Background:Bees (Anthophila) are key pollinators, yet major gaps persist in the knowledge of their diversity and distribution, particularly across Mediterranean biodiversity hotspots. Türkiye, located at the intersection of Europe and Asia, hosts amongst the richest bee faunas in the Western Palaearctic, with more than 1,800 recorded species. Despite previous faunistic work, the national fauna remains incompletely documented, as shown by numerous recent species descriptions and new country records. Additional sampling is, therefore, required to improve taxonomic and distributional knowledge and to support biodiversity research and conservation in this highly diversified region. New information:The dataset comprises 2,070 wild bee specimens collected in southern Türkiye, with 246 identified species. Amongst these, six species are recorded for the first time from Türkiye and several additional noteworthy species of taxonomic, biogeographical or conservation interest are highlighted and illustrated. This dataset provides new, well-documented occurrence records contributing to an improved understanding of bee diversity in the region.

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 This work was attainable by incorporating both published and unpublished data, as well as knowledge from a large set of taxonomists and ecologists in both groups.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 study of wild bees has markedly increased in recent years due to their importance as pollinators of crops and wild plants, and this interest has been accentuated by increasing evidence of global declines in their abundance and species richness. Though best studied in Europe and North America, knowledge on the current state of wild bees is scarce in regions where they are particularly diversified, such as the Mediterranean basin. The eastern Mediterranean country of Lebanon, located at the heart of the Levant in a biodiversity hotspot, is particularly poorly studied. The aim of this paper is to produce a first annotated checklist of the wild bees of Lebanon from new and museum collections, literature records, and verified occurrences from online databases. The present list totals 573 species for Lebanon of which 289 are reported for the first time, but the estimated diversity is likely to be closer to 700. Preliminary information on local distributions and flower records are also presented. The local species assemblages indicate affinities with montane habitats of the Mediterranean and Anatolia and the semi-arid habitats of the Levant and north Africa. This study also encourages further research on local wild bee faunas and the use of this knowledge for conservation purposes.

The study of wild bees has markedly increased in recent years due to their importance as pollinators of crops and wild plants, and this interest has been accentuated by increasing evidence of global declines in their abundance and species richness. Though best studied in Europe and North America, knowledge on the current state of wild bees is scarce in regions where they are particularly diversified, such as the Mediterranean basin. The eastern Mediterranean country of Lebanon, located at the heart of the Levant in a biodiversity hotspot, is particularly poorly studied. The aim of this paper is to produce a first annotated checklist of the wild bees of Lebanon from new and museum collections, literature records, and verified occurrences from online databases. The present list totals 573 species for Lebanon of which 289 are reported for the first time, but the estimated diversity is likely to be closer to 700. Preliminary information on local distributions and flower records are also presented. The local species assemblages indicate affinities with montane habitats of the Mediterranean and Anatolia and the semi-arid habitats of the Levant and north Africa. This study also encourages further research on local wild bee faunas and the use of this knowledge for conservation purposes.

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.

This study presents the first checklist of the bees of the Maltese Islands and includes notes on the distribution of each species. A total of 95 species belonging to five bee families are recorded: Andrenidae (17 species), Apidae (34 species), Colletidae (6 species), Halictidae (15 species) and Megachilidae (23 species). Lasioglossum callizonium (Pérez, 1896) is recorded for the first time from the Maltese Islands. Records of three previously reported species are listed as dubious. The bee fauna of the Maltese Archipelago is dominated by widespread West-Palaearctic species, and most of the species recorded are also found in the Western Mediterranean Basin. Bees that have been recorded from Malta are also known from Southern Europe. The study provides a biogeographical analysis of the Maltese bee fauna, and discusses the conservation of this group and their important role in the delivery of ecosystem services in the Maltese Islands.

