“Nobody had really surveyed the bees here, so that was sort of the premise for starting it,” said researcher Julianna Tuell, who conducted the study for her dissertation in entomology.

The work accounted for more than 160 species of bees, 112 of which were present during blooming season. The research was done as part of an effort to gain a broader sense of the bee populations in the area.

The study also aimed to find alternatives to pollination by honeybees, whose population has dwindled as a result of colony collapse disorder (CCD), a phenomenon in which honeybee colonies suddenly disappear.

“A lot of other species of bees are out there,” Tuell said. “More than half (of the species) are actually visiting the blueberries and pollinating, and are better pollinators than honeybees because they collect more pollen and visit more flowers per minute.”

Natalie Ebig Scott, a spokeswoman for state-funded Project GREEEN, which partially sponsored the research, said the work is crucial for Michigan’s agricultural industry and affects more than farmers.

“Pollination is a vital part of Michigan’s agricultural industry,” she said. “There’s widespread concern about the long-term sustainability of using honeybees, so native bee populations are something that we need to look into in the future. (MSU associate professor of entomology Rufus) Isaacs and his team have really stepped up to meet that need.”

Of the total number of species, 10 were found to be vital for pollinating the crops, Isaacs said.

“This is sort of the first step,” he said. “There’s obviously concern about the honeybees, and an aspect of this work is to provide this insight into what other bees are available.”

Tuell said there still are plenty of questions that need answers.

“Just knowing what species are out there means you could actually find ones who could have potential for management in these fields,” she said. “If we can find ways to help honeybees and also add other managed bees into the system, we can have manageable pollination.”

The team will continue researching pollination in Southwest Michigan during blueberry bloom throughout May and June, and there is plenty to look forward to, Isaacs said.

“Even though (the research) does show a declining bee population, (it) shows there is still a diverse population out there,” he said.