The number of bumble bees is declining worldwide, and one University of Arkansas researcher says she will determine if that’s the case in the Natural State.

Ph.D. student Amber Tripodi said Monday she hopes to determine how bumble bees are distributed throughout the state by sampling bumble bees in every county as part of a new study.

Tripodi said the last time county-level data was compiled was in a 1964 survey, but that her study will have more accurate coverage of the entire state.

Tripodi said she is looking for volunteers to help provide samples from every county.

She said she began collecting samples in May and has already received 100 bees from across the state.

Tripodi said establishing baseline populations will help determine how bee populations change over time.