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Desertification is a major threat to biodiversity in arid areas of the world, partly because many organisms in these regions already exist at or near the limits of their movement and physiology. Here, we used molecular data to investigate patterns of persistence and dispersal in an ecologically and economically important carpenter bee (Xylocopa grisescens Lepeletier) found throughout the semiarid Caatinga region of Brazil. We used a genome-wide approach (double digest restriction-site associated DNA, ddRAD) to gather genetic data from bees sampled from eight sites within a semiarid region subject to desertification in Northeastern Brazil. Across all populations, we observed a consistent heterozygosity and effective population size deficit along with low genetic differentiation. We did not find strong evidence of dispersal limitations caused by desertification in this study system despite data collection from sites up to 300 km distant. Thus, our data suggest that human-mediated changes in the Caatinga, such as habitat loss, have impacted the population genetic patterns of X. grisescens. However, these impacts have also been softened by the species' biological characteristics, such as its relatively high capacity for movement. This study provides insights into how habitat changes might impact the long-term survival of large solitary bees.

In agricultural landscapes, the removal of semi‐natural habitats (SNH) and the intensive use of pesticides contribute to declines of biodiversity, including crop pollinators such as bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). However, effects of pesticide use and landscape characteristics on bees have rarely been studied together. In this study, we investigated how SNH in the surrounding landscape, organic and conventional management, and the reduction of fungicides affect wild bee diversity in 32 vineyards in southwest Germany. We used yellow pan traps to sample bees in a crossed design of management (organic vs. conventional) and fungicide use (reduced in fungus‐resistant grape varieties vs. regular) along a gradient with increasing proportions of SNH in the surrounding landscape. Higher proportions of SNH influenced species composition of bees and increased the abundance and richness of above‐ground‐nesting species. Organic vineyards had a 49% higher abundance of bees compared to conventional vineyards. The reduction of fungicides did not affect bee diversity nor abundance. The absence of a response to fungicide intensity suggests that the benefit of organically managed vineyards to wild bees was through differences in their vegetation management, which is in line with the positive response of bees to SNH in the surrounding landscape. Synthesis and applications: Our study underlines that the local provision of diverse vegetation in vineyards and the landscape‐scale provision of suitable SNH are key factors for wild bee conservation in viticulture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This 4‐year study (2018–2021) aimed at investigating the effects of flowering areas inserted at the margin of soft wheat fields (Triticum aestivum L.) in comparison with spontaneous field margins. The action formed part of a multidisciplinary initiative promoted by the Barilla food company, aimed at promoting the sustainable production of soft wheat.Specific aims were to study the effects of flowering areas on (i) the abundance and species richness of insect pollinators, including wild bees, syrphids and butterflies; (ii) the levels of wheat aphid and bug infestations and (iii) the assemblages of biological control agents of aphids (coccinellids and aphid mummies as a result of parasitization).Insect surveys were carried out on 61 wheat‐growing farms located in Northern Italy. Insect pollinators were sampled on all farms, whereas wheat aphids, wheat bugs and aphid biological control agents were investigated in a sub‐sample of 20 farms.Results generally indicated a positive impact of flowering areas on multiple taxa in comparison with spontaneous field margins. The abundance of pollinators and coccinellids was significantly enhanced by the flowering areas. Aphid mummies showed an interaction between strategies and distances with more mummies at 5 m in wheat plots close to flowering areas and at 50 m in the plots close to spontaneous field margin (control).Flowering areas were validated as an important tool for promoting beneficial taxa in agro‐ecosystems. However, the successful establishment of this ecological infrastructure was suggested to rely on several factors, which included both the selection of suitable flowering plant species and the implementation of appropriate management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While transect walks have long been the preferred monitoring method for many flying insect taxa, malaise traps combined with DNA metabarcoding have gained growing prominence. However, it remains unclear whether both methods reveal comparable species richness and the same ecological drivers along environmental gradients.We selected three groups of pollinators (wild bees, hoverflies and butterflies) and one group of herbivores (grasshoppers) as functionally important and conservation‐relevant model groups, comparing results of both methods along an elevational gradient in the German Alps.Across the study region, both methods detected a similarly high species richness of pollinators with ~50% overlap of species pools, but transect walks revealed more species per site, especially in higher elevations and under low temperatures. Body size spectra differed between methods, with on average more large butterfly and more small bee species in transect walks. Nevertheless, temperature and flower richness were consistent drivers of pollinator richness, independent of the sampling method. Grasshopper richness from transect walks was considerably higher than from malaise traps. Both methods identified temperature and only malaise traps also identified management as drivers of grasshopper richness.We conclude that malaise traps are principally suitable substitutes for the more time‐consuming pollinator transect walks. However, the effectiveness of these passive traps is more susceptible to changes in sampling temperature, and in some pollinator groups, body size classes are presented differently, which is important to consider during analyses. For grasshoppers, transect walks appear to be more suitable to assess species richness, as considerably more species can be monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent changes to the generic classification of Megachilini necessitate several nomenclatural changes for species of the tribe. Four specific epithets were considered junior homonyms in a retrograde classification of Megachile Latreille and were therefore renamed. These epithets are resurrected as they are no longer congeneric with their senior homonyms (ICZN: Art. 59.4), and their former replacements are now considered junior synonyms: Callomegachile (Callomegachile) elegans (Cheesman) (= Chalicodoma (Callomegachile) cheesmanae Michener, new synonymy), Callomegachile (Callomegachile) gigas (Wu) (= Megachile (Callomegachile) parornata Chatthanabun, Warrit, and Ascher, new synonymy), Chelostomoides (Chelostomoides) pedalis Raw (= Megachile (Chelostomoides) rawi Engel, new synonymy), Megachile (Creightonella) aurantiaca Rebmann (= Megachile (Creightonella) taftanica Engel, new synonymy). In addition, four replacement names (nomina nova) are established: Megachile (Chelostomoda) zyzzyx Engel (for Megachile (Chelostomoda) indica (Gupta)), M. (Eurymella) bakololo Engel (for Megachile (Eurymella) zambesica Pasteels), Coelioxys silaneg Engel (for Coelioxys genalis Pasteels), and Coelioxys qi Engel (for Coelioxys brevicaudatus Friese). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stingless bee Tetragonisca buchwaldi (Friese, 1925) is documented in Ecuador (1925), Costa Rica (1962), and Panama (1983). This study presents new records for two provinces in Panama and the first-ever report of the species in Colombia. This last record was obtained in September 2022 in Chocó Department using pan traps, which were exposed inside the forest. These new records contribute to the general knowledge of Meliponini, mainly in the biogeographic Chocó region where these bees are undersampled.

