Honeybee and Wild Bee Foraging Ecology in Open-Field Agroecosystems

Over recent decades, intensification of large-scale crop systems in Europe has reduced semi-natural habitats and altered floral resource availability for bees. This review synthesizes five years of research by UMT PrADE and partners on honeybee (Apis mellifera) and wild bee foraging ecology in open-field agroecosystems. It examines how mass-flowering crops like oilseed rape and sunflower offer abundant but short-lived nectar and pollen, leading beekeepers to use transhumance and artificial feeding to mitigate seasonal shortages. The work also assesses the diversity decline of wild bees and evaluates the effectiveness of agro-environmental schemes, such as floral mixture strips, in restoring bee nutrition and supporting pollinator diversity.