A review of the anthidiine bees (Apoidea, Megachilidae) in Thailand

Bees of the tribe Anthidiini (Apoidea: Megachilidae) are notable pollinators consisting of resin bees, wool-carder bees, and cleptoparasitic bees. Twelve anthidiine species were historically reported in Thailand, though the taxonomic information of the group was needed revising. In this study, 165 (97♀, 68♂) anthidiine bee specimens deposited at the Chulalongkorn University Natural History Museum, Thailand, were examined with material obtained from various museum collections. Specimens were principally collected in Thailand with some from Laos and Myanmar. Here, at least eight genera and 15 species of anthidiine bees are recognized: Anthidiellum (5), Bathanthidium (1), Eoanthidium (1), Euaspis (4), Pachyanthidium (1), Pseudoanthidium (1), Stelis (1), and Trachusa (1). Dianthidiumchinensis Wu, 1962, Eoanthidiumchinensis (Wu, 1962), Eoanthidiumsemicarinatum Pasteels, 1972, and Eoanthidiumpunjabensis Gupta & Sharma, 1953 are relegated as junior synonyms of Eoanthidium (Hemidiellum) riparium (Cockerell, 1929), stat. nov. Both Anthidiellum (Pycnanthidium) latipes (Bingham, 1897) from Phang Nga and Euaspisaff.wegneri Baker, 1995 from Chumphon were identified as new records for Thailand. Trachusaaff.vietnamensis Flaminio & Quaranta, 2021 from Phitsanulok is a new record for the genus found in Thailand, whereas Pseudoanthidium (Pseudoanthidium) orientale (Bingham, 1897) is a new record for Laos. Annotated comments are provided for some taxa and identification keys for the Thai anthidiine bees is provided.

Two centuries of biodiversity discovery and loss in Singapore

There is an urgent need for reliable data on the impacts of deforestation on tropical biodiversity. The city-state of Singapore has one of the most detailed biodiversity records in the tropics, dating back to the turn of the 19th century. In 1819, Singapore was almost entirely covered in primary forest, but this has since been largely cleared. We compiled more than 200 y of records for 10 major taxonomic groups in Singapore (>50,000 individual records; >3,000 species), and we estimated extinction rates using recently developed and novel statistical models that account for "dark extinctions," i.e., extinctions of undiscovered species. The estimated overall extinction rate was 37% (95% CI [31 to 42%]). Extrapolating our Singapore observations to a future business-as-usual deforestation scenario for Southeast Asia suggests that 18% (95% CI [16 to 22%]) of species will be lost regionally by 2100. Our extinction estimates for Singapore and Southeast Asia are a factor of two lower than previous estimates that also attempted to account for dark extinctions. However, we caution that particular groups such as large mammals, forest-dependent birds, orchids, and butterflies are disproportionately vulnerable.

A globally synthesised and flagged bee occurrence dataset and cleaning workflow

Species occurrence data are foundational for research, conservation, and science communication, but the limited availability and accessibility of reliable data represents a major obstacle, particularly for insects, which face mounting pressures. We present BeeBDC, a new R package, and a global bee occurrence dataset to address this issue. We combined >18.3 million bee occurrence records from multiple public repositories (GBIF, SCAN, iDigBio, USGS, ALA) and smaller datasets, then standardised, flagged, deduplicated, and cleaned the data using the reproducible BeeBDC R-workflow. Specifically, we harmonised species names (following established global taxonomy), country names, and collection dates and, we added record-level flags for a series of potential quality issues. These data are provided in two formats, "cleaned" and "flagged-but-uncleaned". The BeeBDC package with online documentation provides end users the ability to modify filtering parameters to address their research questions. By publishing reproducible R workflows and globally cleaned datasets, we can increase the accessibility and reliability of downstream analyses. This workflow can be implemented for other taxa to support research and conservation.

A checklist of the bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Minnesota

