listed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). The metallic green bee (Agapostemon virescens), one of many sweat bee species, digs its nest in the ground and can be found throughout southern Ontario. The Official First Day Cover features another Canadian native – a small eastern resin bee (Anthidiellum notatum), which constructs a unique nest from resin and gravel.

This issue’s distinctive design is bound to create some buzz. Don’t get stung – get yours now!

Updated May 1:

[press release]
Bold and beautiful, bee stamps pay tribute to native pollinators

GRAND BEND, ON, May 1, 2018 /CNW/ – With spring flowers in bloom and summer coming soon, Canada Post unveiled a pair of stamps that are sure to create a buzz – as much for their unique design as for the subject they celebrate.

Two native bees appear in the new issue, including the extremely rare rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) and its colourful and more common co-star, a metallic green bee (Agapostemon virescens). Both are featured on the Official First Day Cover, which is cancelled in Grand Bend, Ontario, near Pinery Provincial Park – the last known location of a rusty-patched bumble bee in Canada.

Once common in parts of southern Ontario and Quebec, the rusty-patched bumble bee was the first bee species to be assessed as Endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. In contrast, the metallic green bee – often spotted carrying loads of pollen on its back legs – is still found throughout southern Canada.

There are approximately 4,000 species of bees native to North America and more than 850 native to Canada. Many bee populations, however, are in decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change. Canadians can do their part to help nurture their numbers by planting native flowers, allowing more of their property to grow wild, and avoiding the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

The stamps were designed by Andrew Perro of Toronto and illustrated by Dave Murray, a Toronto artist known for his cubist takes on portraits and pop culture, based on detailed information and images from some of Canada’s foremost bee experts.