BumbleKey: an interactive key for the identification of bumblebees of Italy and Corsica (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

BumbleKey is a matrix-based, interactive key to all 45 species of bumblebees of Italy and Corsica. The key allows to identify adult males and females (queens and workers) using morphological characters. The key is published online, open-access, at http://www.interactive-keys.eu/bumblekey/default.aspx

Exploring the hidden riches: Recent remarkable faunistic records and range extensions in the bee fauna of Italy (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Anthophila)

The area sourrounding the Mediterranean basin is recognised as a major biodiversity hotspot for bees, and Italy is amongst the European countries with the highest bee species richness. Detailed knowledge of bee distribution is crucial for understanding bee biology and designing tailored conservation strategies, but is still insufficient in southern European countries, especially in Italy.We report recent finds of 48 bee species that yield significant novelties for the Italian bee fauna. Eight species, namely Andrena confinis Stöckhert, Anthidiellum breviusculum Pérez, Coelioxys alatus Foerster, Lasioglossum algericolellum Strand, Megachile lapponica Thomson, Megachile opacifrons Pérez, Megachile semicircularis auct. nec Zanden and Trachusa integra Eversmann are reported as new for Italy. In addition, Andrena binominata Smith, Andrena compta Lepeletier, Colletes acutus Pérez, Lasioglossum strictifrons Vachal, Rhodanthidium siculum Spinola and Rhodanthidium sticticum Fabricius are newly recorded from mainland Italy, Osmia heteracantha Pérez from Sardegna and Nomada flavopicta Kirby from Sicilia. We also report significant range extensions for other bee species and recent records of species that had long gone unrecorded in Italy. The combination of morphology and DNA barcoding provided reliable identifications even for the most challenging specimens. As several of our records come from areas neglected by bee experts in the past, this study stands out as a key indicator of a bee faunistic richness still awaiting discovery and hopefully it will stimulate the interest of taxonomists and stakeholders in pursuing bee research in Italy in the near future

First record of Pison koreense (Radoszkowski, 1887) from Italy (Hymenoptera: Apoidea, Crabronidae)

Mei, Maurizio, Cappellari, Andree (2021): First record of Pison koreense (Radoszkowski, 1887) from Italy (Hymenoptera: Apoidea, Crabronidae). Fragmenta entomologica 53 (1): 67-68, DOI: 10.13133/2284-4880/485, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.13133/2284-4880/48

Contrasting effects of exotic plant invasions and managed honeybees on plant–flower visitor interactions

Aim To explore how a highly invasive plant species (Buddleja davidii Franch.), managed honeybees and flower diversity affected plant–flower visitor interactions over the whole elevational range distribution of the exotic plant. Location Italian Alps. Methods We selected nine pairs of sites (one invaded and one non‐invaded by B. davidii ) across gradients in honeybee abundance and diversity of flower resources. We observed plant–flower visitor interactions every three weeks, for a total of five surveys covering the full flowering season of B. davidii (June–August). We tested how B. davidii , honeybee abundance and flowering plant diversity affected network robustness, overlap in flower resource use of wild flower visitors with honeybees and flower visitor specialization. We also tested for an interaction between B. davidii presence and honeybee abundance, and tested whether the effects of the two variables changed among insect orders. Results Buddleja davidii and honeybees had contrasting effects on network robustness and on several species‐level metrics. Network robustness increased with increasing honeybee abundance and flower diversity. Increasing honeybee abundance generally increased specialization of lepidopterans and dipterans that tended to switch to less visited plant species, possibly in order to avoid competition. Specialization of flower visitors declined in sites invaded by B. davidii , indicating that the invasive plant attracted pollinators, which in turn also visited co‐occurring species in the neighbourhood. Main conclusions Although increasing honeybee abundance was associated with higher network stability, it also modified plant–flower visitor interactions by forcing species to shift their diet irrespective of floral diversity. The effect was particularly strong for non‐bee flower visitors. The consequences of these changes in plant–flower visitor interactions for the reproductive success of flowering plants are still largely unknown

Functional traits of plants and pollinators explain resource overlap between honeybees and wild pollinators

Managed and wild pollinators often cohabit in both managed and natural ecosystems. The western honeybee, Apis mellifera, is the most widespread managed pollinator species. Due to its density and behaviour, it can potentially influence the foraging activity of wild pollinators, but the strength and direction of this effect are often context-dependent. Here, we observed plant-pollinator interactions in 51 grasslands, and we measured functional traits of both plants and pollinators. Using a multi-model inference approach, we explored the effects of honeybee abundance, temperature, plant functional diversity, and trait similarity between wild pollinators and the honeybee on the resource overlap between wild pollinators and the honeybee. Resource overlap decreased with increasing honeybee abundance only in plant communities with high functional diversity, suggesting a potential diet shift of wild pollinators in areas with a high variability of flower morphologies. Moreover, resource overlap increased with increasing trait similarity between wild pollinators and the honeybee. In particular, central-place foragers of family Apidae with proboscis length similar to the honeybee exhibited the highest resource overlap. Our results underline the importance of promoting functional diversity of plant communities to support wild pollinators in areas with a high density of honeybee hives. Moreover, greater attention should be paid to areas where pollinators possess functional traits similar to the honeybee, as they are expected to be more prone to potential competition with this species

Temperature and not landscape composition shapes wild bee communities in an urban environment

More than half of the world's population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase. Even if urbanisation is widely regarded as a major threat to global biodiversity, recent research highlighted the potential ecological importance of cities for pollinators. Key determinants of cities' ability to sustain pollinators are the presence of green areas and the connectivity between them. However, also temperature is expected to be of primary importance for pollinator activities. Here, we aimed at disentangling the effects of temperature, open habitat cover, and distance from the city centre on wild bee communities in the city of Rome (Italy). We selected 36 sites along two statistically independent gradients of temperature and open habitat cover, and we sampled wild bee communities using pan-traps for 4 months. Then, we measured functional traits of wild bee species, that is, body size, social behaviour, nesting strategy, and diet breadth. Temperature emerged as the main driver of wild bee communities, with communities richer in species and individuals at warmer temperatures. We found little species replacement between cold and warm sites. In addition, with increasing temperatures, bee communities were dominated by polylectic and small-bodied species. Here, we showed that in a highly urbanised environment, temperature shapes pollinator communities irrespective of other landscape metrics. Even if warming seemed beneficial for urban pollinator abundance and richness, it might strongly homogenise bee communities by selecting for those traits that make species more easily adaptable