Animals - Rare wild bee species detected in Dresden
Dresden is rich in animal species. A rare wild bee, the Spitzfühler-Stängelbiene, has been discovered in the heart of Elbestadt by a project of the Environmental Center. This bee is barely known from Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, and occurs there only very rarely and locally, according to the Environmental Center. The name of the species refers to a distinctive feature of the males: the last segment of the antenna is characteristically bent and pointed.
According to animal protectors, the approximately 10 to 12 millimeter long females can be distinguished from similar Stängelbiene species in the terrain. The Spitzfühler-Stängelbiene occurs in various dry warm habitats. Crucial for the species is that the habitat provides both suitable nesting and food offerings. In the Red List of Endangered Species in Germany, the wild bee is listed as endangered.
The Environmental Center in Dresden recently started a project called BienenBrückenBauen. Since there was no comprehensive and systematic assessment of wild bees in Dresden before, the nature lovers now hope for further discoveries of wild bees.
The Spitzfühler-Stängelbiene is not commonly found in Saxony, but its presence has been documented in certain parts. The conservation of this endangered animal species is a priority in both Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, as well as in nature conservation efforts across Germany. The BienenBrückenBauen project in Dresden aims to contribute to science by systematically assessing the wild bee population in the city.