Research studies and conservation actions aimed at improving conditions for bees require a basic understanding of which species are present in a given region. The US state of Minnesota occupies a unique geographic position at the confluence of eastern deciduous forests, northern boreal forests, and western tallgrass prairie, which has led to a diverse and unique bee fauna. In recent years there have been multiple ongoing bee-focused inventory and research projects in Minnesota. Combined with the historic specimens housed in the University of Minnesota Insect Collection and other regional collections, these furnished a wealth of specimens available to form the basis of a statewide checklist. Here, we present the first comprehensive checklist of Minnesota bee species, documenting a total of 508 species in 45 genera. County-level occurrence data is included for each species, and further information on distribution and rarity is included for species of regional or national interest. Some species have their taxonomy clarified, with Perdita citrinella Graenicher, 1910 syn. nov. recognized as a junior synonym of Perdita perpallida Cockerell, 1901, P. bequaerti syn. nov. recognized as a junior synonym of P. pallidipennis Graenicher, 1910 stat. nov., Anthidiellum boreale (Robertson, 1902) stat. nov. recognized as a full species, and Anthidiellium beijingense Portman & Ascher nom. nov. is proposed for A. boreale Wu to resolve the homonymy with A. boreale (Robertson). We further include a list of species that may occur in Minnesota and highlight 11 species occurring in the state that are considered non-native. Recent collecting efforts, as well as increased taxonomic attention paid to Minnesota bees, have resulted in 66 species that have only been documented in the last 10 years. As a first step in determining native bees of conservation concern, we document 38 species that have not been detected in the state during the last 50 years and discuss their conservation status, along with other species for which evidence of decline exists. The checklist of Minnesota bees will continue to grow and change with additional surveys and research studies. In particular, recent surveys have continued to detect new bee species, and many bee groups are in need of taxonomic revision, with the most recent revisions for many genera occurring decades ago. Overall, this checklist strengthens our understanding of the bees of Minnesota and the broader region, informs conservation assessments, and establishes a baseline for faunal change.

The benefits of contributing to the citizen science platform iNaturalist as an identifier

As the number of observations submitted to the citizen science platform iNaturalist continues to grow, it is increasingly important that these observations can be identified to the finest taxonomic level, maximizing their value for biodiversity research. Here, we explore the benefits of acting as an identifier on iNaturalist.

The resin bee subgenus Ranthidiellum in Thailand (Megachilidae, Anthidiini): nesting biology, cleptoparasitism by Stelis, and new species

Resin bees of the subgenus Ranthidiellum, are rare and endemic to Southeast Asia. These bees are known to construct resinous entrance tubes to their nests. Here, the new species Anthidiellum (R.) phuchongensissp. nov. is described along with a description of its nest collected from Phu Chong Na Yoy National Park, Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand. In addition, the bee cleptoparasite, Stelis (Malanthidium) flavofuscinularsp. nov., and the male of A. (R.) ignotum Engel, 2009, are described for the first time. A key to Ranthidiellum species is also provided.

Joint Impacts of Drought and Habitat Fragmentation on Native Bee Assemblages in a California Biodiversity Hotspot

Simple Summary

Global climate change is causing more frequent and severe droughts, which can have serious impacts on our environment. To examine how a severe drought in 2014 impacted wild bees in scrub habitats of San Diego, California, we compared bee samples collected before and after the drought. We also investigated whether habitat loss and fragmentation worsened the impacts of drought on wild bees by comparing samples collected from large natural reserves to those from small fragments of scrub habitat embedded in urban areas. Samples collected after the drought contained fewer bee species and fewer individual bees of most species, indicating that bee populations suffered losses during the drought. However, after-drought samples contained large numbers of Dialictus sweat bees, indicating that some bee species benefitted from environmental conditions present during the drought. The impact of drought on the composition of bee samples was three fold higher than the impact of habitat fragmentation, and habitat fragmentation did not appear to have exacerbated the impacts of drought. Our findings highlight the importance of studying how impacts of climate change compare with impacts of habitat loss and other threats to biodiversity conservation.

Abstract

Global climate change is causing more frequent and severe droughts, which could have serious repercussions for the maintenance of biodiversity. Here, we compare native bee assemblages collected via bowl traps before and after a severe drought event in 2014 in San Diego, California, and examine the relative magnitude of impacts from drought in fragmented habitat patches versus unfragmented natural reserves. Bee richness and diversity were higher in assemblages surveyed before the drought compared to those surveyed after the drought. However, bees belonging to the Lasioglossum subgenus Dialictus increased in abundance after the drought, driving increased representation by small-bodied, primitively eusocial, and generalist bees in post-drought assemblages. Conversely, among non-Dialictus bees, post-drought years were associated with decreased abundance and reduced representation by eusocial species. Drought effects were consistently greater in reserves, which supported more bee species, than in fragments, suggesting that fragmentation either had redundant impacts with drought, or ameliorated effects of drought by enhancing bees’ access to floral resources in irrigated urban environments. Shifts in assemblage composition associated with drought were three times greater compared to those associated with habitat fragmentation, highlighting the importance of understanding the impacts of large-scale climatic events relative to those associated with land use change.

The wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Morocco

Morocco is a well known hot-spot of biodiversity in the Mediterranean basin. While some taxa like vascular plants are relatively well recorded, important groups of pollinators like bees are still understudied. This article presents an updated checklist of the bee species of Morocco and includes a summary of global and regional distribution of each species. A total of 961 species belonging to six bee families and 68 genera are recorded: Andrenidae (8 genera, 217 species); Apidae (15 genera, 241 species); Colletidae (2 genera, 74 species), Halictidae (12 genera, 144 species), Megachilidae (28 genera, 271 species) and Melittidae (3 genera, 14 species). Among them, 67 species are recorded for the first time in Morocco. Around 70% of the bee fauna of Morocco consists of widespread Palaearctic species. Only 18% of Moroccan species recorded are restricted to North Africa and 8% are Moroccan single-country endemics (81 species). Afrotropical elements in the Moroccan fauna are few, with only 3% of Morocco species co-occuring in that region. This checklist is intended to stimulate new regional research on bees including their taxonomy and biogeography. As many groups of bees have been understudied, discovery of new species for science and new records for the country can be expected. Additional research including inventorying, monitoring, and integrative taxonomic studies are needed to develop a comprehensive strategy for bee conservation in Morocco.

Resin bees of genus Megachile, subgenera Callomegachile and Carinula (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae) from Thailand with description of a new species

Resin bees of the genus Megachile subgenus Callomegachile sensu lato (Hymenoptera; Megachilidae) from Thailand are reviewed. The 14 species treated include those described or revised in the subgenus Alocanthedon, a junior synonym of Callomegachile (three species), and in Carinula (one species). One new species is described, Megachile chiangmaiensis Chatthanabun and Warrit, sp. nov. The replacement name Megachile parornata Chatthanabun, Warrit and Ascher, nom. nov., is proposed for M. gigas Wu (not Schrottky), which is recorded for the first time outside China. For each species, maps and full label data for the examined material documenting occurrences in Thailand are provided. In addition, global ranges, floral associations, and other life history data are summarized and a key to the Thai species is provided for females.

Bees of the genus Anthidium Fabricius, 1804 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Megachilidae: Anthidiini) from China

The Chinese bees of the genus Anthidium Fabricius, 1804, are reviewed. Twenty-one species are confirmed to occur in China, five of which are described and illustrated as new Chinese endemics: Anthidium (Anthidium) pseudomontanum Niu Zhu, sp. nov., A. (A.) pseudophilorum Niu Zhu, sp. nov., A. (A.) tasitiense Niu Zhu, sp. nov., A. (A.) xuezhongi Niu Zhu, sp. nov., and A. (Proanthidium) qingtaoi Niu Zhu, sp. nov.. The previously unknown female of A. (A.) kashmirense Mavromoustakis, 1937 and male of A. (P.) kashgarense (Cockerell, 1911) are described for the first time. Anthidium (A.) furcatum Wu, 2004 (junior primary homonym, nec Anthidium furcatum Ducke, 1908) is replaced with its valid and available synonym A. (A.) striatum Wu, 2004. New synonymies are also established for A. (A.) kashmirense Mavromoustakis, 1937 = A. (A.) nigroventrale Wu, 1982, syn. nov., and A. (A.) florentinum (Fabricius, 1775) = A. (A.) helianthinum Wu, 2004, syn. nov. The non-Chinese Anthidium amabile Alfken, 1933 (junior primary homonym, nec Anthidium porterae var. amabile Cockerell, 1904) is unavailable and the available name Anthidium (Proanthidium) minimum Pasteels, 1969, is valid for this species. Updated synonymies and distributional data are provided for some widespread Palaearctic species including two now adventive in the New World. For Chinese species, the distribution and floral associations of each are provided along with illustrations and a key to the known species.

The wild bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) of the island of Cyprus

Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean, constitutes a biodiversity hotspot with high rates of plant endemism. The wild bees of the island were studied extensively by the native George Mavromoustakis, a world-renowned bee taxonomist, who collected extensively on the island from 1916 to 1957 and summarised his results in a series of eight Cyprus-specific papers published from 1949 ["1948"] to 1957. The current work represents the first modern checklist of the wild bees of Cyprus, based on a compilation of previous publications, museum specimens and authors' recent collections. Overall, 369 verified wild bee species have been recorded on the island, with eleven species reported from Cyprus for the first time. The island hosts all six of the globally widespread bee families, with Apidae represented by 110 species, Megachilidae with 91, Andrenidae with 76, Halictidae with 72, Colletidae with 19, and Melittidae with 1. Twenty-one of the recorded bee species are endemic (i.e., 5.7 % endemism rate) and Cyprus ranks third after Lesvos and Sicily in known bee species richness among the Mediterranean islands. Previously unpublished records from various locations on Cyprus for 156 previously reported bee species are also provided in the study. The current work provides a baseline for future studies of wild bee diversity on the island of Cyprus and neighbouring regions.