Bee monitoring, or widespread efforts to document bee community biodiversity, can involve data collection using lethal (specimen collections) or non-lethal methods (observations, photographs). Additionally, data can be collected by professional scientists or by volunteer participants from the general public. Collection-based methods presumably produce more reliable data with fewer biases against certain taxa, while photography-based approaches, such as data collected from public natural history platforms like iNaturalist, can involve more people and cover a broader geographic area. Few efforts have been made to quantify the pros and cons of these different approaches. We established a community science monitoring program to assess bee biodiversity across the state of Pennsylvania (USA) using specimen collections with nets, blue vane traps, and bowl traps. We recruited 26 participants, mostly Master Gardeners, from across the state to sample bees after receiving extensive training on bee monitoring topics and methods. The specimens they collected were identified to species, stored in museum collections, and the data added to public databases. Then, we compared the results from our collections to research-grade observations from iNaturalist during the same time period (2021 and 2022). At state and county levels, we found collections data documented over twice as much biodiversity and novel baseline natural history data (state and county records) than data from iNaturalist. iNaturalist data showed strong biases toward large-bodied and non-native species. This study demonstrates the value of highly trained community scientists for collections-based research that aims to document patterns of bee biodiversity over space and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solitary and primitively eusocial bees, an important group of pollinators, have declined in the past few decades. In view of the recent focus on safeguarding pollinating insects, it is vital to understand the basic ecology of species for their conservation, for example their phenologies. We observed the flight periods of solitary and primitively eusocial bees in both the urban core of a large British town and nearby nature conservation areas. The bee surveys were conducted with standardised methods, on warm sunny days from the first appearance of bees in March 2012 and continued until October 2012. This study confirmed that a high number of species are active in the spring season. The emergence dates of species in urban areas and nature sites varied; about 26 of the 35 species were recorded at least one week earlier in urban areas; in contrast, only four species were seen earlier in nature conservation sites. When comparing this with the expected flight periods recorded (largely in nature sites) in the literature, many species were recorded at their expected time. However, a few individuals were recorded after their usual flight activity time, suggesting that the populations were possibly affected by the microclimate in urban areas. More urban phenological data are needed to understand the phenological trends in bees in urban habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The decline of pollinator insects in various parts of the world has increased the interest in studies on bee sampling. Because pollinator management and conservation policies depend on data representing their communities, knowledge of the systematic bias of sampling methods in relation to surrounding habitat is fundamental. This study examined the performance of standardized transect walks and colored pan traps considering differences in bee species richness, diversity, and composition, and the potential bias due to a different availability of floral sources throughout seasons. The study was conducted in a minor outlying island (Asinara, Italy), a natural park characterized by the prevalence of natural or semi-natural habitats and an Oceanic Pluviseasonal Mediterranean bioclimate. We found that transect and pan trap methods reflected different bee communities based on taxonomic families, genera, and species. In general, the transect method captured more varied samples than pan traps, despite the significantly lower number of individuals captured on transects. Moreover, pan traps captured more bees as floral abundance decreased, whereas transects showed greater bee abundance, richness, and diversity with increasing floral resource availability. In addition, 18 species out of the 68 observed in total were caught exclusively with pan traps, especially in July–October, when transect catches decreased due to substantial bloom reduction. Therefore, alternating the two methods according to season (i.e., transect in late winter-spring and pan trap in summer-autumn) might be the most suitable trade-off to obtain a better representation of the bee community by limiting sampling efforts and the negative impact on bee fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In agricultural landscapes, the removal of semi‐natural habitats (SNH) and the intensive use of pesticides contribute to declines of biodiversity, including crop pollinators such as bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). However, effects of pesticide use and landscape characteristics on bees have rarely been studied together. In this study, we investigated how SNH in the surrounding landscape, organic and conventional management, and the reduction of fungicides affect wild bee diversity in 32 vineyards in southwest Germany. We used yellow pan traps to sample bees in a crossed design of management (organic vs. conventional) and fungicide use (reduced in fungus‐resistant grape varieties vs. regular) along a gradient with increasing proportions of SNH in the surrounding landscape. Higher proportions of SNH influenced species composition of bees and increased the abundance and richness of above‐ground‐nesting species. Organic vineyards had a 49% higher abundance of bees compared to conventional vineyards. The reduction of fungicides did not affect bee diversity nor abundance. The absence of a response to fungicide intensity suggests that the benefit of organically managed vineyards to wild bees was through differences in their vegetation management, which is in line with the positive response of bees to SNH in the surrounding landscape. Synthesis and applications: Our study underlines that the local provision of diverse vegetation in vineyards and the landscape‐scale provision of suitable SNH are key factors for wild bee conservation in viticulture.

