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High species richness of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) at a farm in Stenbrohult, the birth place of Linnaeus

Nilsson, Sven LU ; Franzén, Markus LU and Norén, Lars (2007) In Fauna och Flora: populär tidskrift för biologi 102(2). p.48-58
Abstract
Solitary bees and bumblebees have declined substantially throughout western Europe during the last 100 years. Many species are important pollinators and are associated with particular plant species and habitats. In this study we report the highest number of bee species found at one locality in Sweden (Table 2). In total 87 species of wild bees (74 species of solitary bees and 13 species of bumble bees) were found on the farm Djäknabygd in the parish of Stenbrohult, southern Sweden (Table 1). Apis mellifera was also frequent. The surveyed area consists of about one hectare of hay meadow with late harvest and seven hectares of pasture interspersed by small stands of deciduous trees, grazed mainly by cattle and a few horses. Solitary bees... (More)
Solitary bees and bumblebees have declined substantially throughout western Europe during the last 100 years. Many species are important pollinators and are associated with particular plant species and habitats. In this study we report the highest number of bee species found at one locality in Sweden (Table 2). In total 87 species of wild bees (74 species of solitary bees and 13 species of bumble bees) were found on the farm Djäknabygd in the parish of Stenbrohult, southern Sweden (Table 1). Apis mellifera was also frequent. The surveyed area consists of about one hectare of hay meadow with late harvest and seven hectares of pasture interspersed by small stands of deciduous trees, grazed mainly by cattle and a few horses. Solitary bees were surveyed in suitable weather in April to August in 2003–2006 and were identified in the field or collected for later identification using a butterfly net. Bumble bees were mainly sampled in late summer, but not as comprehensively as solitary bees. Thus, some bumble bee species found at nearby farms may have been missed at Djäknabygd. We conclude that unfertilized grassland habitats can harbour extremely species rich assemblages of bees. Still these habitats have been less studied in Sweden compared to sandy habitats. The latter have often been considered as a prerequisite for a species rich bee fauna. Expansion of traditional hay meadow management and grazing by cattle and a few horses only in August–November is crucial for the survival of this exceptionally rich bee fauna. Nesting places must also be provided for those species that need exposed soil. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
bumble bees, grasslands, wild bees, Apoidea, Hymenoptera, Stenbrohult, Species richness
in
Fauna och Flora: populär tidskrift för biologi
volume
102
issue
2
pages
48 - 58
publisher
Artdatabanken
ISSN
0014-8903
language
Swedish
LU publication?
yes
id
557dddc6-194e-4294-bc90-377b9047ed58 (old id 644802)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:12:31
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:39:35
@article{557dddc6-194e-4294-bc90-377b9047ed58,
  abstract     = {{Solitary bees and bumblebees have declined substantially throughout western Europe during the last 100 years. Many species are important pollinators and are associated with particular plant species and habitats. In this study we report the highest number of bee species found at one locality in Sweden (Table 2). In total 87 species of wild bees (74 species of solitary bees and 13 species of bumble bees) were found on the farm Djäknabygd in the parish of Stenbrohult, southern Sweden (Table 1). Apis mellifera was also frequent. The surveyed area consists of about one hectare of hay meadow with late harvest and seven hectares of pasture interspersed by small stands of deciduous trees, grazed mainly by cattle and a few horses. Solitary bees were surveyed in suitable weather in April to August in 2003–2006 and were identified in the field or collected for later identification using a butterfly net. Bumble bees were mainly sampled in late summer, but not as comprehensively as solitary bees. Thus, some bumble bee species found at nearby farms may have been missed at Djäknabygd. We conclude that unfertilized grassland habitats can harbour extremely species rich assemblages of bees. Still these habitats have been less studied in Sweden compared to sandy habitats. The latter have often been considered as a prerequisite for a species rich bee fauna. Expansion of traditional hay meadow management and grazing by cattle and a few horses only in August–November is crucial for the survival of this exceptionally rich bee fauna. Nesting places must also be provided for those species that need exposed soil.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Sven and Franzén, Markus and Norén, Lars}},
  issn         = {{0014-8903}},
  keywords     = {{bumble bees; grasslands; wild bees; Apoidea; Hymenoptera; Stenbrohult; Species richness}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{48--58}},
  publisher    = {{Artdatabanken}},
  series       = {{Fauna och Flora: populär tidskrift för biologi}},
  title        = {{High species richness of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) at a farm in Stenbrohult, the birth place of Linnaeus}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/4602473/644823.pdf}},
  volume       = {{102}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}