Male chimney bee resting on a cluster of southern highbush blueberry flowers. (Photo by Blair Sampson, ARS)

Meet the Chimney Bee: A Promising Pollinator for Fruit Crops

As honeybee populations ebb and flow, ARS researchers are turning to native chimney bees to help pollinate crops like blueberries. These gentle, low‑maintenance bees can be relocated, build nests from clay “chimneys,” and excel at pollinating plants that honeybees often overlook. Learn more...

The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.