Ecology of Urban Bees: A Review of Current Knowledge and Directions for Future Study

Urban bee ecology is an emerging field that holds promise for advancing knowledge of bee community dynamics and promoting bee conservation. Published studies of bee communities in urban and suburban habitats are fewer than those documenting bees in agricultural and wildland settings. As land lost to urbanization is predicted to increase in coming years the necessity of studying urban bee populations is growing. We reviewed 59 publications on urban bee ecology with the following goals, to assess current knowledge, to highlight areas in need of further research, and to suggest applications of study findings to bee conservation. Identified trends in urban areas included the following, negative correlation between bee species richness and urban development, increase in abundance of cavity-nesters in urban habitats, and scarcity of floral specialists. Future directions for studying urban bee ecology include incorporation of landscape-scale assessments, conducting manipulative experiments and actively designing urban bee habitats

Modification of a Community Garden to Attract Native Bee Pollinators in Urban San Luis Obispo, California

Gardens have become increasingly important places for growing nutritional food, for conserving biodiversity, for biological and ecological research and education, and for community gathering. Gardens can also be designed with the goal of attracting specific wildlife, like birds and butterflies, but pollinators, like bees, can also be drawn to specially planned and modified gardens. A community garden in San Luis Obispo, California provided the setting for modification with the goal of attracting native bee pollinators by planting known bee-attractive plants. The local gardeners participated in a survey questionnaire and focused interviews to provide their input and interest in such a project. Presentations on our work with native bees in urban environments and gardening to attract bees were also given to interested gardeners. Work of this type also benefited from a lead gardener who managed donated bee plants and kept up momentum of the project. Modification of the garden and monitoring of native bees started in 2007 and continued through the growing season of 2009. Diversity of collected and observed native bees has increased each year since 2007. To date, 40 species in 17 genera of mostly native bees has been recorded from the garden, and this number is expected to increase through time

Nests of Centris segregata (Hymenoptera: Anthrophoridae) With a Review of the Nesting Habits of the Genus

Nests of Centris segregata Crawford are described from earth banks in slightly disturbed dry forest habitat in Costa Rica. Nests contain 1 to 3 burrows that originate in a chamber near the nest entrance. Each burrow has 1 to 11 urn-shaped cells arranged in a linear series. Cell caps have a hollow central process and are slightly recessed. In many burrows a short, uncapped, partly provisioned cell is placed above the last fully provisioned cell. Normal males and females were reared from the same nests, but only beta males were reared from some nests. Natural enemies include the anthophorid bee, Mesoplia rufipes (Perty) and the bombyliid fly, Anthrax cintalapa Cole. The diverse nesting habits of species of Centris are discussed in relation to the subgenera

Osmia (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) Diversity at a Site in Central Coastal California

Thirty species of the megachilid bee genus Osmia were recorded at a research reservation in central coastal California during two survey periods: 1937-43 and 1987-92. Diversity remained constant at 23 species between surveys. However, cumulative diversity increased from 23 to 30 species. The total number of species at this geographic locale is relatively high when compared with nine other surveys but is most typical of diversities found at other montane, mid-elevation latitudes. Differences between study periods suggest that long-term surveys are required to accurately assess species diversity

Osmia (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) diversity at a site in central coastal California

Volume: 73Start Page: 141End Page: 15

Abejas de Costa Rica

Este texto está dirigido a las personas que no tienen conocimiento previo de ento-mología (el estudio de insectos), pero sí tienen interés en conocer la diversidad de abejas en Costa Rica, su forma de vida, cómo interactúan con las flores y la manera como se pueden conservar. Sin embargo, con el fin de ofrecer una mayor y mejor formación a estudiantes, profesores y aficionados a la naturaleza, se utiliza, en algunas ocasiones, un vocabulario que puede requerir conocimientos básicos de biología para ser comprendido. Se ha tratado de minimizar el uso de términos técnicos, pero es imposible evitarlos completamente; por esta razón, hay un glosa-rio al final del libro. En algunos casos, se emplea una palabra más comprensible, aunque para los especialistas no sea la palabra idónea, por ejemplo, "tórax" en vez de "mesosoma", "abdomen" en vez de "metasoma", "comportamiento social" en vez de "comportamiento eusocial".This text is aimed at people who have no prior knowledge of entomology (the study of insects), but are interested in knowing the diversity of bees in Costa Rica, their way of life, how they interact with flowers and the way how they can be preserved. However, in order to offer more and better training to students, teachers and nature enthusiasts, a vocabulary is used on some occasions that may require basic knowledge of biology to be understood. Attempts have been made to minimize the use of technical terms, but it is impossible to avoid them completely; for this reason, there is a glossary at the end of the book. In some cases, a more understandable word is used, although for specialists it is not the ideal word, for example, "thorax" instead of "mesosome", "abdomen" instead of "metasoma", "social behavior" instead of "eusocial behavior".Universidad Nacional, Costa RicaCentro de Investigaciones Apícolas Tropicale

Urban Bee Diversity in a Small Residential Garden in Northern California

Volume: 18Start Page: 368End Page: 37