In the United States, bees are crucial pollinators for crops, but unfortunately they are disappearing at a very fast pace. Scientists and policymakers have been scrambling in the recent years to find out the reason behind the collapse of commercial honeybee colonies in the phenomenon called colony collapse disorder.

But, a recent research has suggested that native bee species are equally crucial for crop pollination but the main focus of research was on the European honeybee, the non-native species seen in commercial hives.

While responding to a call for a pollinator assessment from the White House, the University of Vermont’s researchers have come up with the first-ever map of wild bee populations countrywide.

A paper published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday suggested that the research has revealed a notable fall in number of wild bees throughout many main farming areas of the nation.

Nearly 39% of farmland, with crops dependent on pollination, has been facing a dangerous mismatch as pollination demand is increasing but the population of wild bees is seeing a fall.

Though the report could look like all gloom and doom for the bees it may be help scientists in identifying ways to save the bees.

In a news release, study lead author Insu Koh, a researcher at the University of Vermont’s Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, said, “Until this study, we didn’t have a national mapped picture about the status of wild bees and their impacts on pollination”.