The identification of females of Agapostemon angelicus Cockerell and A. texanus Cresson has been a longstanding problem, with females of the two species considered morphologically indistinguishable. Prompted by recent collections in Minnesota that unexpectedly revealed the presence of A. angelicus as well as a cryptic form of A. texanus, we reassess the taxonomy of the “doubly punctate” Agapostemon species in both Minnesota and the broader United States. Examination of both new and old specimens has allowed us to identify A. angelicus females morphologically, and we reinstate A. subtilior Cockerell stat. rev. from synonymy with A. texanus. We recognize a number of new synonyms of A. subtilior that were formerly considered synonyms of A. texanus: A. borealis Crawford syn. nov., A. californicus Crawford syn. nov., A. texanus vandykei Cockerell syn. nov., A. californicus psammobius syn. nov., A. angelicus idahoensis syn. nov., and A. californicus clementinus syn. nov. We provide keys and diagnoses to allow for morphological identification of A. angelicus, A. subtilior, and A. texanus. We show that A. texanus s. s. has a relatively restricted range in the prairie region of the United States, with A. subtilior making up the bulk of what was formerly considered A. texanus. We further show that A. angelicus has a more extensive range than previously thought. Additional work remains, as there are a number of gaps in the known ranges of these species and more taxonomic work is required in the A. texanus complex south of the United States.

Understanding the relationship between solitary bee flight and flowering phenology is globally relevant for environmental management and habitat restoration. Using Swedish citizen science data over an 11-year period, the flight behaviours of two oligolectic solitary bees (Andrena hattorfiana and Andrena marginata) were compared to the flowering phenology of their hosts (Knautia arvensis and Succisa pratensis) in southern Sweden. There were 2,327 and 4,566 records of flight and flowering, respectively. While associative studies cannot resolve the degree of oligolecty, a strong temporal association of Andrena hattorfiana with Knautia arvensis and Andrena marginata with Succisa pratensis was indicated. Three conclusions emerged when comparing annual data: first, the flight period of both bee species studied overlapped with the flowering period of their corresponding host plants. Second, earlier flowering of Knautia arvensis corresponded with the earlier flight of Andrena hattorfiana. Third, the flight period duration was unaffected by the flowering period duration. For Andrena hattorfiana/Knautia arvensis, climate change may shift the start of flight and flowering periods to earlier dates in the year. A similar response would be expected for Andrena marginata/Knautia arvensis, but not for Andrena marginata/Succisa pratensis where there instead might be an increasing mismatch between the flight and flowering periods.

