| Abstract: | Lake Cerknica is a Slovenian biodiversity hotspot for wild bees. Studies of wild bees in the area have begun in the last decades by dr. Andrej Gogala, who collected and observed specimens and recorded their occurrences. He recorded 69 species. Later, between years 2020–2023, with the intensive monitoring conducted by the National Institute of Biology, the number of found species has increased to 163. This accounts for 28% of all species in Slovenia, or about 8% of Europe’s wild bee fauna. Intensive monitoring was done by passive colour traps (vane traps and pan traps). The observed specimens belong to all 6 family trees that are found in Europe. Halictidae and Megachilidae being the most diverse ones, with both containing 39 species. Next biggest family is Apidae, with 30 species, followed by Andrenidae with 28 and Colletidae with 20. The lowest species richness was recorded in Melittidae with only 7 species, which was to be expected. Among all the families, 20 species of cuckoo bees were found, whi-ch indicates a healthier environment that protected areas can achieve. Bumblebee population density is at least 4 times greater than at any other sampling site in Slovenia we encountered. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume, that Lake Cerknica offers higher diversity of plants, that supply food for pollinators (including large bees such as bumblebees) throughout the whole season. Distinct difference was also observed between species caught on wet meadows and the edge of the forest. |
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