NO OR FEW HAIR FEW OR NO HAIRY ANDRENID A may be present. be may E COLITIDAE E D I GU D IEL F morphogenus more than one class per category category per class one than more morphogenus COLITIDAE n each each n I classes. several propose we categories, protection under the common agricultural policy. agricultural common the under protection or each of these these of each or F colour. tegument and hairs strategy, the pollinators initiative and biodiversity biodiversity and initiative pollinators the strategy, MEGACHILIDAE he traits you need to observe at first are size, size, are first at observe to need you traits he T legislation, including amongst others the biodiversity biodiversity the others amongst including legislation, HALICTIDAE morphogenera defined by few traits. few by defined morphogenera U policy and and policy U E of range a to contribute wil project he T regroup them in few big groups of species called called species of groups big few in them regroup the remaining high-value pollinator habitats. pollinator high-value remaining the MEGACHILIDAE ees species are not easy to identify, but we we but identify, to easy not are species ees B and ensure sustainable management and restoration of of restoration and management sustainable ensure and the level of individual species individual of level the to address the main drivers behind pollinator decline decline pollinator behind drivers main the address to recognised within 15 morpho-groups and not at at not and morpho-groups 15 within recognised obstacles to proper planning of successful programmes programmes successful of planning proper to obstacles APIDAE morphological traits only, allows the bees to be be to bees the allows only, traits morphological his knowledge gap is one of the main main the of one is gap knowledge his T diversity. their APIDAE his is a simplified guide, which, based on visible visible on based which, guide, simplified a is his T of wild pollinators and the importance of conserving conserving of importance the and pollinators wild of an overall healthy ecosystem. healthy overall an Greece) there is inadequate awareness about the role role the about awareness inadequate is there Greece) species, we assume a great floristic diversity and and diversity floristic great a assume we species, rance and and rance F taly, I pain, S ( countries Mediterranean n I resilience. Whenever we find many different bee bee different many find we Whenever resilience. to evaluate the environmental complexity and and complexity environmental the evaluate to ssessing the diversity of wild bee is a good mean mean good a is bee wild of diversity the ssessing A S IP T ON I CAT IFI NT E ID ago. ago. wasps from which they evolved millions of years years of millions evolved they which from wasps we cannot easily distinguish from the predatory predatory the from distinguish easily cannot we almost hairless bees with short ligule, which which ligule, short with bees hairless almost region. hus, we can find on flowers flowers on find can we hus, T size. and color shape, progressive change in practices across the Mediterranean Mediterranean the across practices in change progressive bees make up a surprisingly diverse group in in group diverse surprisingly a up make bees conservation by creating a virtuous circle leading to a a to leading circle virtuous a creating by conservation owever, owever, H grains. pollen the gather to used are hairs he aim of the project is to improve pollinator pollinator improve to is project the of aim he T nectar from flowers, whilst the long and plumose plumose and long the whilst flowers, from nectar NATORS lli PO 4 LIFE BEES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN THE OF BEES he long bee tongue (ligula) is used to collect collect to used is (ligula) tongue bee long he T the nurture for their well-cared brood. well-cared their for nurture the NATORS lli PO 4 LIFE feed themselves, female bees collect on flowers flowers on collect bees female themselves, feed flowers and provide some extent of pollination service. pollination of extent some provide and flowers them. While other pollinators visit flowers only to to only flowers visit pollinators other While them. bees, counting solitary, social and parasitic species, visit visit species, parasitic and social solitary, counting bees, reproduction, but bees are a bit special amongst amongst special bit a are bees but reproduction, he so-called wild wild so-called he T urope. E in species bee 2000 than ll of them play a fundamental role in plant plant in role fundamental a play them of ll A owever, the honeybee is just one of more more of one just is honeybee the owever, H products. with butterflies, flies, beetles and other insects. insects. other and beetles flies, butterflies, with the highly social insect well known to provide the hive hive the provide to known well insect social highly the ees are part of the pollinators guild altogether altogether guild