While global patterns of bee diversity have been modelled, our understanding of fine‐scale regional patterns is more limited, particularly for under‐sampled regions such as Africa. South Africa is among the exceptions on the African continent; its bee fauna (ca. 1253 species) has been well collected and documented, including mass digitising of its natural history collections. It is a region with high floral diversity, high habitat heterogeneity and variable rainfall seasonality.Here, we combine a South African bee species distributional database (877 bee species) with a geospatial modelling approach to determine fine‐scale (~11 × 11 km grid cell resolution) hotspots of bee species richness, endemism and range‐restricted species.Our analyses, based on the probabilities of occurrence surfaces for each species across 108,803 two‐minute grid cells, reveal three bee hotspots of richness: Winter rainfall, Aseasonal rainfall and Early‐to‐late summer rainfall. These hotspots contain large numbers of endemic and geographically restricted taxa. Hotspots with particularly high bee diversity include the Fynbos, Succulent Karoo and Desert biomes; the latter showing 6–20 times more species per unit area than other biomes. Our results conform with global species‐area patterns: areas of higher‐than‐expected bee density are largely concentrated in Mediterranean and arid habitats.This study further enhances our knowledge in identifying regional and global hotspots of richness and endemism for a keystone group of insects and enabling these to be accounted for when setting conservation priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the relationship between solitary bee flight and flowering phenology is globally relevant for environmental management and habitat restoration. Using Swedish citizen science data over an 11-year period, the flight behaviours of two oligolectic solitary bees (Andrena hattorfiana and Andrena marginata) were compared to the flowering phenology of their hosts (Knautia arvensis and Succisa pratensis) in southern Sweden. There were 2,327 and 4,566 records of flight and flowering, respectively. While associative studies cannot resolve the degree of oligolecty, a strong temporal association of Andrena hattorfiana with Knautia arvensis and Andrena marginata with Succisa pratensis was indicated. Three conclusions emerged when comparing annual data: first, the flight period of both bee species studied overlapped with the flowering period of their corresponding host plants. Second, earlier flowering of Knautia arvensis corresponded with the earlier flight of Andrena hattorfiana. Third, the flight period duration was unaff ected by the flowering period duration. For Andrena hattorfiana/Knautia arvensis, climate change may shift the start of flight and flowering periods to earlier dates in the year. A similar response would be expected for Andrena marginata/Knautia arvensis, but not for Andrena marginata/Succisa pratensis where there instead might be an increasing mismatch between the flight and flowering periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last 10 years, the interest in nature‐based solutions and ecosystem services like pollination has increased profoundly and with it the need to gather knowledge about wild bees and apoid wasp community dynamics, especially in urban ecosystems. Research on how the urban environment impacts the conditions of nesting sites is relatively scarce. Recent observations in the Brussels‐Capital Region (BCR; Belgium) show that urban pavements can provide alternative nesting opportunities for ground‐nesting Hymenoptera, such as wild bees and apoid wasps.Here, using a citizen science approach, we investigated the richness of ground‐nesting species living under urban pavements, as well as their preferences for sidewalk characteristics.A total of 22 species belonging to 10 families of wild bees, digger wasps and their associated cleptoparasites were identified at 89 sites in the BCR (Belgium). Sandstone setts or concrete slabs, with an unbound joint size of around 10 mm, were found to be the best suitable urban pavements for the ground‐nesting species. The soil texture under the pavement contained mainly sandy particles.We propose management guidelines to support bee and wasp species nesting under urban pavement in highly urbanised areas. Our observations pave the way for further research in the field of urban ecology and highlight the potential of multifunctional pavement designs that promote not only climate adaptation but also biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rare bee genus Habrophorula Lieftinck, 1974 is recorded for the first time from Vietnam. The genus is represented by a new species, Habrophorula belladeceptrix Tran, Engel & Nguyen, sp. nov., from Cao Bang Province and can be most easily confused with H. nigripes Wu from China. The species is most easily differentiated by the unique form of the male terminalia but can also be distinguished by differences in integumental and setal coloration. A revised key is provided to the species of the genus. Females of the new species were collected at flowers of Saurauia roxburghii Wall. and Saurauia napaulensis DC. (Actinidiaceae); males were collected at flowers of Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Desertification is a major threat to biodiversity in arid areas of the world, partly because many organisms in these regions already exist at or near the limits of their movement and physiology. Here, we used molecular data to investigate patterns of persistence and dispersal in an ecologically and economically important carpenter bee (Xylocopa grisescens Lepeletier) found throughout the semiarid Caatinga region of Brazil. We used a genome‐wide approach (double digest restriction‐site associated DNA, ddRAD) to gather genetic data from bees sampled from eight sites within a semiarid region subject to desertification in Northeastern Brazil. Across all populations, we observed a consistent heterozygosity and effective population size deficit along with low genetic differentiation. We did not find strong evidence of dispersal limitations caused by desertification in this study system despite data collection from sites up to 300 km distant. Thus, our data suggest that human‐mediated changes in the Caatinga, such as habitat loss, have impacted the population genetic patterns of X. grisescens. However, these impacts have also been softened by the species' biological characteristics, such as its relatively high capacity for movement. This study provides insights into how habitat changes might impact the long‐term survival of large solitary bees.

Solitary and primitively eusocial bees, an important group of pollinators, have declined in the past few decades. In view of the recent focus on safeguarding pollinating insects, it is vital to understand the basic ecology of species for their conservation, for example their phenologies. We observed the flight periods of solitary and primitively eusocial bees in both the urban core of a large British town and nearby nature conservation areas. The bee surveys were conducted with standardised methods, on warm sunny days from the first appearance of bees in March 2012 and continued until October 2012. This study confirmed that a high number of species are active in the spring season. The emergence dates of species in urban areas and nature sites varied; about 26 of the 35 species were recorded at least one week earlier in urban areas; in contrast, only four species were seen earlier in nature conservation sites. When comparing this with the expected flight periods recorded (largely in nature sites) in the literature, many species were recorded at their expected time. However, a few individuals were recorded after their usual flight activity time, suggesting that the populations were possibly affected by the microclimate in urban areas. More urban phenological data are needed to understand the phenological trends in bees in urban habitats.

The global decline in pollinators is likely to negatively affect the yield of insect pollinated crops such as field beans (Vicia faba). To understand the impact of such declines it is important to investigate how the abundance, composition and behaviour of the pollinator community relates to crop yield. We observed pollinators (specifically Bombus spp. and Apis mellifera) foraging in field bean fields. Some bees actively pollinated flowers whereas others robbed the nectar without actively pollinating the flowers. As legitimate foraging visits are more likely to pollinate the crop, we explored infield and landscape scale factors affecting this variation in behaviour. Infield factors included sowing time (winter/spring) and plant density. Landscape factors were the area of flower-rich habitat, and of mass-flowering crops within 1 km of the bean field. We also explored how the abundance and behaviour of different functional groups (short-tongued bumblebees, long-tongued bumblebees or honeybees) responded to these factors. Finally, we assessed how the abundance and behaviour of these pollinators affected field bean yield. Pollinators were more abundant in bean crops that were spring sown and where there was a smaller area of mass-flowering crops in the landscape. Functional groups varied in their predominant foraging behaviour and in how their behaviour was influenced by external factors. There was no relationship between pollinator abundance and bean yield however the proportion of pollinators legitimately foraging was negatively related to yield. Our findings align with previous research in suggesting that the benefits of insect pollinators for field beans are context specific. Additional work is required to develop pollinator conservation measures that will facilitate crop pollination.

