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Wild bees in focus: Villages in Rhön focus on more biodiversity!
Fabienne Maihoff studies wild bee populations in Schönau in order to promote their biodiversity and habitats.
Wild bees in focus: Villages in Rhön focus on more biodiversity!
In the picturesque villages of the Rhön, especially in Schönau an der Brend in the Rhön-Grabfeld district, biologist Fabienne Maihoff studies the habitats of wild bees. This research is part of the “Humming Villages” project at the University of Würzburg, which aims to increase the number and species diversity of wild bees in rural areas. Maihoff has specially created an area with colorful flowers that meet the needs of wild bees. In her surveys she has already caught the brown scaled sand bee, a species that is classified as highly endangered in Bavaria. There are currently 521 wild bee species throughout Bavaria, of which 264 are considered endangered, which underlines the urgency of this research work.
Wild bees play a crucial role in the pollination of fruits, vegetables and other wild plants. They are mostly solitary creatures and look after their offspring independently by collecting pollen as food for the larvae and building their nests. Over 400 species of these bees specialize in building their own nests, while 135 species live parasitically on other wild bee species. Nevertheless, around 75 percent of wild bees nest in the ground, while the rest use plant stalks or beetle feeding burrows in wood, as the WWF reports.
Effective measures for wild bees
As part of the research project, 40 villages in the region from the Rhön to the Würzburg district took part. Around half of these communities are now implementing wild bee-friendly measures recommended by the University of Würzburg. These measures include creating perennial areas and planting trees and hedges that increase the variety of flowers. “Villages also create nesting structures for wild bees, as around 75% nest in the ground,” explains Maihoff. These nesting areas consist of nesting mounds, cliff edges and clay cliffs and at the same time benefit other pollinating insects.
The measures are not only important for the preservation of wild bees, but also have a positive effect on the entire biodiversity in the region. “In Germany, only 37 percent of the more than 560 wild bee species are considered safe,” emphasizes wwf.de. These surveys show how critical the situation is for many species and how necessary it is to create awareness for the protection of these valuable insects.
The different nesting habits of wild bees are particularly interesting. For example, the rusty mason bee nests near human dwellings and uses cavities in dead wood and other structures. This bee, named Insect of the Year 2019, often finds its nesting sites in very unexpected places, such as door locks or even wooden shelves. Collecting pollen from 15 different plant families, it shows how well wild bees can adapt to human habitats, but this does not distract from an ongoing threat they face due to habitat loss and changes in agriculture.
The initiative in the villages shows how important collective effort and well-thought-out measures are to enrich the landscapes for wild bees and strengthen pollinator populations. The research by Maihoff and her colleagues will not only contribute to a better understanding of the ecological needs of wild bees, but will also lead the way for future measures to protect their habitats.