New study identifies bumble bees' favorite flowers to aid bee conservation
Published Date: 1/28/2020
Source: phys.org
Many species of North American bumble bees have seen significant declines in recent decades. Bumble bees are essential pollinators for both native and agricultural plants, and their ability to fly in colder temperatures make them especially important pollinators at high elevation. Bumble bee declines have been attributed to a handful of factors, including lack of flowers. Not all flowers are used equally by bumble bees, and determining which flowers bumble bees use can aid bumble bee conservation by identifying the specific plants they need to thrive.