A native bee collects purple pollen from a sego lily in Castle Cliffs National Monument, NV.
Does the loss of plant diversity affect the health of native bees?
Loss of plant diversity is the primary cause of native bee decline. About 30-50% of all native bees are highly specialized, so if the plant they rely on disappears, the bees go away. If the bees disappear, the plant is unable to reproduce and dies out.
While some of the plants pollinated by native bees are important food crops, other plants pollinated by native bees are critical for healthy forests, wildlife, and watersheds.
Learn more:
- USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Program
- USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab on flickr (public domain images)
Related
Are honey bees native to North America? Are honey bees native to North America?
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How many species of native bees are in the United States? How many species of native bees are in the United States?
What is the role of native bees in the United States? What is the role of native bees in the United States?
Why are pollinating bats, birds, bees, butterflies, and other animals important? Why are pollinating bats, birds, bees, butterflies, and other animals important?
Do native bees occur on every continent on the planet? Do native bees occur on every continent on the planet?
A native bee collects purple pollen from a sego lily in Castle Cliffs National Monument, NV.
Spring wildflowers captured on California's Channel Islands.
The USGS Western Ecological Research Center's Dr. Kathryn McEachern studies plant ecology and restoration on the Channel Islands. Learn more here.
Spring wildflowers captured on California's Channel Islands.
The USGS Western Ecological Research Center's Dr. Kathryn McEachern studies plant ecology and restoration on the Channel Islands. Learn more here.
The USGS Ecosystems Mission Area brings you Outstanding in the Field, a series of stories about our science, our adventures, and our efforts to better understand our fish and wildlife and the ecosystems that support them.
The USGS Ecosystems Mission Area brings you Outstanding in the Field, a series of stories about our science, our adventures, and our efforts to better understand our fish and wildlife and the ecosystems that support them.

A native brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis) visiting leadplant (Amorpha canescens).
A native brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis) visiting leadplant (Amorpha canescens).

So many unknowns and so many potentials.
So many unknowns and so many potentials.
Ecosystems are changing at a rapid pace. It can be difficult to determine if a landscape is in need of restoration. In this photo of the spring wildflower bloom in the Sonoran desert, an invasive annual grass, Bromus rubens (red brome), is pervasive. Land managers have to make decisions about when, where, and how to intervene in a system.
Ecosystems are changing at a rapid pace. It can be difficult to determine if a landscape is in need of restoration. In this photo of the spring wildflower bloom in the Sonoran desert, an invasive annual grass, Bromus rubens (red brome), is pervasive. Land managers have to make decisions about when, where, and how to intervene in a system.
A native bee pollinates a prickly pear cactus in Colorado. Credit: Mark Vandever, USGS.
A native bee pollinates a prickly pear cactus in Colorado. Credit: Mark Vandever, USGS.
A macrophotography image showing a native bee pollinating a native flower.
A macrophotography image showing a native bee pollinating a native flower.
Colorful wildflowers in the Great Basin.
Colorful wildflowers in the Great Basin.
It's Pollinator Week, and we're talking to USGS scientist Sam Droege about the tremendous importance of native bees and pollinators in general, and how you can lend a hand to these tiny titans.
It's Pollinator Week, and we're talking to USGS scientist Sam Droege about the tremendous importance of native bees and pollinators in general, and how you can lend a hand to these tiny titans.
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Forage and habitat for pollinators in the northern Great Plains—Implications for U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation programs Forage and habitat for pollinators in the northern Great Plains—Implications for U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation programs
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National protocol framework for the inventory and monitoring of bees National protocol framework for the inventory and monitoring of bees
Related
Are honey bees native to North America? Are honey bees native to North America?
Why are bats important? Why are bats important?
Do bees feed on both nectar and pollen? Do bees feed on both nectar and pollen?
How many species of native bees are in the United States? How many species of native bees are in the United States?
What is the role of native bees in the United States? What is the role of native bees in the United States?
Why are pollinating bats, birds, bees, butterflies, and other animals important? Why are pollinating bats, birds, bees, butterflies, and other animals important?
Do native bees occur on every continent on the planet? Do native bees occur on every continent on the planet?
A native bee collects purple pollen from a sego lily in Castle Cliffs National Monument, NV.
A native bee collects purple pollen from a sego lily in Castle Cliffs National Monument, NV.
Spring wildflowers captured on California's Channel Islands.
The USGS Western Ecological Research Center's Dr. Kathryn McEachern studies plant ecology and restoration on the Channel Islands. Learn more here.
Spring wildflowers captured on California's Channel Islands.
The USGS Western Ecological Research Center's Dr. Kathryn McEachern studies plant ecology and restoration on the Channel Islands. Learn more here.
The USGS Ecosystems Mission Area brings you Outstanding in the Field, a series of stories about our science, our adventures, and our efforts to better understand our fish and wildlife and the ecosystems that support them.
The USGS Ecosystems Mission Area brings you Outstanding in the Field, a series of stories about our science, our adventures, and our efforts to better understand our fish and wildlife and the ecosystems that support them.

A native brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis) visiting leadplant (Amorpha canescens).
A native brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis) visiting leadplant (Amorpha canescens).

So many unknowns and so many potentials.
So many unknowns and so many potentials.
Ecosystems are changing at a rapid pace. It can be difficult to determine if a landscape is in need of restoration. In this photo of the spring wildflower bloom in the Sonoran desert, an invasive annual grass, Bromus rubens (red brome), is pervasive. Land managers have to make decisions about when, where, and how to intervene in a system.
Ecosystems are changing at a rapid pace. It can be difficult to determine if a landscape is in need of restoration. In this photo of the spring wildflower bloom in the Sonoran desert, an invasive annual grass, Bromus rubens (red brome), is pervasive. Land managers have to make decisions about when, where, and how to intervene in a system.
A native bee pollinates a prickly pear cactus in Colorado. Credit: Mark Vandever, USGS.
A native bee pollinates a prickly pear cactus in Colorado. Credit: Mark Vandever, USGS.
A macrophotography image showing a native bee pollinating a native flower.
A macrophotography image showing a native bee pollinating a native flower.
Colorful wildflowers in the Great Basin.
Colorful wildflowers in the Great Basin.
It's Pollinator Week, and we're talking to USGS scientist Sam Droege about the tremendous importance of native bees and pollinators in general, and how you can lend a hand to these tiny titans.
It's Pollinator Week, and we're talking to USGS scientist Sam Droege about the tremendous importance of native bees and pollinators in general, and how you can lend a hand to these tiny titans.