Revision of the bee genus Bathanthidium Mavromoustakis (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Megachilidae: Anthidiini) with description of a new species from China

This revision of the bee genus Bathanthidium Mavromoustakis, 1953, treats 12 species, with 11 recorded from China, including Bathanthidium fengkaiense Niu Zhu, sp. nov.. Two species are proposed as new combinations in genus Bathanthidium: Anthidium (s. str.) bicolor Wu, 2004, A. (s. str.) monganshanensis Wu, 2004. The two new combinations (B. bicolor, B. monganshanense) are in Bathanthidium (Manthidium), previously considered to include only the type species from Burma and Laos (published records from northeastern India and Malaysia are based on misinterpreted localities). Trachusa (Paraanthidium) concavum (Wu, 1962) and Stelis siamensis Friese, 1925 are synonymized with B. binghami (Friese, 1901). Bathanthidium circinatum Wu, 2004 is transferred to Pseudoanthidium Friese forming the new combination P. (s. str.) circinatum (Wu, 2004). The distribution of each species is given, new distribution sites are marked by asterisk (*) especially. Our results confirm that the genus Bathanthidium has higher species diversity than previously documented and that this diversity is centered in China.

Modelling Highly Biodiverse Areas in Brazil

Traditional conservation techniques for mapping highly biodiverse areas assume there to be satisfactory knowledge about the geographic distribution of biodiversity. There are, however, large gaps in biological sampling and hence knowledge shortfalls. This problem is even more pronounced in the tropics. Indeed, the use of only a few taxonomic groups or environmental surrogates for modelling biodiversity is not viable in mega-diverse countries, such as Brazil. To overcome these limitations, we developed a comprehensive spatial model that includes phylogenetic information and other several biodiversity dimensions aimed at mapping areas with high relevance for biodiversity conservation. Our model applies a genetic algorithm tool for identifying the smallest possible region within a unique biota that contains the most number of species and phylogenetic diversity, as well as the highest endemicity and phylogenetic endemism. The model successfully pinpoints small highly biodiverse areas alongside regions with knowledge shortfalls where further sampling should be conducted. Our results suggest that conservation strategies should consider several taxonomic groups, the multiple dimensions of biodiversity, and associated sampling uncertainties.

Ecological filtering in scrub fragments restructures the taxonomic and functional composition of native bee assemblages

Predicting the long-term consequences of habitat alteration for the preservation of biodiversity and ecosystem function requires an understanding of how ecological filters drive taxonomic and functional biodiversity loss. Here, we test a set of predictions concerning the role of ecological filters in restructuring native bee assemblages inhabiting fragmented coastal sage scrub ecosystems in southern California, USA. In 2011 and 2012, we collected native bees in scrub habitat belonging to two treatment categories: large natural reserves and small habitat fragments embedded in an urban landscape. We compared bee assemblages in reserve and fragment sites with respect to their taxonomic and functional alpha diversity, beta diversity, assemblage composition, and mean geographical range size estimated via distribution maps compiled for this study from digitized specimen records. We found multiple lines of evidence that ecological filtering drove bee diversity loss in fragments: a disproportionate loss of functional diversity relative to taxonomic diversity, shifts in assemblage composition driven largely by the preferential extirpation of reserve-associated indicator species, and disproportionate loss of range-restricted species. However, we found no evidence of taxonomic or functional homogenization across fragment bee assemblages, suggesting that filtering was not sufficiently strong to cause a subset of functional traits (and their associated species) to dominate assemblages in fragments. Our results suggest that ecological filtering altered bee assemblages in habitat fragments, even when such fragments contained well-preserved native plant assemblages, underscoring the importance of preserving large areas of natural habitat for the conservation of bees (especially range-restricted taxa) and their associated ecological functions.

Correction: The Allometry of Bee Proboscis Length and Its Uses in Ecology

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151482.].

