An appeals court sided with the California Fish and Game Commission after it was sued by agricultural groups over its decision to classify certain species of bumblebee as endangered.

The lawsuit claimed that insects were not included in the categories of wildlife open to protection under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA).

However, the court noted that CESA’s definition of “fish” includes all “invertebrates”, and therefore bees can be protected as a type of fish, The Sacramento Bee – coincidentally named – reports.

The unanimous ruling by the three-judge panel has restored the protections to the four species of bumblebee for the first time since 2019.