Islands are areas where biodiversity conservation is of the utmost importance and is particularly challenging due to the isolation and vulnerability of animal and plant populations. The coastline of Brittany includes a large number of islands, which vary greatly in size, distance from the mainland, landscape composition and climate. Until recently, virtually nothing was known about the bees on these islands, but a number of studies have been carried out in recent years, allowing an initial assessment to be made. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the bee fauna of the islands of Brittany, in terms of species richness, species composition and rarity status. In total, we gathered records of 188 wild bee species on 25 continental islands, located on both the north and south coasts of Brittany. For most of the islands, we obtained only occasional data, but a few have benefitted from intensive surveys, with data collected throughout the entire flight period and over several years and in different locations and habitat types. For four islands, we considered that the current knowledge is relatively good: Groix (113 wild bee species), Houat (82 species), Hoedic (64 species) and Ouessant (57 species). In addition to the number of species, this study shows that the islands host many species that are rare at regional or national level. Our results highlight the importance of taking bees into account when managing habitats and defining protected areas in islands, in order to conserve both food resources and nesting sites for these pollinator insects.

Corsica stands as one of the largest Mediterranean Islands and has been the exploration ground for renowned entomologists like Charles Ferton. However, no synthesis on Corsican bees has been published so far. To fill this gap in knowledge, we propose an overview of the megachilid bee fauna of the island based on fieldwork, a thorough examination of material housed at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (MNHN, Paris), data compilation from various collections and a comprehensive review of existing literature. We reviewed 5,886 specimens and we extracted 279 additional data from literature sources. These data confirm the presence in Corsica of 91 species of which two are endemic, including Hoplitis corsaria (Warncke, 1991) which is elevated to species rank stat. nov. One new synonymy is established: Megachile lucidifrons Ferton, syn. nov. of Megachile albocristata Smith, 1853. The presence in Corsica of 19 species is regarded as dubious or erroneous. Finally, the types of Megachilid bees housed at MNHN and described based on Corsican material are illustrated. Lectotypes are designated for Megachile sicula var. corsica Benoist, 1935, Osmia corsica Ferton, 1901, Osmia erythrogastra Ferton, 1905, Osmia lanosa Pérez, 1879, and Osmia lineola Pérez, 1895.

Background The spectacular decline in pollinators and their prominent role in pollination of natural and cultivated plants has stimulated research on pollinating insects. Over the last ten years, much ecological research has been carried out on bees, often generating a large volume of specimens and increasing the importance of entomological collections. Here, we present the bee collection of the IMBE laboratory (Marseille, France) after ten years of study of plant-pollinator networks. New information We provide distribution data on 2181 specimens belonging to 246 species of bees, mainly from the Mediterranean Region of France. One of the recorded species, Lasioglossum soror, is classified as "endangered" at the European level, while 68 of the recorded species are currently Data Deficient according to the 2014 Red List of European bees. This dataset contributes to the broader effort to enhance the knowledge of French bee diversity. It aligns with the objectives of the French Pollinator Plan and supports the development of a national Red List. In this context, information about the distribution of wild bees from the Mediterranean Region, which harbours the highest species diversity in mainland France, are of particular importance.

Melitta seitzi Alfken, 1927, a new melittid bee to the French fauna (Hymenoptera, Melittidae). Melitta seitzi (Melittidae), a bee species previously known only in Spain, was found in 2022 in southeast France as part of a project to improve knowledge of wild pollinators in the Parc Naturel Régional du Verdon. Additional surveys carried out in 2023 revealed that the females forage locally on the flowers of Lotus dorycnium L. (Fabaceae). An analysis of the bee assemblages observed at the same time as M. seitzi leads us to suspect a possible association of M. seitzi with some cuckoo-bees of the genus Nomada. The article also proposes an identification key to distinguish M. seitzi from the other species of the genus present in France. This key is accompanied by a comparative table.

The spectacular decline in pollinators and their prominent role in pollination of natural and cultivated plants has stimulated research on pollinating insects. Over the last ten years, many ecological researches have been carried out on bees, often generating a large volume of specimen capture and increasing the importance of entomological collections. Here we present the bee collection of the IMBE laboratory (Marseille, France), after ten years of study of plant-pollinator networks. We provide distribution data on 2180 specimens belonging to 244 species of bees, mainly from Mediterranean France. Two of the recorded species, Lasioglossum soror and Nomada italica, are classified as "endangered" at the European level, while 44 of the recorded species are currently data deficient following the 2014 European bee red list. The data presented here are a part of a global effort to improve knowledge about the bees of France, within the framework of the French Pollinator Plan, and with the goal of the production of a national red list. Within this framework, bees of the Mediterranean region, where the highest species diversity is found in mainland France, are particularly of interest.