The bees of Michigan (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila), with notes on distribution, taxonomy, pollination, and natural history

The state of Michigan occupies an area between the Great Plains and the northeastern United States, bordering four Great Lakes, with diverse biogeographical regions. Michigan also has the second most diverse agriculture in the country, with many crops that depend on bees for pollination. This unique combination provides a wide range of opportunities for bees to persist, yet there is no current published checklist of these important insects. This study was conducted to provide the first annotated checklist of the bee (Apoidea: Anthophila) fauna of Michigan, summarizing aspects of their taxonomy and behavior and to provide provisional conservation assessment. The list was compiled from a critical review of published literature, museum specimens, and database records, supplemented by new collections. In total, 465 species are included in the checklist, including 38 new records, however evidence for 13 species is poor, several more species require taxonomic revision, and the presence of additional species is expected. The exotic megachilid species Megachile apicalis Spinola, M. pusilla Pérez (=concinna Smith, auct.) and Osmia taurus Smith are reported from Michigan for the first time. New state records of native species include Anthidium tenuiflorae Cockerell and Nomada alpha alpha Cockerell, both previously undocumented from eastern North America, and Nomada sphaerogaster Cockerell, which has rarely been recognized. The taxonomy of some bee species is clarified by the formal publication of 11 new synonymies (some previously reported online or in manuscripts). The following list cites junior synonyms first followed by the valid name: Andrena chippewaensis Mitchell 1960 = A. (Simandrena) wheeleri Graenicher 1904; Osmia hendersoni Cockerell 1907 = O. (Melanosmia) tarsata Provancher 1888; Osmia michiganensis Mitchell 1962 = O. (M.) subarctica Cockerell 1912 (new status, removed from synonymy with O. (M.) tersula Cockerell 1912); Sphecodes persimilis Lovell and Cockerell 1907 = S. davisii Robertson 1897; Sphecodes knetschi Cockerell 1898 = S. dichrous Smith 1853; Sphecodes carolinus Mitchell 1956 = S. coronus Mitchell 1956; Sphecodes stygius Robertson 1893 = S. mandibularis Cresson 1872; Sphecodes prostygius Mitchell 1960 = S. fattigi Mitchell 1956; Stelis vernalis Mitchell 1962 = S. coarctatus Crawford 1916; and Stelis michiganensis Mitchell 1962 = S. foederalis Smith 1854. Poorly known Andrena (Cnemidandrena) are discussed, including A. parnassiae Cockerell, a new state record, A. robervalensis Mitchell, and the extralimital A. runcinatae Cockerell. Of these, only A. robervalensis was considered in the subgeneric revision, but we recognize all three as valid species pending further study. Nomada binotata (Robertson 1903) and N. quadrimaculata (Robertson 1903) are removed from synonymy with N. ovata (Robertson 1903), based on examination of the lectotypes. A new species, Triepeolus eliseae Rightmyer, the eastern representative of the verbesinae species group, is described. A putative undescribed species, Osmia aff. trevoris, is documented, but requires additional study for its status to be fully resolved. A rich bee fauna is documented that includes geographically-restricted species, rare and regionally-declining species, and economically-important species, providing information for ongoing conservation planning and future analysis of trends in bee populations.

Urbanization-induced habitat fragmentation erodes multiple components of temporal diversity in a Southern California native bee assemblage

Despite a large number of ecological studies that document diversity loss resulting from anthropogenic disturbance, surprisingly few consider how disturbance affects temporal patterns of diversity that result from seasonal turnover of species. Temporal dynamics can play an important role in the structure and function of biological assemblages. Here, we investigate the temporal diversity patterns of bee faunas in Southern California coastal sage scrub ecosystems that have been extensively fragmented by urbanization. Using a two-year dataset of 235 bee species (n = 12,036 specimens), we compared 1-ha plots in scrub fragments and scrub reserves with respect to three components of temporal diversity: overall plot-level diversity pooled over time (temporal gamma diversity), diversity at discrete points in time (temporal alpha diversity), and seasonal turnover in assemblage composition (temporal beta diversity). Compared to reserves, fragments harbored bee assemblages with lower species richness and assemblage evenness both when summed across temporal samples (i.e., lower temporal gamma diversity) and at single points in time (i.e., lower temporal alpha diversity). Bee assemblages in fragments also exhibited reduced seasonal turnover (i.e., lower temporal beta diversity). While fragments and reserves did not differ in overall bee abundance, bee abundance in fragments peaked later in the season compared to that in reserves. Our results argue for an increased awareness of temporal diversity patterns, as information about the distinct components of temporal diversity is essential both for characterizing the assemblage dynamics of seasonal organisms and for identifying potential impacts of anthropogenic disturbance on ecosystem function through its effects on assemblage dynamics.

