Wild bees have a fundamental ecological and economic importance, particularly as important pollinators of wild and cultivated plants. Wasps also play an important role as predators regulating arthropode communities in ecosystems.
In recent decades, the number of individuals of wild bees and wasps has decreased enormously. Most likely due to a combination of anthropogenic factors such as habitat loss, exposure to pesticides or introduced diseases.
To preserve and promote wild bees and wasps a comprehensive monitoring of their species diversity and population sizes in rural and urban areas is mandatory. In addition, to strengthen their occurrence, diversity and abundance a comprehensive assessment of their collected nest resources such as pollen or arthropods is needed to promote effective "insect-friendly" habitats.
The aim of this project is to stick deeper into the ecology of native wild bees and wasps by:
- The establishment of a reliable DNA barcoding / DNA metabarcoding approach to study collected food resources of wild bees and wasps in different areas.
- Cataloging essential food resources to a) formulate recommendations for „insect-friendly“ habitats e.g. selection of appropriate flowering mixes and b) promote wasps as natural regulators of e.g. aphids
