Genetic diversity in populations of the blue orchard bee (Osmia lignaria)

The blue orchard bee (Osmia lignaria) is a native pollinator that is an excellent candidate to supplement the honeybee in agricultural settings. Genetic diversity of wild-caught bees from several locations in eastern and western USA is being measured across multiple mitochondrial and nuclear DNA segments. There has been only a small amount of diversity that is unique to eastern populations. A divergent mtDNA clade has been recovered that is restricted to the mountain west. To date the bees that have been most expansively employed for pollination have originated from the populations showing the greatest genetic diversity.