Biodiversity conservation gaps in the Brazilian protected areas

Although Brazil is a megadiverse country and thus a conservation priority, no study has yet quantified conservation gaps in the Brazilian protected areas (PAs) using extensive empirical data. Here, we evaluate the degree of biodiversity protection and knowledge within all the Brazilian PAs through a gap analysis of vertebrate, arthropod and angiosperm occurrences and phylogenetic data. Our results show that the knowledge on biodiversity in most Brazilian PAs remain scant as 71% of PAs have less than 0.01 species records per km2. Almost 55% of Brazilian species and about 40% of evolutionary lineages are not found in PAs, while most species have less than 30% of their geographic distribution within PAs. Moreover, the current PA network fails to protect the majority of endemic species. Most importantly, these results are similar for all taxonomic groups analysed here. The methods and results of our countrywide assessment are suggested to help design further inventories in order to map and secure the key biodiversity of the Brazilian PAs. In addition, our study illustrates the most common biodiversity knowledge shortfalls in the tropics.

Measuring partner choice in plant-pollinator networks: using null models to separate rewiring and fidelity from chance

Recent studies of mutualistic networks show that interactions between partners change across years. Both biological mechanisms and chance could drive these patterns, but the relative importance of these factors has not been separated. We established a field experiment consisting of 102 monospecific plots of 17 native plant species, from which we collected 6713 specimens of 52 bee species over four years. We used these data and a null model to determine whether bee species' foraging choices varied more or less over time beyond the variation expected by chance. Thus we provide the first quantitative definition of rewiring and fidelity as these terms are used in the literature on interaction networks. All 52 bee species varied in plant partner choice across years, but for 27 species this variation was indistinguishable from random partner choice. Another 11 species showed rewiring, varying more across years than expected by chance, while 14 species showed fidelity, indicating that they both prefer certain plant species and are consistent in those preferences across years. Our study shows that rewiring and fidelity both exist in mutualist networks, but that once sampling effects have been accounted for, they are less common than has been reported in the ecological literature.

Bee communities along a prairie restoration chronosequence: similar abundance and diversity, distinct composition

Recognition of the importance of bee conservation has grown in response to declines of managed honey bees and some wild bee species. Habitat loss has been implicated as a leading cause of declines, suggesting that ecological restoration is likely to play an increasing role in bee conservation efforts. In the midwestern United States, restoration of tallgrass prairie has traditionally targeted plant community objectives without explicit consideration for bees. However, restoration of prairie vegetation is likely to provide ancillary benefits to bees through increased foraging and nesting resources. We investigated community assembly of bees across a chronosequence of restored eastern tallgrass prairies and compared patterns to those in control and reference habitats (old fields and prairie remnants, respectively). We collected bees for 3 yr and measured diversity and abundance of in-bloom flowering plants, vegetation structure, ground cover, and surrounding land use as predictors of bee abundance and bee taxonomic and functional diversity. We found that site-level variables, but not site type or restoration age, were significant predictors of bee abundance (bloom diversity, P = 0.004; bare ground cover, P = 0.02) and bee diversity (bloom diversity, P = 0.01). There were significant correlations between overall composition of bee and blooming plant communities (Mantel test, P = 0.002), and both plant and bee assemblages in restorations were intermediate between those of old fields and remnant prairies. Restorations exhibited high bee beta diversity, i.e., restored sites' bee assemblages were taxonomically and functionally differentiated from each other. This pattern was strong in younger restorations (<20 yr old), but absent from older restorations (>20 yr), suggesting restored prairie bee communities become more similar to one another and more similar to remnant prairie bee communities over time with the arrival of more species and functional groups of bees. Our results indicate that old fields, restorations, and remnants provide habitat for diverse and abundant bee communities, but continued restoration of old fields will help support and conserve bee communities more similar to reference bee communities characteristic of remnant prairies.

Dynamic microbiome evolution in social bees

The highly social (eusocial) corbiculate bees, comprising the honey bees, bumble bees, and stingless bees, are ubiquitous insect pollinators that fulfill critical roles in ecosystem services and human agriculture. Here, we conduct wide sampling across the phylogeny of these corbiculate bees and reveal a dynamic evolutionary history behind their microbiota, marked by multiple gains and losses of gut associates, the presence of generalist as well as host-specific strains, and patterns of diversification driven, in part, by host ecology (for example, colony size). Across four continents, we found that different host species have distinct gut communities, largely independent of geography or sympatry. Nonetheless, their microbiota has a shared heritage: The emergence of the eusocial corbiculate bees from solitary ancestors appears to coincide with the acquisition of five core gut bacterial lineages, supporting the hypothesis that host sociality facilitates the development and maintenance of specialized microbiomes.