The present study is based on bee samples collected in various parts of Turkey since the 1970s. Examination of the material and an overview of the literature sources allowed us to reach the conclusion that the genus Ceratina Latreille (Ceratinini) includes 27 species and two subspecies, while only one species of the genus Exoneuridia Cockerell (Allodapini) is found in Turkey. With a current 10 Xylocopa species previously recorded, a total of 38 species and two subspecies in the subfamily Xylocopinae occur in the country. Each species has a different distribution range; some Ceratina species are abundantly or moderately distributed, but certain species are very rare: C. christellae has been known from Antalya and Hakkâri, C. hakkarica from Hakkâri, C. neocallosa from Nevsehir, C. rasmonti from Agri and Van, C. warnckei from Hakkâri, Kahramanmaras and Sirnak, C. schwarziana from Hakkâri and Kars. Ceratina chalcites ebmeri , C. denesi , C. hakkarica , C. rasmonti , C. warnckei and Exoneuridia hakkariensis are Anatolian endemics. Moreover, 12 Ceratina taxa and E. hakkariensis have been described from Turkey, of which six taxa have type localities in Hakkâri ( C. hakkarica , C. schwarziana , C. warnckei , C. zwakhalsi , C. chalcites ebmeri and E. hakkariensis ). Thus, the eastern part of Turkey, especially Hakkâri, is a very important speciation center for Ceratinini bees. For most of the species, new distribution records are provided, and plant species visited and nesting sites are included. It was first determined that C . bispinosa and E. hakkariensis visited Capsicum annuum L., which is the most common and extensively cultivated vegetable in Turkey. For rare taxa, a distribution map was established. Furthermore, a checklist for the Turkish Xylocopinae is provided for the first time.

Les passionne(e)s des et de la biodiversite peuvent se rejouir... Une brochure realisee par Nicolas Vereecken (Professeur Assistant a l'ULB, groupe Agroecologie et Pollinisation) et Michael Terzo (Collaborateur scientifique a l'UMons) sur l'accueil des sauvages dans les lieux publics et prives vient de voir le jour. C'est une grande premiere puisqu'aucun document de ce type n'existait a ce jour. Cette brochure arrive a point nomme pour repondre a une demande croissante du grand public pour contrer le declin de nos pollinisateurs sauvages: Comment construire un nichoir pour les sauvages ? Quelles especes puis-je trouver dans mon jardin ? Combien y a-t-il sauvages en Belgique ? Quelles plantes puis-je installer pour favoriser les sauvages ? Le monde des sauvages nous livre ici tous ses secrets. Cette belle initiative s'inscrit dans le cadre du projet Villages d'abeilles initie par l'association bruxelloise Apis Bruoc Sella et finance par la Loterie Nationale, mais aussi dans la lignee du Plan abeilles du Service Public Federal Sante publique, Securite de la Chaine alimentaire et Environnement.

Males of Bombus terrestris (L.) adopt a patrolling behaviour during their nuptial parade using cephalic labial gland (CLG) secretions containing sexual pheromones to attract conspecific virgin queens. The changes in chemical composition of their CLG secretions with age are quite well known. In this study, we investigate the evolution of CLG secretions with age in greater detail and compare behavioural reactions of conspecific virgin queens to the secretions. We show that compounds of CLG secretions follow two profiles. Most of the compounds increase from the first day after emergence until the bees are 15-days-old and then decrease. Others are less abundant in 1 to 15-day-old males and then increase (e.g. tricosane, tricosene, henicosane, tetradecanoic acid, pentacosene, pentacosane, heptacosene, heptacosane, nonacosene and geranylcitronellyl tetradecanoate). Differences in secretion composition lead to preferences of virgin queens for males according to the male's age. Virgin queens prefer the pheromonal gland secretions of bees of the following ages in decreasing order; 1 day = 3 days < 7 days = 30 days < 15 days < 10 days. The virgin queens are strongly attracted by secretions containing high amounts of 2,3-dihydrofarnesol, 2,3-dihydrofarnesal, ethyl dodecanoate and hexadecanol. On the contrary, geranylcitronellol is more abundant in 30-day-old males.

We here describe six new specimens of gynanders (i.e. specimens where male and female phenotypic characters occur on the same individual) from distinct families of wild bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea). The newly described cases include Melitta haemorrhoidalis (Fabricius 1775) (Melittidae), Dasypoda hirtipes (Fabricius 1775) (Melittidae), Anthophora plumipes (Pallas 1772) (Apidae), Bombus monticola rondouiVogt 1909 (Apidae), Bombus vestalis vestalis (Fourcroy 1785) (Apidae) and Bombus vestalis sorgonis (Strand 1917) (Apidae). Descriptions are accompanied by behavioural observations of gynanders under natural conditions before their capture for two cases. We also list 109 gynanders already described in bees and we interpret the newly described cases along these previous records. The putative origins of gynandromorphy are then discussed in the light of recent advances in the field of sex determination in Hymenoptera.

