According to a recent study from the University of Michigan, areas with more species of bees have healthier bees.
The study comes as the number of bees and other pollinators around the world continue to decline.
Ecologist Michelle Fearon studied four species of bees at farms across Michigan. While looking for three viruses that are known to affect bees in the region, she found that sites with more types of bees have less disease than sites with fewer species.
“And that is a really cool finding, because it suggests that if we are conserving these bees and encouraging really diverse pollinator communities, we might be also reducing the risk of virus transmission," Fearon said.
Michigan has over 400 species of bees that help pollinate flowers and crops around the state. Fearon says citizens can do their part to help native bees thrive by planting gardens with pollinator friendly plants.
The study suggests it’s possible that having more species of bees in an area can help dilute disease among the total bee population.