The nomiine bees of the genera Hoplonomia Ashmead and Crocisaspidia Ashmead occurring in India are reviewed. Specimens were collected from Kerala. Biology and distribution of five species are summarized. An identification key to Hoplonomia and Crocisaspidia of India is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xylocopa (Koptortosoma) aestuans (L. 1758) (Hymenoptera Apoidea), a species native to Southeast Asia, is reported for the first time in Europe, following the collection of seven individuals in Italy (Ragusa, Sicily). The barcode of COI region confirmed the identification of the specimens. Since it is not yet clear whether the species can reproduce outside its range of origin, monitoring the area is strongly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the fire-maintained pine savannas of the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain are recognized for their plant diversity, pollinators associated with these ecosystems remain comparatively understudied. Here we present the results from a season-long effort to record bee-flower interactions at a single site in Florida. We collected 93 bee species (out of an estimated 117) from 79 flower species, with a total of 446 unique interactions. Bee richness and the number of interactions exhibited a bimodal pattern, dipping in mid-summer before an estimated peak in October. The most important floral resources changed throughout the season as did the composition of bees, with the spring and fall periods being particularly distinct. We found that pollen specialists (that collect pollen from a single family of plants) and pollen generalists accounted for a similar proportion of bee species over the entire season. However, pollen generalists outnumbered pollen specialists in the spring and summer before reversing in the fall. Pollen specialists visited significantly fewer plant species and families than pollen generalists and many were collected exclusively from their host family. This was particularly the case for aster specialists active only during the fall. We estimate that between 18.3-25.8% of the local bee fauna depends directly on the overstory trees for nesting habitat including dead wood and resin. Two management recommendations can be made based on these results. First, because fall is the period of peak floral abundance and bee richness, including many late-season aster specialists, it is probably the least favorable time for prescribed fire. Second, considering that a significant proportion of native bees depend on dead wood for nesting, it is important to retain standing dead trees and fallen wood whenever possible.

Solitary bees are diverse and very important for plant and crop pollination. They are extensively studied taxonomically, but little is known about their anatomy and physiology compared to honey bees. Dufour’s gland is important for many physiological functions in social and solitary bees. The present study addresses the morphological and histological structure of Dufour’s gland in ten bee species representing bee families Andrenidae, Colletidae, Halictidea, Melittidae, Megachilidae, and Apidae. Results indicated that the shape and size of the glands tend to differ from one species to the other. However, on histological bases, the intern seems to be the same among the secretion cell types. The gland varied in length and size in the studied species, probably due to nesting behavior differences: ground and cavity nesting. Further studies are needed to clarify the different secretions produced by Dufour’s gland and their functions in each species.

A taxonomic revision of the oil-collecting bees of the subgenus Epicharis (Epicharitides) Moure, 1945 is provided. A total of nine species were recognized: E. cockerelli Friese, 1900; E. duckei Friese, 1901; E. iheringi Friese, 1899; E. luteocincta Moure & Seabra, 1959; E. minima (Friese, 1904); E. obscura Friese, 1899, and E. rufescens Moure & Seabra, 1959, along with E. mesoamericana sp. nov. and E. lia sp. nov., two new species from the Central American and Amazonian provinces, respectively. Redescriptions, diagnoses, and figures of specimens of both sexes, floral records, distribution maps, an identification key, and an updated catalogue of all species of the group are also provided. In addition, the lectotype of E. duckei was also designated to stabilize the application of the name.

Body mass is an important morphological trait, which is associated with the physiology and ecology of insects. In the past, estimates of body mass were often based on general mathematical equations in which body mass was related to linear measurements of anatomical structures. For example, in female bees, estimates of dry body mass are expected to follow a non-linear relationship (power function) with the distance between the tegulae on their thorax, also known as the intertegular distance (ITD). Nonetheless, a major group of bees not included in previous studies are the Neotropical orchid bees of which mostly males are collected. We investigated whether a similar non-linear relationship is also the case for male orchid bees and we found positive evidence as the relationship can be represented by a power function providing reliable estimate of dry body mass. This is particularly important for estimating dry body mass of individuals stored in collections.

Las abejas son los principales polinizadores en los hábitats naturales, permitiendo tener ecosistemas resilientes. En este estudio se determinó la riqueza, abundancia y densidad de nidos, distribución espacial y tipos de anidación de abejas sin aguijón, además de la interacción con plantas en floración en el Campus Agropecuario de la UNAN-León, Nicaragua. Se revisaron árboles en cortinas rompevientos, cercas vivas, postes de cercas y troncos secos, árboles frutales, árboles dispersos y edificaciones, logrando identificar la entrada de las colonias en los nidos. Para determinar la interacción de estas abejas se realizaron muestreos por conveniencia en áreas con presencia de hierbas y arbustos en floración. En la interacción se tomó en cuenta el número de plantas visitadas por estos insectos con datos cuantitativos y se determinó el número de interacciones a nivel de red, representando los resultados en grafos de redes bipartitas. Se identificaron cinco especies de abejas sin aguijón: Friesiomelitte paupera, Dolichotrigona schultessi, Nannotrigona perilampoides, Trigona fuscipennis y Trigona fulviventris, con una abundancia de 273 individuos, presentándose en mayor número T. fuscipennis y T. fulviventris. Los 49 nidos registrados pertenecen a cinco especies de abejas sin aguijón. La especie con mayor número de nidos correspondió a Nannotrigona perilampoides con 81,6% del total de nidos. Se encontró una densidad de 1,04 nidos/ha, predominando aquellos presentes en edificaciones con 81,6%. La distribución de nidos se presentó de manera agregada para N. perilampoides. Se identificaron 47 especies de plantas en floración, siendo pecoreadas por abejas Meliponini. La especie de abeja que más flores visito fue T. fuscipennis, pecoreando 35 especies de plantas, siendo las más frecuentes Ixophorus unisetus y Amaranthus spinosus. La red presentó un grado de conectancia cercano a media, con un anidamiento relativamente bueno y un índice de especialización generalista. Este estudio permitió establecer las bases para desarrollar futuros estudios sobre estrategias de manejo y conservación de abejas sin aguijón.

