Bumble bees are integral wild pollinators in wild and agricultural landscapes, and recent domestication has boosted their economic importance in crop pollination to a level surpassed only by the honey bee. However, over the last decade, disturbing reports of bumble bee population declines in Europe have recently spilled over into North America, fueling environmental and economic concerns of global decline. To address these significant environmental and economic concerns, Dr. Jonathan B. Koch, Ph.D. leads a research program at the USDA-ARS Pollinating Insects Research Unit that aims to deliver cutting-edge, scientific tools and innovative solutions that promote bumble bee sustainability and availability to American farmers, producers, and industry. To meet this vision, his group conducts research that 1) investigates the extent and causes of bee population decline, 2) improves the management of wild and commercial bumble bee species, 3) understands bee biology as related to management goals, and 4) evaluates the genetics of bee species of commercial and ecological interest with the goal of conserving genetic diversity.