Eucera (Cubitalia) breviceps (Friese, 1911), hitherto only known from Turkey and Syria, was discovered in the southern part of Massif Central (France), in the “Grands Causses” area a few years ago. It has been found to be distributed throughout it, also present in the French Alps and Italy (Valle d’Aosta, Abruzzo) as well as in southwestern Bulgaria and northern Greece. Our article presents the corresponding data, originated from field work and examination of material in collections, and gives new data for Turkey from material in the collection of the Linz Museum (Austria). Several ecological traits of E. breviceps are discussed. We especially highlight the close association between E. breviceps and the plant genus Onosma L. (Boraginaceae), based on literature and our field observations. Both their ecological requirements and their interactions illustrate the complexity of such relationships and their potential vulnerability in the context of global change. Through this remarkable example of an oligolectic interaction, we aim to promote a better consideration of pollinators, notably bees, and pollinator networks in biological conservation.

Eucera (Cubitalia) breviceps (FRIESE, 1911), hitherto only known from Turkey and Syria, was discovered in the southern part of Massif Central (France), in the “Grands Causses” area, a few years ago. It has been found to be distributed throughout it, also present in the French Alps and Italy (Valle d’Aosta, Abruzzo) as well as in southwestern Bulgaria and northern Greece. Our article presents the corresponding data, originated from field work and examination of material in collections, and gives new data for Turkey from material in the collection of the Oberösterreichisches Landesmuseum, Linz (Austria). Several ecological traits of E. breviceps are discussed. We especially highlight the close association between E. breviceps and the plant genus Onosma L. (Boraginaceae), based on literature and our field observations. Both their ecological requirements and their interactions illustrate the complexity of such relationships and their potential vulnerability in the context of global change. Through this remarkable example of an oligolectic interaction, we aim to promote a better consideration of pollinators, notably bees, and pollinator networks in conservation biology.

A new osmiine bee species, Hoplitis (Hoplitis) onosmaevaesp. nov. (Megachilidae), is described. So far, this species is exclusively known from the Mercantour National Park in the southwestern French Alps and from mountainous ranges in Turkey and northern Iraq, two areas separated by at least 2000 km. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial and nuclear genes revealed that H. onosmaevae is closely related to H. adunca (Panzer, 1798), H. benoisti (Alfken, 1935) and H. manicata (Morice, 1901). Hoplitis onosmaevae is presumably narrowly oligolectic and harvests pollen only on flowers of Onosma L. (Boraginaceae). It has a particularly long proboscis, which is probably an adaptation to collect nectar from the long-tubed flowers of this plant genus. The females collect pollen by buzzing the Onosma flowers, a rare behavior in megachilid bees. The species nests in insect burrows in dead wood, similar to H. adunca and H. manicata but unlike other closely related representatives of the subgenus Hoplitis, suggesting a single origin of nesting in dead wood and hollow stems in this lineage. In France, H. onosmaevae inhabits alpine steppe-like habitats close to forests and appears to be extremely local, since only two populations are currently known. The conservation status of this extremely rare bee species in Europe is discussed.

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.

The Palaearctic complex of anthidiine bees closely related to Pseudoanthidium scapulare has long been a source of unresolved taxonomic and systematic issues. Until now, the number of species in the complex and their geographical distributions were largely unclear, thus complicating the compilation of accurate species checklists and hindering conservation efforts. In order to address these issues, we use morphology and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences, combined with a thorough examination of the relevant literature and type material, to delimit species within this complex, assign names to species and clarify geographical ranges. An unexpected result was that a certain number of morphologically distinct taxa exhibited low levels of genetic divergence at the COI locus, resulting in species paraphyly. A set of ultra-conserved elements (UCEs) was also sequenced in order to further investigate relationships among these taxa. One morphologically distinct species was also paraphyletic using UCE data, hinting at recent species divergences and genetic exchange at zones of contact between morphologically well-differentiated taxa. The results of our study reveal the presence of ten species in this complex, including a previously overlooked species for western continental Europe. A complete diagnosis of the males and females of these species is provided, as are maps detailing the geographic distributions of each. An illustrated identification key to the males and females of each species is presented. Two new species are described, Pseudoanthidium kaspareki sp. nov. and P. rozeni sp. nov. New synonymy is established for several species and Pseudoanthidium palestinicum and P. tropicum are raised to species level. The new combination, Icteranthidium floripetum comb. nov. is also established. Lectotypes are designated for the following species: Anthidium eversmanni, A. floripetum, A. frontale, A. karakalense, A. nanum and A. reptans. Previously unpublished lectotype designations are published here for A. sinuatum and A. tenellum.