Nos investigations menées dans le Nord-Est algérien et l''utilisation de données d''autres auteurs révèlent la présence de 382 espèces d’Abeilles appartenant à 55 genres. Celles-ci se répartissent en six familles : Colletidae (2 genres, 25 espèces), Melittidae (3 genres, 9 espèces), Halictidae (8 genres, 60 espèces), Andrenidae (5 genres, 77 espèces), Apidae (17 genres, 111 espèces) et Megachilidae (20 genres, 100 espèces). Comparée à la faune ouest paléarctique, il ressort un fort glissement en faveur des Megachilini et Osmiini (Megachilidae) en Algérie alors qu’en Europe de l’Ouest ce sont les Bombini (Bourdons, genre Bombus) (Apidae) qui sont les plus divers. Les Abeilles à langue longue sont les mieux représentées avec 211 espèces contre 171 seulement pour celles à langue courte en Algérie. Dans l'Ouest paléarctique ce sont les espèces à langue courte qui sont majoritaires ; on en compte 253 espèces en Baden-Wurtenberg (Allemagne) contre 137 seulement à langue longue.

Variations of secretions of the cephalic part of the labial glands from four different subspecies of Bombus terrestris, B. t. terrestris, B. t. lusitanicus, B. t. sassaricus, and B. t. dalmatinus, were investigated. 95 compounds were detected in the whole data set: 54 in B. t. terrestris, 54 in B. t. lusitanicus, 48 in B. t. sassaricus, and 44 in B. t. dalmatinus. The (E)-2,3-dihydrofarnesol is the main compound in B. t. dalmatinus and B. t. sassaricus, while it is dihydrofarnesyl dodecanoate in B. t. terrestris and B. t. lusitanicus. A principal component analysis produced a pattern showing three well distinct groups corresponding to dalmatinus, sassaricus, and terrestris+lusitanicus.

De recents outils mis en place a grand renfort de publicite (communiques de presse, pages internet) se veulent favorables aux abeilles. Mais quand on parle d'abeilles (au pluriel !), de jacheres apicoles et de jacheres fleuries, de quoi parle-ton au juste et quels objectifs sont reellement poursuivis ? Les abeilles sont des insectes de l'ordre des hymenopteres : cet ordre regroupe, entre autres, les fourmis, les guepes et les abeilles, dont l'Abeille domestique et les bourdons. Les abeilles sauvages sont representees par pres de 900 especes en France (Rasmont et al., 1995). Seules trois especes ont ete domestiquees : Apis mellifera, Bombus terrestris et Megachile rotundata, la domestication de cette derniere ayant ete abandonnee. Les meilleurs pollinisateurs sont les abeilles sauvages a langue longue… mais ce sont aussi les plus menaces en Europe et ceux dont les choix floraux sont les plus marques (voir Jacheres apicoles L'idee d'installer des plantes melliferes en plus grande abondance est fondamentalement bonne. Mais c'est une erreur grossiere de penser que ce qui est bon pour l'Abeille domestique l'est automatiquement pour les autres pollinisateurs ou, surtout, que « l'etat des populations d'abeilles domestiques est un indicateur fiable de l'etat des populations d'autres insectes pollinisateurs ». Les acteurs des « jacheres apicoles ».

In bumblebees, the male secretion of the cephalic labial gland is species-specific. It is highly involved in the nuptial behavior, acting as a sexual attracting pheromone. Therefore, it is also used to accurately identify the species. In contrast to this common scheme, the secretions of Bombus mesomelas are found to be strongly reduced and do not include the most volatile compounds that are present in the secretions of all the other studied bumblebee species. These secretions correspond to cuticular hydrocarbons that can be found in all bumblebee species. This was also the case for another bumblebee species from the same Rhodobombus subgenus: Bombus pomorum. This atypical composition of the male cephalic labial gland secretions seems to indicate that, at least for these two species of Rhodobombus, these secretions are not used to attract virgin females from a long distance, as it is the case for all the other bumblebee species studied.