North-western Africa has a large Andrena fauna, but parts of the country away from coastal areas remain poorly studied, and confusion persists as to the identity of certain taxa due to the long history of study combined with imperfectly examined type material. New fieldwork, genetic barcoding, and study of museum material has substantially improved our understanding of this region. Eleven new species are described: A. (Aciandrena) bendai sp. nov., A. (Aciandrena) ifranensis sp. nov., A. (Euandrena) berberica sp. nov., A. (Hoplandrena) darha sp. nov., A. (Micrandrena) anammas sp. nov., A. (Micrandrena) gemina sp. nov., A. (Micrandrena) tinctoria sp. nov., and A. (incertae sedis) muelleri sp. nov., all from Morocco, and A. (Aciandrena) quieta sp. nov., A. (Euandrena) abscondita sp. nov., and A. (Taeniandrena) prazi sp. nov. from Morocco and Tunisia. Andrena (Aciandrena) nitidilabris Pérez, 1895 was misdiagnosed, and is actually the senior synonym of A. (Graecandrena) montarca parva Warncke, 1974 syn. nov. Andrena (Aciandrena) pisantyi sp. nov. is described from Algeria, Tunisia, and Israel, conforming to A. nitidilabris auctorum sensu Warncke. Andrena (Graecandrena) andina Warncke, 1974 stat. nov. and A. (Micrandrena) heliaca Warncke, 1974 stat. nov. are elevated from sub species to species status. Lectotypes are designated for A. (Melanapis) ephippium Spinola, 1838, A. (Melanapis) rutila Spinola, 1838, A. (Simandrena) rhypara Pérez, 1903, and A. (Suandrena) savignyi Spinola, 1838. Neotypes are designated for A. (Melandrena) soror Dours, 1872 and A. (Notandrena) nigroviridula Dours, 1873. The female of A. (Aciandrena) triangulivalvis Wood, 2020 is described. The following seven additional synonymies are reported (senior name first): A. (Chrysandrena) testaceipes Saunders, 1908 = A. (Chrysandrena) rubricorpora Wood, 2021 syn. nov., A. (incertae sedis) maidaqi Scheuchl & Gusenleitner, 2007 = A. (Carandrena) hoggara Wood, 2021 syn. nov., A. (Lepidandrena) tuberculifera Pérez, 1895 = A. (Poecilandrena) nigriclypeus Wood, 2020 syn. nov., A. (Notandrena) albohirta Saunders, 1908 = A. (Notandrena) eddaensis Gusenleitner, 1998 syn. nov., A. (Notandrena) microthorax Pérez, 1895 = A. (Notandrena) nigrocyanea Saunders, 1908 syn. nov., A. (Simandrena) rhypara = A. (Simandrena) palumba Warncke, 1974 syn. nov., and A. (Taeniandrena) poupillieri Dours, 1872 = A. (Taeniandrena) lecerfi Benoist, 1961 syn. nov. Andrena (Notandrena) viridiaenea Pérez, 1903 is returned to synonymy with A. nigroviridula. Relative to the 2020 baseline, 16 Andrena species are newly recorded for Morocco, and six species are removed from the faunal list. These revisions bring the total number of Andrena species known from Morocco to 202 with 25 endemic species, making it one of the hotspots for Andrena diversity globally.

