Monday, researchers from UNH released the first scientific findings about the state of New Hampshire’s bee population.

It's the first comprehensive list of bee species in the state, including 17 species never before recorded in New Hampshire.

The research comes after years of reports of declining bee populations around the country.

Assistant professor of biology Sandra Rehan co-authored the report and said biologists will use this data as a baseline to measure future trends.

“We’re kind of assessing the situation perhaps after the damage is done," says Rehan, "but the best thing we can do moving forward is to establish what we have and how they are doing and to try to preserve the remaining species.”

Rehan and her team also studied which types of flowers were most beneficial to certain bee species -- information that could inform conservation work in the future.