Attraction of Bees to Native and Introduced Willows (Salix spp.)

Introduced willows have mostly been employed as a renewable feedstock for bioenergy in the northeastern USA. The question of whether introduced provide same biodiversity value and attractiveness native has not yet explored. objective this study was to compare different subfamilies bees. common garden experiment planted at Storrs, CT, USA, included three (S. eriocephala, S. sericea, lucida) ‘SX64’, ‘Onondaga’, ‘S365’) willows. Various willow taxa flowered times through spring, allowing pollinators be collected over 6-week period using colored bowl traps. As result, 2430 bees were identified subfamily level. Andreninae most prevalent pollinator visiting all willows, followed by Hylaeinae Colletinae. There no significant differences number from either or during progressive flowering mid-March–May 2021 2022, suggesting their equal pollinators. Similarly, concurrent two taxa, there associated with group that when had foraging choices, they similarly attracted both overall finding suggested plantings meet goals offer similar benefits floral resources