Distribution of wild bee (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) and hoverfly (Diptera: Syrphidae) communities within farms undergoing ecological transition

Abstract

In Havelange (Belgium), two farms are experiencing an ecological transition. We aimed to evaluate the impact of their agricultural activities on insect pollinator communities. This article depicts the situation at the very early stage of the farm transition. This study supports the fact that the maintenance of farm-level natural habitats provides environmental benefits, such as the conservation of two important pollinator communities: wild bees and hoverflies. Over two years (2018-2019), by using nets and coloured pan-traps, we collected 6301 bee and hoverfly specimens amongst contrasting habitats within two farmsteads undergoing ecological transition in Havelange (Belgium). We reported 101 bee species and morphospecies from 15 genera within six families and 31 hoverfly species and morphospecies from 18 genera. This list reinforces the national pollinator database by providing new distribution data for extinction-threatened species, such as Andrena schencki Morawitz 1866, Bombus campestris (Panzer 1801), Eucera longicornis (L.) and Halictus maculatus Smith 1848 or for data deficient species, such as A. semilaevis Pérez 1903, A. fulvata (Müller 1766), A. trimmerana (Kirby 1802) and Hylaeus brevicornis Nylander 1852.