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A recent study has revealed new information about bee species in Serbia, confirming previous findings and providing additional details about their distribution in Europe.
Pollinators play a crucial role in our ecosystems by pollinating flowering plants and crops, contributing to both planetary and human well-being. However, over the past decade, the decline in insect pollinators has become an increasingly concerning issue that various scientific and public communities are working to address on a daily basis.
Published in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research, this new study aims to contribute to updating the knowledge on wild bee diversity in Serbia. This is essential for identifying conservation priorities and future efforts at the national level, as well as for improving our understanding of the status of European pollinators. The study also seeks to build upon the exciting data provided by recently published guidelines on European bees, European bee country information, and a preliminary list of 706 bee species focusing on Serbia.
To achieve this, researchers used data from the implementation of the national project SPAS, as well as the EU-funded project Safeguard. In order to monitor the diversity and abundance of insect pollinators in Serbia, 54 sites were surveyed three times throughout the 2022 season.
The transect walks and pan traps used for the analysis led to the discovery of 312 bee species. Results show that 25 of these have not been previously recorded in Serbia. Additionally, the study confirms the presence of 26 species that have no available data from the 21st century.
The authors also note that 79 of the examined species were known only from literature-based data, and 6 of the recorded species are considered threatened, with 67 (10 newly recorded) assessed as Data Poor in the European Red List of Bees. Additionally, the study successfully achieves the goal of updating the current knowledge of bee species occurring in Serbia. By recording 25 new species, the Safeguard study successfully extends the national list with new recordings – from 706 to 731 species.
This new study not only presents new information about bee species in Serbia and confirms previous findings, but also provides additional details about their distribution in Europe, which is necessary for new assessments at the European level.
Research article:
Mudri-Stojnić S, Andrić A, Józan Z, Likov L, Tot T, Grković A, Vujić A (2023) New data for the wild bee fauna (Hymenoptera, Anthophila) of Serbia. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 96: 761-781. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.96.107595
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