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What flowers benefit wild urban bees?
A part of the flower called the corolla is important when it comes to bee biodiversity
Certain characteristics of flowers are important in supporting wild bee diversity in urban areas. “We know that flowers are an important source of nutrition for bees, but not all flowers are created equal,” said Carly Ziter, the corresponding author of a study on the topic and an associate professor at Concordia University in Montreal. Flowers are an essential source of food for wild bees found in cities. In a study published in Ecological Applications, researchers looked at different flower characteristics and how they relate to bee diversity. They found that among urban flowers, diversity in the size and shape of the corolla—the tube-like structure around the center of the flower where the nectar is stored—meant more wild bee biodiversity. “Having a high diversity of flowers is a key to supporting bee populations, but our research goes one step further to show a possible mechanism: that having a diversity of floral species is important because they have different shapes and sizes,” Ziter said.
Header Image: Bumblebees are one wild species that shows up in urban areas. Credit: alvaroreguly
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