Pollinators play a crucial role in ecosystems globally, ensuring the seed production of most flowering plants. They are threatened by global changes and knowledge of their distribution at the national and continental levels is needed to implement efficient conservation actions, but this knowledge is still fragmented and/or difficult to access.As a step forward, we provide an updated list of around 3000 European bee and hoverfly species, reflecting their current distributional status at the national level (in the form of present, absent, regionally extinct, possibly extinct or non‐native). This work was attainable by incorporating both published and unpublished data, as well as knowledge from a large set of taxonomists and ecologists in both groups.After providing the first National species lists for bees and hoverflies for many countries, we examine the current distributional patterns of these species and designate the countries with highest levels of species richness. We also show that many species are recorded in a single European country, highlighting the importance of articulating European and national conservation strategies.Finally, we discuss how the data provided here can be combined with future trait and Red List data to implement research that will further advance pollinator conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Minnesota Bee Atlas project contributed new information about bee distributions, phenologies, and community structure by mobilizing participatory science volunteers to document bees statewide. Volunteers submitted iNaturalist (©2016 California Academy of Sciences) photograph observations, monitored nest-traps for tunnelnesting bees, and conducted roadside observational bumble bee surveys. By pairing research scientists and participatory science volunteers, we overcame geographic and temporal challenges to document the presence, phenologies, and abundances of species. Minnesota Bee Atlas project observations included new state records for Megachile inimica, Megachile frugalis, Megachile sculpturalis, Osmia georgica, Stelis permaculata, and Bombus nevadensis, nesting phenology for 17 species, a new documentation of bivoltinism for Megachile relativa in Minnesota, and over 500 observations of the endangered species Bombus affinis. We also expanded known ranges for 16 bee species compared with specimens available from the University of Minnesota (UMN) Insect Collection. Surveys with standardized effort across the state found ecological province associations for six tunnel-nesting species and lower bumble bee abundance in the Prairie Parkland ecological province than the Laurentian Mixed Forest or Eastern Broadleaf Forest ecological provinces, indicating potential benefit of a focus on bumble bee habitat management in the Prairie Parkland. Landcover analysis found associations for four tunnel-nesting species, as well as a possible association of B. affinis with developed areas. These data can inform management decisions affecting pollinator conservation and recovery of endangered species. By engaging over 2,500 project volunteers and other iNaturalist users, we also promoted conservation action for pollinators through our educational programs and interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Megachilidae is one of the United States' most diverse bee families, with 667 described species in 19 genera. Unlike other bee families, which are primarily ground nesters, most megachilid bees require biotic cavities for nesting (i.e., wood, pithy stems, etc.). For this group, the availability of woody-plant species may be as important as nectar/pollen resources in maintaining populations. We studied Megachilidae biodiversity in the continental United States. We confirmed that the highest species richness of Megachilidae was in the southwestern United States. We examined the relationship between species richness and climate, land cover, tree species richness, and flowering plant diversity. When examining environmental predictors across the conterminous United States, we found that forested habitats, but not tree diversity, strongly predicted Megachilidae richness. Additionally, Megachilidae richness was highest in areas with high temperature and low precipitation, however this was not linearly correlated and strongly positively correlated with flowering plant diversity. Our research suggests that the availability of nesting substrate (forested habitats), and not only flowering plants, is particularly important for these cavity-nesting species. Since trees and forested areas are particularly susceptible to climate change, including effects of drought, fire, and infestations, nesting substrates could become a potential limiting resource for Megachilidae populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first report of the oil-collecting bee Centris (Odontoxys) melanochlaena Smith, 1874 in Nicaragua is presented. This species occurs in several Central American countries and Mexico, being this the first record from western Nicaragua. This record contributes to the knowledge of the distribution range of this species, as well as increases the list of native bees occurring in Nicaragua. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With its diverserange of climates and landscapes, the Middle East offers a remarkable area for the study of bee taxonomy and biogeography. In this work, a new species of pantaloon bee (Dasypoda delectabilis Ghisbain & Michez sp. nov.) is described from a single male collected in south-eastern Iran. Although the new species shows affinities with the subgenus Heterodasypoda Michez, its morphology is highly intriguing due to the presence of characters shared by representatives of the subgenus Dasypoda sensu stricto Latreille. A diagnostic comparison with phenotypically close Dasypoda species is provided, along with comparative remarks on the morphology and biogeography of the subgenus Heterodasypoda. Finally, a checklist of the genus Dasypoda is given for the Middle East, highlighting the need for increased attention to this highly interesting yet largely overlooked fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rare species of masked bee Hylaeus strenuus (Cameron, 1897) is reported for the first time from south India. Diagnosis of the species together with the illustrations of morphological characters is presented. Images of the trap nest and nest parameters are provided. A revised checklist of all the known species of the genus Hylaeus from south India along with species distribution map is also provided. © 2023 Association for Advancement of Entomology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trigona spinipes is a generalist species of stingless bee that is dominant in many pollination networks and has a wide distribution in the tropics and subtropics of the Neotropics. This eusocial species builds exposed aerial nests in tree branches. Although some studies have been carried out on nest density, there are surprisingly few studies on its bionomy, and especially on the population size of the colonies. To survey the density and spatial patterns of nests of this stingless bee, three sites within the Northeast region in Brazil were studied, which ranged from urban to rural to forest habitats. A high density of nests was found in rural and urban sites, with 0.6 nests/ha and 0.4 nests/ha, respectively. In comparison, a lower density was found in the forest site, with 0.1 nests/ha in the edge and 0.03 nests/ha in the interior. Thus, the highest density of nests occurred in open areas. In the urban site, the nests showed a uniform distribution, while the distribution was aggregated in the rural site. The majority of nests were oriented so that the entrance faced the opposite direction to prevailing winds. Several aspects of the bionomy of 22 nests were sampled. The mean estimated total population size of colonies (immatures plus imagoes) was 38,813 (range 25,581–53,083) individuals, with 13,202 adults. Our results confirm that this species produces some of the largest colonies within the stingless bees, although lower than previously mentioned, emphasizing its importance in ecosystems of open neotropical areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foraging insects of Allium cepa L. (Liliaceae) have been studied during two flowering periods in 2016 and 2017, in the region of Tizi Ouzou (northeastern Algeria). At first, our observations showed that the majority of forager insects, which led and gave preference for their foraging activity of this plant, is Hymenoptera Apoidea. However, we noted also that the Apidae, Apis mellifera and the Halictidae, Lasioglossum malachurum, and L. pauxillum are the most frequent visitors on onion flowers. We highlighted all these species perform positive foraging regardless of the product harvested. Moreover, as for food research, our study described a specific behavior of honey bee, which devotes its visits to the exclusive harvesting of nectar whereas the visits of two other species are much more devoted to the mixed collection. According to other studies about Allium cepa L. (Liliaceae), we confirm the presence of pollinating insects greatly contributes to the improvement of production; indeed the grain yield obtained by cross-pollination is higher than obtained by autogamy. We gathered data showing the average weight of seeds obtained per free quadrates is 4.14 g and that of caged quadrates is 0.09 g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many insect species have shown dramatic declines over the last decades, as a result of man-related environmental changes. Many species which were formerly widespread are now rare. To document this trend with evidence, old records of collected specimens are vital.We provide here the data on 9752 bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) specimens hosted in several museums of south-east France: Musée des Confluences in Lyon, Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle de Marseille, Muséum d’Aix-en-Provence and the Muséum Départemental du Var in Toulon. Most of the specimens (9256) come from France and include data on 552 named species. For most of these specimens, the geographical location, including geographical coordinates, is based on the locality (town or village) where they were collected. The specimens were captured from the beginning of the nineteenth century to 2018. The identifications of 1377 specimens, mainly belonging to the genus Bombus, are considered reliable, as these were performed or been checked since 2009. All the other reported identifications are the original ones given by the original collectors.