In the context of global pollinator decline, little is known about the protection status and ecology of many species. This lack of knowledge is particularly important for Mediterranean protected areas that harbor diverse pollinator communities and are subject to considerable anthropogenic pressures. Calanques National Park (85 km2), which is located near Marseille (France), is dominated by Mediterranean low-vegetation habitats, such as phrygana and scrublands. These habitats offer favorable conditions for pollinator species due to the important amount of floral resources. Within a 10-yr period, we recorded bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila), hover fly (Diptera: Syrphidae), and bee fly (Diptera: Bombyliidae) species and their interactions with the local flora through 10 field campaigns. We caught 250 pollinator species, including 192 bees, 38 hover flies, and 20 bee flies, for a total of 2,770 specimens. We recorded seven threatened bees (six near threatened and one endangered). Among the bee species, 47.9% were below-ground nesting species, and 54.7% were generalist species. Analysis of the pollination network showed that generalist and specialist pollinators do not share the same floral resources. The Cistaceae plant family (Malvales: Cistaceae) acted as a central node in the plant-pollinator network, interacting with 52 different pollinator species, which shows the importance of large open flowers that could be easily visited by both short and long-tongued pollinators in Mediterranean habitats. The occurrence of pollinator species and their ecological traits should strongly contribute to reinforcing the available information to provide or ameliorate the conservation statuses determined by IUCN Red List.

First data about Osmia (Pyrosmia) nana Morawitz 1874 (Apoidea - Megachilidae - Osmiini) in Metropolitan France. Osmia (Pyrosmia) nana MORAWITZ 1874 is recorded for the first time in Metropolitan France.

Preliminary list of the bees of the Franche-Comté region (Hymenoptera, Anthophila). - This work synthesizes the knowledge of Hymenoptera Anthophila of our region, with the aim to establish the first list of species to assess regional biodiversity. Begun in 2016, it summarizes historical data contained in the collections of the Besançon Natural History Muséum, and extends to other data obtained throughout decades by multiple naturalist associations (OPIE-FC, CBNFC-ORI, CEN-FC, Réserves Naturelles…), educational institutions (LEGTA de Mancy et Montmorot, Lons-le Saunier, Jura), independent consultancy firms (ECOJURA Environnement-Insectes) and targeted contemporary research. Specific determinations were verified and validated in collaboration with several specialists, such as David Genoud, Éric Dufrêne, Matthieu Aubert and Christophe Praz, to whom we would like to express here our gratitude. The present work shows the presence of 275 species from the former Franche-Comté region : 189 from the Doubs, 55 from the Haute-Saône, 226 from the Jura and 1 from the Territoire de Belfort. This synthesis will certainly become quickly obsolete, after analysis of collections not yet studied and more recent inventories. Nevertheless, it aims to encourage entomologists to prospect, collect and identify specimens to improve knowledge and enable the implementation of a conservation strategy for our wild bees. In the future, this works could be extended to the new region of Bourgogne - Franche-Comté.

Report of the catches made by the European bee determination training (COST Super-B Project) in the Calanques National Park.

AbstractIn 2008, a new species for the French bee fauna was recorded in Allauch near Marseille: the giant resin bee, Megachile sculpturalis (Smith, 1853). This was the first European record of this species that is native to East Asia. To our knowledge, it is the first introduced bee species in Europe. Here, we provide an overview of the current distribution of M. sculpturalis in France and we describe the history of its range expansion. Besides our own observations, information was compiled from literature and Internet websites, and by contacting naturalist networks. We collected a total of 117 records (locality × year combinations) for the 2008–2016 period. The geographical range of M. sculpturalis has extended remarkably, now occupying a third of continental France, with the most northern and western records located 335 and 520 km from Allauch, respectively. Information on its phenology, feeding, and nesting behavior is also provided. We report several events of nest occupation or eviction of Osmia sp. and Xylocopa sp. individuals by M. sculpturalis. Our results show that M. sculpturalis is now well established in France. Given its capacity to adapt and rapidly expand its range, we recommend amplifying the monitoring of this species to better anticipate the changes in its geographical range and its potential impacts on native bees.

Hoplitis lithodorae Müller 2012 (Apoidea - Megachilidae - Osmiini) in France. - Hoplitis lithodorae Müller 2012, an osmiine bee species recently described from Spain, has been discovered in southern France. Its known localities in France are listed here, as are briefly discussed its distribution, biology and ecology. In order to improve our knowledge of this species and about its fascinating genus, some indications to perform identifications are finally presented.

On the presence of Andrena binominata Smith, 1853 (Hymenoptera, Andrenidae) and Nomada duplex Smith, 1854 (Hymenoptera, Apidae) in France. - The bees Andrena (Carandrena) binominata Smith, 1853 and his supposed cuckoo Nomada duplex Smith, 1854 are reported from the surroundings of Perpignan (Pyrénées-Orientales, France) for the first time and some observations made on the field in 2010 are presented. Furthermore, the geographic distribution of both species is synthesized and illustrated with a map. The new data are also discussed with an emphasis on conservation biology.