Pollination behavior of solitary ground-nesting bees in Wisconsin’s Driftless area and beyond

Abstract

Solitary ground-nesting bees offer essential services as pollinators of native plants and crops. Despite their important ecological, agricultural, and economic contributions, there is relatively little known about their floral relationships in the blufflands of southeastern Minnesota and Driftless region of southwestern Wisconsin. We collected pollen specimens from various solitary ground-nesting bee species at diverse sites, including suburban, woodland, and prairie habitats. These samples were analyzed using highthroughput DNA sequencing to identify plant species. The resulting dataset enabled us to link bee species to the plant species present in their pollen loads. While there was no statistically significant difference in pollen composition among bees from developed and natural areas, Andrena sp. carried distinct plant species at a woodland-surrounded park when compared to suburban lawns. Furthermore, all species were found carrying pollen from multiple plant species. This study provides foundational knowledge that will help future monitoring and conservation efforts.