Bee World | 2021
Nesting Ecology and Foraging Biology of the Mason Bee Osmia (Helicosmia) latreillei Spinola, 1806 (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in Western Algeria
Abstract
Introduction Wild bees are of immense value playing a vital ecosystem role because of the pollination services they provide to natural and agricultural ecosystems (Aleixoa et al., 2014). They forage on flowers to provide their brood with pollen and/or nectar on which the latter develop. During these foraging bouts, bees transport pollen grains from one flower to another ensuring seed set and gene flow between plants (Jongjitvimol & Poolprasert, 2014). Bees use nectar mainly as a source of carbohydrate while pollen is the major source of protein, although it also provides other necessary nutritients such as lipids, minerals, and vitamins (Atanassova & Lazarova, 2010).