Habitat
How do they nest?
As with their feeding, specialization exists from a nesting point of view. Unlike the large colony organization of several thousand individuals of the honey bee (Apis mellifera), wild bees usually live alone even if some individuals form small bourgarde.
Soil bees
The vast majority of wild bee species found in Europe nest in the ground. They need bare or poorly vegetated soils such as roadsides or embankments. They are suitable for all types of substrates, from sandy soils to much more compact soils.
Photo : ©David Genoud
Cave bees
These species settle in naturally hollow stems (reed, bamboo or the stems of certain apiaceae) or in galleries dug by beetles in the wood.
Photo : ©David Genoud
Carpenter bees
They dig their nests in soft wood that is wormed or decaying.
Photo : ©David Genoud
Harvesting bees
These species protect their nests through the harvesting of materials. Some line the walls of their cells with fibers harvested from the stems, leaves, or fruits of certain plants, while others prefer to use fragments of leaves or petals to protect their nests.
Photo : ©David Genoud
To help wild bees nest, go to the Good practices page !
For a population of a wild bee species to be sustainably maintained, the habitat must therefore offer the following three elements:
food resources, i.e. a sufficient supply of flowers
favorable micro-habitats (bare soil, dead wood or hollow stems)
for some species, certain specific materials for the construction of the nest