The city as a refuge for insect pollinators

Research on urban insect pollinators is changing views on the biological value and ecological importance of cities. The abundance and diversity of native bee species in urban landscapes that are absent in nearby rural lands evidence the biological value and ecological importance of cities and have implications for biodiversity conservation. Lagging behind this revised image of the city are urban conservation programs that historically have invested in education and outreach rather than programs designed to achieve high-priority species conservation results. We synthesized research on urban bee species diversity and abundance to determine how urban conservation could be repositioned to better align with new views on the ecological importance of urban landscapes. Due to insect pollinators' relatively small functional requirements-habitat range, life cycle, and nesting behavior-relative to larger mammals, we argue that pollinators put high-priority and high-impact urban conservation within reach. In a rapidly urbanizing world, transforming how environmental managers view the city can improve citizen engagement and contribute to the development of more sustainable urbanization.

Revision of the Anthidiellum Cockerell, 1904 of China (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Megachilidae, Anthidiini)

The resin bees of the genus Anthidiellum Cockerell, 1904 are revised for China. Seven species are confirmed to occur in China including five new combinations: A. (Pycnanthidium) carinatum (Wu, 1962) comb. nov., A. (P.) coronum (Wu, 2004a) comb. nov., A. (P.) latipes (Bingham, 1897) comb. nov., A. (Clypanthidium) popovii (Wu, 1962) comb. nov., and A. (Anthidiellum) yunnanensis (Wu, 1962) comb. nov.. These five species had previously been classified as Trachusa (Paraanthidium), which is characterized by much larger-bodied bees (only four species of Trachusa (Paraanthidium) are confirmed to occur in China after this study; others reported in the literature were misplaced to genus). Additionally, Anthidiellum ludingensis Wu, 1993, and Anthidiellum (Anthidiellum) xinjiangensis Wu, 2004b, are removed from Anthidiellum forming the new combinations Pseudoanthidium (Pseudoanthidium) ludingense (Wu, 1993) and P. (P.) xinjiangense (Wu, 2004b), thus extending the range of the genus in China to include Sichuan. Illustrations and a key to known Chinese Anthidiellum species are provided.

The Allometry of Bee Proboscis Length and Its Uses in Ecology

Allometric relationships among morphological traits underlie important patterns in ecology. These relationships are often phylogenetically shared; thus quantifying allometric relationships may allow for estimating difficult-to-measure traits across species. One such trait, proboscis length in bees, is assumed to be important in structuring bee communities and plant-pollinator networks. However, it is difficult to measure and thus rarely included in ecological analyses. We measured intertegular distance (as a measure of body size) and proboscis length (glossa and prementum, both individually and combined) of 786 individual bees of 100 species across 5 of the 7 extant bee families (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila). Using linear models and model selection, we determined which parameters provided the best estimate of proboscis length. We then used coefficients to estimate the relationship between intertegular distance and proboscis length, while also considering family. Using allometric equations with an estimation for a scaling coefficient between intertegular distance and proboscis length and coefficients for each family, we explain 91% of the variance in species-level means for bee proboscis length among bee species. However, within species, individual-level intertegular distance was a poor predictor of individual proboscis length. To make our findings easy to use, we created an R package that allows estimation of proboscis length for individual bee species by inputting only family and intertegular distance. The R package also calculates foraging distance and body mass based on previously published equations. Thus by considering both taxonomy and intertegular distance we enable accurate estimation of an ecologically and evolutionarily important trait.

Delivery of crop pollination services is an insufficient argument for wild pollinator conservation

There is compelling evidence that more diverse ecosystems deliver greater benefits to people, and these ecosystem services have become a key argument for biodiversity conservation. However, it is unclear how much biodiversity is needed to deliver ecosystem services in a cost-effective way. Here we show that, while the contribution of wild bees to crop production is significant, service delivery is restricted to a limited subset of all known bee species. Across crops, years and biogeographical regions, crop-visiting wild bee communities are dominated by a small number of common species, and threatened species are rarely observed on crops. Dominant crop pollinators persist under agricultural expansion and many are easily enhanced by simple conservation measures, suggesting that cost-effective management strategies to promote crop pollination should target a different set of species than management strategies to promote threatened bees. Conserving the biological diversity of bees therefore requires more than just ecosystem-service-based arguments.

One argument for conserving biological diversity is that it delivers beneficial ecosystem services. However, Kleijn et al. show that the economic benefits of crop pollination are delivered by only a small subset of relatively common species, arguing that threatened species should be considered separately.

