Cool‐Blooded Bees for Cool‐Weather Flowers

Photo 1. The Sierra de Cazorla mountains in southeastern Spain, where the study was carried out. area is characterized by rugged topography, high habitat and species diversity, outstanding degree of preservation natural vegetation. credit: Carlos M. Herrera. 2. As many other mountain areas from mid-latitudes Holarctic realm, flowering season plant communities starts well before end winter, when ambient temperatures are still cool even clearest, sunniest days. Some plants living at elevations, as daffodil Narcissus longispathus (Amaryllidaceae) shown picture, sometimes have to face latest snowfalls winter while already bearing open flowers. 3. A sampler early-blooming having mining bees genus Andrena their main pollinators. Clockwise top left (percentage bee pollinators contributed parentheses): Iberis carnosa (Brassicaceae, 100%); Hepatica nobilis (Ranunculaceae, 80%); Crocus nevadensis (Iridaceae, 79%); Draba hispanica 71%); hedraeanthus (Amaryllidaceae, 67%); Fritillaria lusitanica (Liliaceae, 63%). 4. second largest bees, with ~1,600 described worldwide. They pollinate wild boreal temperate habitats Eurasia North America, particularly early spring. Out nearly 100 recorded date region, 30 were included our on thermal ecology. these featured pictures. left: baetica (on Ornithogalum umbellatum, Asparagaceae); bicolor Primula acaulis, Primulaceae); congruens Eryngium campestre, Apiaceae); fulva Rosmarinus officinalis, Lamiaceae); lagopus Diplotaxis catholica, Brassicaceae); nigroaenea Erodium cheilanthifolium, Geraniaceae); sardoa Asphodelus cerasiferus, Xanthorrhoeaceae); trimmerana Berberis hispanica, Berberidaceae). These photographs illustrate article “Seasonality Mediterranean montane habitats: cool-blooded for plants” Herrera, Alejandro Núñez, Luis O. Aguado Conchita Alonso published Ecological Monographs. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecm.1570