x
Breaking News
More () »

Some Michigan bumblebee populations are declining. Here's how you can help them.

The declining populations tend to be more active later in the summer.

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Honey bees have had our attention for years, but other types of bees deserve some buzz, too. 

Michigan State University recently released a new study observing the bumblebee population in Michigan for the past century. Their results were a mixed bag. 

"There were twelve species we looked at in depth," said Rufus Isaacs, a professor of entomology at MSU. "Six of those, or fifty percent, were stable and not changing too much. Fifty percent of them had declined by more than fifty percent across the state." 

The six species that were stable tend to feed on springtime blooms. The declining populations tend to be more active later in the summer.

Bumblebees are vital to pollinating key crops in Michigan, such as blueberries and cherries. 

"They're really important for also pollinating plants. Honey bees aren't so good at pollinating, or pollinating in weather conditions where the honey bees aren't so keen to fly," added Isaacs. 

So what can you do to help? Start in the garden. 

"Think about plants that will bloom all the way through the fall and those later season plants seem like they might be more valuable for these bumblebees that are declining," said Isaacs. 

Avoid pesticides in the garden, especially insecticides. 

"If you can help support them, they'll help get your fruits and vegetables in the garden and the wildflowers in your garden pollinated. You'll get more fruits, more vegetables, more seeds and wildflowers so they're really important to look after," added Isaacs. 

Learn more about the bee population at The Great Lakes, Great Bees and the Michigan Pollinator Initiative. MSU will also be hosting Bee-Palooza on June 23. 

►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.

Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter.

Before You Leave, Check This Out