Ecosystems—whether agricultural, urban, or natural—depend on pollinators, great and small. Pollinators in the form of bees, birds, butterflies, bats, and even moths provide vital, but often invisible services, from contributing to biodiverse terrestrial wildlife and plant communities to supporting healthy watersheds. Pollinator declines worldwide have been noted as land-use and climate changes occur on the landscape. USGS is laying the groundwork for better scientific understanding of wildlife population level impacts from a variety of potential threats to species from big game to birds, to bats, to pollinators.
USGS Bee Lab at the Eastern Ecological Science Center
With our U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partners, the USGS Bee Lab develops identification tools and keys for native bee species, takes public access high resolution photographs of bees, works with partners across the country, designs and tests bee counting techniques, documents bee/plant associations and confirms identification of native bee species.
Pollinator Conservation and Climate Science
Pollinator species in the United States are in crisis based on broad-scale changes in land-use and climate. The USGS is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and others to develop conservation plans, for pollinators, including quantification of the effects of climate change.
Pollinator Research
Native Pollinators in Agricultural Ecosystems
Bat Species of Concern: An Ecological Synthesis for Resource Managers
High Elevation Cave Surveys for Bats and White Nose Syndrome
Understanding Factors Affecting the Decline of the Samoan Swallowtail Butterfly
An Inventory and Comparative Study of Bees, A Keystone Ecological Group in the Endangered Coastal Prairie of Louisiana
Pollinator Germplasm as a Genetic Resource for Conservation
Explore published USGS pollinator datasets below.
Occurrence data of the western bumble bee from 1998 to 2020 across the western United States Occurrence data of the western bumble bee from 1998 to 2020 across the western United States
Pesticide residues in passive samplers and bee tissue from Conservation Reserve Program fields across an agricultural gradient in eastern Iowa, USA, 2019 (ver 2.0, October 2023) Pesticide residues in passive samplers and bee tissue from Conservation Reserve Program fields across an agricultural gradient in eastern Iowa, USA, 2019 (ver 2.0, October 2023)
Western bumble bee predicted occupancy (1998, 2020) and future projections (2050s), western conterminous United States Western bumble bee predicted occupancy (1998, 2020) and future projections (2050s), western conterminous United States
Species Distribution Models for Native Species in the Mojave Desert Species Distribution Models for Native Species in the Mojave Desert
Concentrations of pesticides in multiple matrices to measure exposure of wild bees visiting pollinator hedgerows in northern California Concentrations of pesticides in multiple matrices to measure exposure of wild bees visiting pollinator hedgerows in northern California
Insect community responses to climate and weather across elevation gradients in the Sagebrush Steppe, eastern Oregon 2012 and 2013 Insect community responses to climate and weather across elevation gradients in the Sagebrush Steppe, eastern Oregon 2012 and 2013
Recent publications related to USGS pollinator research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS pollinator publications is available from the button below.
U.S. Geological Survey Pollinator Science Strategy, 2025–35—A Review and Look Forward U.S. Geological Survey Pollinator Science Strategy, 2025–35—A Review and Look Forward
Recent and future declines of a historically widespread pollinator linked to climate, land cover, and pesticides Recent and future declines of a historically widespread pollinator linked to climate, land cover, and pesticides
Assessing population genomic structure and polyploidy: A crucial step for native plant restoration Assessing population genomic structure and polyploidy: A crucial step for native plant restoration
Warming temperatures affect meadow-wide nectar resources, with implications for plant-pollinator communities Warming temperatures affect meadow-wide nectar resources, with implications for plant-pollinator communities
Seed menus: An integrated decision-support framework for native plant restoration in the Mojave Desert Seed menus: An integrated decision-support framework for native plant restoration in the Mojave Desert
Ecosystems—whether agricultural, urban, or natural—depend on pollinators, great and small. Pollinators in the form of bees, birds, butterflies, bats, and even moths provide vital, but often invisible services, from contributing to biodiverse terrestrial wildlife and plant communities to supporting healthy watersheds. Pollinator declines worldwide have been noted as land-use and climate changes occur on the landscape. USGS is laying the groundwork for better scientific understanding of wildlife population level impacts from a variety of potential threats to species from big game to birds, to bats, to pollinators.
USGS Bee Lab at the Eastern Ecological Science Center
With our U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partners, the USGS Bee Lab develops identification tools and keys for native bee species, takes public access high resolution photographs of bees, works with partners across the country, designs and tests bee counting techniques, documents bee/plant associations and confirms identification of native bee species.
Pollinator Conservation and Climate Science
Pollinator species in the United States are in crisis based on broad-scale changes in land-use and climate. The USGS is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and others to develop conservation plans, for pollinators, including quantification of the effects of climate change.
Pollinator Research
Native Pollinators in Agricultural Ecosystems
Bat Species of Concern: An Ecological Synthesis for Resource Managers
High Elevation Cave Surveys for Bats and White Nose Syndrome
Understanding Factors Affecting the Decline of the Samoan Swallowtail Butterfly
An Inventory and Comparative Study of Bees, A Keystone Ecological Group in the Endangered Coastal Prairie of Louisiana
Pollinator Germplasm as a Genetic Resource for Conservation
Explore published USGS pollinator datasets below.
Occurrence data of the western bumble bee from 1998 to 2020 across the western United States Occurrence data of the western bumble bee from 1998 to 2020 across the western United States
Pesticide residues in passive samplers and bee tissue from Conservation Reserve Program fields across an agricultural gradient in eastern Iowa, USA, 2019 (ver 2.0, October 2023) Pesticide residues in passive samplers and bee tissue from Conservation Reserve Program fields across an agricultural gradient in eastern Iowa, USA, 2019 (ver 2.0, October 2023)
Western bumble bee predicted occupancy (1998, 2020) and future projections (2050s), western conterminous United States Western bumble bee predicted occupancy (1998, 2020) and future projections (2050s), western conterminous United States
Species Distribution Models for Native Species in the Mojave Desert Species Distribution Models for Native Species in the Mojave Desert
Concentrations of pesticides in multiple matrices to measure exposure of wild bees visiting pollinator hedgerows in northern California Concentrations of pesticides in multiple matrices to measure exposure of wild bees visiting pollinator hedgerows in northern California
Insect community responses to climate and weather across elevation gradients in the Sagebrush Steppe, eastern Oregon 2012 and 2013 Insect community responses to climate and weather across elevation gradients in the Sagebrush Steppe, eastern Oregon 2012 and 2013
Recent publications related to USGS pollinator research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS pollinator publications is available from the button below.