Body mass is an important morphological trait, which is associated with the physiology and ecology of insects. In the past, estimates of body mass were often based on general mathematical equations in which body mass was related to linear measurements of anatomical structures. For example, in female bees, estimates of dry body mass are expected to follow a nonlinear relationship (power function) with the distance between the tegulae on their thorax, also known as the intertegular distance (ITD). Nonetheless, a major group of bees not included in previous studies are the Neotropical orchid bees of which mostly males are collected. We investigated whether a similar non-linear relationship is also the case for male orchid bees and we found positive evidence as the relationship can be represented by a power function providing reliable estimate of dry body mass. This is particularly important for estimating dry body mass of individuals stored in collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of the small carpenter bee genus Ceratina (Calloceratina) Cockerell, 1924 are described and illustrated. Ceratina (Calloceratina) mourei new species, and Ceratina (Calloceratina) silveirai new species, form the silveirai species-group, a very distinct set within the subgenus C. (Calloceratina). The taxonomy of South American species was approached, being redescribed and illustrated the species Ceratina (Calloceratina) chloris (Fabricius, 1804) and Ceratina (Calloceratina) triangulifera Cockerell, 1914, proposing the chloris species-group for them. The diagnosis for the subgenus Calloceratina is presented and an identification key for the South American species is also proposed.

The Minnesota Bee Atlas project contributed new information about bee distributions, phenologies, and community structure by mobilizing participatory science volunteers to document bees statewide. Volunteers submitted iNaturalist (©2016 California Academy of Sciences) photograph observations, monitored nest-traps for tunnel-nesting bees, and conducted roadside observational bumble bee surveys. By pairing research scientists and participatory science volunteers, we overcame geographic and temporal challenges to document the presence, phenologies, and abundances of species. Minnesota Bee Atlas project observations included new state records for Megachile inimica, Megachile frugalis, Megachile sculpturalis, Osmia georgica, Stelis permaculata, and Bombus nevadensis, nesting phenology for 17 species, a new documentation of bivoltinism for Megachile relativa in Minnesota, and over 500 observations of the endangered species Bombus affinis. We also expanded known ranges for 16 bee species compared with specimens available from the University of Minnesota (UMN) Insect Collection. Surveys with standardized effort across the state found ecological province associations for six tunnel-nesting species and lower bumble bee abundance in the Prairie Parkland ecological province than the Laurentian Mixed Forest or Eastern Broadleaf Forest ecological provinces, indicating potential benefit of a focus on bumble bee habitat management in the Prairie Parkland. Landcover analysis found associations for four tunnel-nesting species, as well as a possible association of B. affinis with developed areas. These data can inform management decisions affecting pollinator conservation and recovery of endangered species. By engaging over 2,500 project volunteers and other iNaturalist users, we also promoted conservation action for pollinators through our educational programs and interactions.

Megachilidae is one of the United States’ most diverse bee families, with 667 described species in 19 genera. Unlike other bee families, which are primarily ground nesters, most megachilid bees require biotic cavities for nesting (i.e., wood, pithy stems, etc.). For this group, the availability of woody-plant species may be as important as nectar/pollen resources in maintaining populations. We studied Megachilidae biodiversity in the continental United States. We confirmed that the highest species richness of Megachilidae was in the southwestern United States. We examined the relationship between species richness and climate, land cover, tree species richness, and flowering plant diversity. When examining environmental predictors across the conterminous United States, we found that forested habitats, but not tree diversity, strongly predicted Megachilidae richness. Additionally, Megachilidae richness was highest in areas with high temperature and low precipitation, however this was not linearly correlated and strongly positively correlated with flowering plant diversity. Our research suggests that the availability of nesting substrate (forested habitats), and not only flowering plants, is particularly important for these cavity-nesting species. Since trees and forested areas are particularly susceptible to climate change, including effects of drought, fire, and infestations, nesting substrates could become a potential limiting resource for Megachilidae populations.