cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/284252

The research shows how important native flowers are in supporting native bee and even honeybee populations in urban areas. It also highlights the need for sustainable management of honeybee numbers, as high honeybee populations can deprive native bees of their preferred resources," the study’s lead researcher Dr Kit Prendergast said.

A separate recently published study explored the use of bee hotels as nesting habitats for several bee species in urban areas, which has not been extensively studied previously.

The researchers installed 120 wooden bee hotels across the 14 study sites in Perth, with varying sized nesting holes.

“Bee hotels in bushland remnants were more likely to be occupied than those in gardens, indicating that native bee populations were more abundant in this natural habitat. Surprisingly, greater flower diversity reduced bee hotel occupancy, likely due to the specialised diets of most native bees. On the other hand, a higher proportion of native flowers near bee hotels enhanced bee reproductive success,” Dr Prendergast said.

The studies are published in Pacific Conservation Biology and Urban Ecosystems, and are titled Native flora receive more visits than exotics from bees, especially native bees, in an urbanised biodiversity hotspot…