Pollinating insects of Vicia faba L. in Constantine area (Algeria) were studied during flowering season of the years 2000, 2001 and 2002. Eight bee species were observed. The wild bee Eucera numida Lepeletier and the honey bee Apis mellifera L. were the most abundant pollinators. Eucera numida seems the most effective pollinator. Their visits are all able to fertilize the flowers. On the contrary, a third of the floral visits of the honey bee are "nectar robbery" through the holes made by the bumblebees at the base of the corolla. The floral visits of Eucera numida are also faster (m = 10 visits per minute) and the bee trips more easily the faba bean flowers than A. mellifera. The plants that are accessible to pollinators provide more pods per plant, more seeds per pods, and the seeds are heavier and of better shape than the encaged plants.

Abstract Until now, all males of bumblebees are known to attract conspecific females by marking places with a chemical signal secreted by their cephalic labial gland. The specific combination of patrolling flight and scentmarking is of outmost importance to bumblebees as it is their main species specific recognition system. We report here the lack of that recognition system in species of the subgenus Rhodobombus by comparing the morphology and histology of the cephalic labial glands of Bombus (Rhodobombus) mesomelas with those of a well known species, B. (Bombus) terrestris (L.) The cephalic labial glands are much smaller in B. mesomelas than in other bumblebees species and most likely non-functional. This morphology is also observed in B. pomorum and B. brodmanni which also belong to the subgenus Rhodobombus. Our morphological observations are consistent with the chemical analyses of the secretions in B. mesomelas and B. pomorum which are very limited and of most unusual composition for a bumblebee. In addition, whereas other species are thought to use their barbae mandibularis to spread their secretion onto the substrate, these structures are absent in all Rhodobombus. All these observations would mean that the males of Rhodobombus do not attract females from far away by the use of their cephalic labial gland secretions.

Abstract Until now, all males of bumblebees are known to attract conspecific females by marking places with a chemical signal secreted by their cephalic labial gland. The specific combination of patrolling flight and scentmarking is of outmost importance to bumblebees as it is their main species specific recognition system. We report here the lack of that recognition system in species of the subgenus Rhodobombus by comparing the morphology and histology of the cephalic labial glands of Bombus (Rhodobombus) mesomelas with those of a well known species, B. (Bombus) terrestris (L.) The cephalic labial glands are much smaller in B. mesomelas than in other bumblebees species and most likely non-functional. This morphology is also observed in B. pomorum and B. brodmanni which also belong to the subgenus Rhodobombus. Our morphological observations are consistent with the chemical analyses of the secretions in B. mesomelas and B. pomorum which are very limited and of most unusual composition for a bumblebee. In addition, whereas other species are thought to use their barbae mandibularis to spread their secretion onto the substrate, these structures are absent in all Rhodobombus. All these observations would mean that the males of Rhodobombus do not attract females from far away by the use of their cephalic labial gland secretions.

The paper presents the results of a study of 6,263 specimens of Xylocopinae caught in Belgium, France and Corsica, from personal collection and from 63 different institutions and private collections. Eleven species of the genus Ceratina and four species of the genus Xylocopa belong to the French fauna of Xylocopinae. Only two of those species are present in Belgium: Xylocopa violacea (L.) et Ceratina cyanea (Kirby). A new subgenus of the genus Ceratina is described: Dalyatina n. subg. The Mediterranean species Ceratina parvula Smith, present in France (as well as six other species from subsaharian Africa) is included in that new subgenus. For each genus, subgenus and species, the authors give a diagnosis, a differential diagnosis, a list of visited flowers, a list of the nesting substrates, a map showing the French distribution, a graph of the phenology and a key to genera, subgenera and species. The systematics, biogeography, ecology and sex-ratio of the species are presented and discussed. The Xylocopinae are shown to be strongly polylectic but show a clear preference for Lamiaceae, Asteraceae Cardueae and, for the genus Xylocopa, to Fabaceae. All the species show a phenology which extends from April to September. The sex-ratio of the majority of the species is female-biased. 120 females of C. parvula have been observed but not a single male (capture of adults on flowers and examined nests), suggesting that, at least in France, the species could reproduce by thelitokous parthenogenesis as it is the case with C. dallatorreana Friese. The paper includes 62 line drawings, 18 SEM photos, 17 maps and 14 phenological graphs, and provides a list of 232 plant species visited by the Xylocopinae, including 176 original observations, and 171 papers cited.