pollinators the of part are ees B he word “bee” is often referred solely to the honey bee, bee, honey the to solely referred often is “bee” word he T S? EE B WHY EE B E ON THAN E MOR POLLINATING INSECTS LEPIDOPTERA short feathery smaller esye antennae in comparison to flies large round eyes MOTHS BEES usually very BEE FLIES 2 pairs of wings thick body hairy thorax rather hairy body upper and lower longer antennae mimics bees attached, open at rest compared to flies broader hind legs, often short antennae mostly less colourful with pollen-carying hairs 4 long, 2 short legs if not, sometimes brushes night flying 2 pairs of wings long and fine hind of dense hairs present on the 2 wings shorter than body legs, no sting underside of the abdomen longer than body long straight or clubbed antennae BUTTERFLIES smaller, narrow eyes large eyes 2 pairs of wings in comparison to flies thin body WASPS closed at rest distinct narrow waist HOVERFLIES especially narrow in longer antennae some wasps rather smooth body mostly colourful compared to flies short antennae 4 long, 2 short legs can mimic wasps day flying thorax with few hair 2 pairs of wings or nearly hairless shorter than body 2 wings broad connection slender legs longer than body between thorax and BUGS/BEETLES without dense hairs, underside of the not folded at rest abdomen, no sting COLEOPTERA 2 pairs of wings, abdomen never with brushes of dense hair forewing forms protective wing cases, covering hind wings HYMENOPTERA DIPTERA (FLIES) high colour diversity effective camouflage BEES IDENTIFICATION OF WILD BEES (VARIABILITY) Large Small Small Large Medium Medium (>20mm) The traits you need to observe at first are size, hairs (10-20mm) (<10mm) (<10mm) (10-20mm) (>20mm) and tegument colour. For each of these categories, Apis mellifera Nomada sexfasciata we propose several classes. In each morphogenus Xylocopa violacea Ceratina cucurbitina more than one class per category may be present. Bombus pascuorum; Bombus terrestris Anthophora plumipes SIZE Eucera nigrescens; Eucera longicornis Small: 4-8 mm / Medium: 8-13 mm / Big: >13 mm Megachile parietina Anthidium manicatum Osmia bicornis HAIRS Lasioglossum malachurum Hairless: only few hairs on the body surface Halictus scabiosae Short hairs: spots or bands of short dense hair Colletes hederae Hylaeus communis Long hairs: furry bees with long hair on most of Andrena thoracica the body PHYSICAL & SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS Colletes (Colletidae) BODY Hylaeus (Colletidae) HEAD Face with typical Illustrated species: Ligula is short and Illustrated species: thorax with or without hair and yellow or white Colletes hederae bilobed, wide and Hylaeus communis coloured or black skin (cuticle) antennae flat. Pygidial plate marks BODY forelegs is absent. Thorax Mostly small with thick short LEGS sized species, with WINGS / CELLS hairs. Tergites with yellow aspotted few hairs. Cutcle forewing 3 cells - Apex of wide apical bands leg joints generally black hind-legs (sometimes marginal cell more of pale coloured or less distant from except yellow spoted hind-wing with pollen basket) hairs. forewing margin anterior thorax tubercles abdomen WINGS / CELLS 2 cells - Apex of marginal cell almost terminatng on the forewing margin, pointed or tghtly rounded BODY LENGTH 13 - 30 mm solitary P parasitic social BODY LENGTH 4 - 8 mm Halictus (Halictidae) HEAD Lasioglossum (Halictidae) HEAD Andrena (Andrenidae) HEAD Illustrated species: Head of sub- Illustrated species: Head of sub- Illustrated species: Shape of head is a rounded shape Halictus scabiosae rounded shape Lasioglossum malachurum andrena thoracica subtriangle BODY BODY BODY LEGS Pygidial plate Metallic hues, with Most species have WINGS / CELLS WINGS / CELLS Seta for pollen is present and body abundantly black cuticle, but 3 cells - Curved 3 cells collecton are covered by hairy. In medium some species can basal present on the fimbria. Seta for and big species: show metallic hues. vein. tbia of hind pair of pollen collection are abdomen cuticle is black, Generally little hair, legs (scopa) present on the sides of often with pale coloured bands abdomen without bands. WINGS / CELLS the propodeus and on the on apical margins of tergites. BODY LENGTH 4 - 16mm 3 cells - Basal vein is almost trocantera straight or slightly arch-shaped BODY LENGTH 4 - 16mm SIMILAR GENUS: Andrena BODY LENGTH 6 - 16mm Megachile (Megachilidae) HEAD Osmia (Megachilidae) BODY Anthidium (Megachilidae) BODY Strong mandibles, Illustrated species: Illustrated species: Cuticle sometimes with Illustrated species: Cuticle is mostly black mostly 4- or 3- Megachile pilidens Osmia bicornis metallic hues Anthidium manicatum and yellow; only few toothed. with abdominal hairs scopa (pollen brush) with abdominal BODY scopa. WINGS / CELLS First tergites WINGS / CELLS Presence of arolia WINGS / CELLS Arolia between the 2 cells - Apex of strongly concave between the two leg 2 cells Sm.