Historical changes in northeastern US bee pollinators related to shared ecological traits

Pollinators such as bees are essential to the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. However, despite concerns about a global pollinator crisis, long-term data on the status of bee species are limited. We present a long-term study of relative rates of change for an entire regional bee fauna in the northeastern United States, based on >30,000 museum records representing 438 species. Over a 140-y period, aggregate native species richness weakly decreased, but richness declines were significant only for the genus Bombus. Of 187 native species analyzed individually, only three declined steeply, all of these in the genus Bombus. However, there were large shifts in community composition, as indicated by 56% of species showing significant changes in relative abundance over time. Traits associated with a declining relative abundance include small dietary and phenological breadth and large body size. In addition, species with lower latitudinal range boundaries are increasing in relative abundance, a finding that may represent a response to climate change. We show that despite marked increases in human population density and large changes in anthropogenic land use, aggregate native species richness declines were modest outside of the genus Bombus. At the same time, we find that certain ecological traits are associated with declines in relative abundance. These results should help target conservation efforts focused on maintaining native bee abundance and diversity and therefore the important ecosystems services that they provide.

Osmia species (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae) from the southeastern United States with modified facial hairs: taxonomy, host plants, and conservation status

We describe females and males of Osmia (Melanosmia) calaminthaesp. n., an apparent floral specialist on Calamintha ashei (Lamiaceae), and provide observations on the behavior of female bees on flowers of this plant. We also provide diagnostic information for Osmia (Diceratosmia) conjunctoides Robertson, stat. n., and synonymize Osmia (Diceratosmia) subfasciata miamiensis Mitchell with Osmia conjunctoidessyn. n. Females of both Osmia calaminthae and Osmia conjunctoides are unique among North American Osmia for having short, erect, simple facial hairs, which are apparent adaptations for collecting pollen from nototribic flowers. Osmia calaminthae is currently only known from sandy scrub at four nearby sites in the southern Lake Wales Ridge in Highlands County, Florida, USA, while Osmia conjunctoides is known from limited but widespread sites in the southeastern USA. We discuss the conservation status of both species based on known or speculated floral associates and distributions.

Forested landscapes promote richness and abundance of native bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) in Wisconsin apple orchards

Wild bees provide vital pollination services for many native and agricultural plant species, yet the landscape conditions needed to support wild bee populations are not well understood or appreciated. We assessed the influence of landscape composition on bee abundance and species richness in apple (Malus spp.) orchards of northeastern Wisconsin during the spring flowering period. A diverse community of bee species occurs in these apple orchards, dominated by wild bees in the families Andrenidae and Halictidae and the honey bee, Apis mellifera L. Proportion of forest area in the surrounding landscape was a significant positive predictor of wild bee abundance in orchards, with strongest effects at a GIS (Geographic Information Systems) buffer distance of 1,000 m or greater. Forest area also was positively associated with species richness, showing strongest effects at a buffer distance of 2,000 m. Nonagricultural developed land (homes, lawns, etcetera) was significantly negatively associated with species richness at buffer distances >750 m and wild bee abundance in bowl traps at all distances. Other landscape variables statistically associated with species richness or abundance of wild bees included proportion area of pasture (positive) and proportion area of roads (negative). Forest area was not associated with honey bee abundance at any buffer distance. These results provide clear evidence that the landscape surrounding apple orchards, especially the proportion of forest area, affects richness and abundance of wild bees during the spring flowering period and should be a part of sustainable land management strategies in agro-ecosystems of northeastern Wisconsin and other apple growing regions.

Evolution and phylogenetic utility of alignment gaps within intron sequences of three nuclear genes in bumble bees (Bombus)

To test whether gaps resulting from sequence alignment contain phylogenetic signal concordant with those of base substitutions, we analyzed the occurrence of indel mutations upon a well-resolved, substitution-based tree for three nuclear genes in bumble bees (Bombus, Apidae: Bombini). The regions analyzed were exon and intron sequences of long-wavelength rhodopsin (LW Rh), arginine kinase (ArgK), and elongation factor-1alpha (EF-1alpha) F2 copy genes. LW Rh intron had only a few uninformative gaps, ArgK intron had relatively long gaps that were easily aligned, and EF-1alpha intron had many short gaps, resulting in multiple optimal alignments. The unambiguously aligned gaps within ArgK intron sequences showed no homoplasy upon the substitution-based tree, and phylogenetic signals within ambiguously aligned regions of EF-1alpha intron were highly congruent with those of base substitutions. We further analyzed the contribution of gap characters to phylogenetic reconstruction by incorporating them in parsimony analysis. Inclusion of gap characters consistently improved support for nodes recovered by substitutions, and inclusion of ambiguously aligned regions of EF-1alpha intron resolved several additional nodes, most of which were apical on the phylogeny. We conclude that gaps are an exceptionally reliable source of phylogenetic information that can be used to corroborate and refine phylogenies hypothesized by base substitutions, at least at lower taxonomic levels. At present, full use of gaps in phylogenetic reconstruction is best achieved in parsimony analysis, pending development of well-justified and generally applicable methods for incorporating indels in explicitly model-based methods.