Road verges are corridors and roads barriers for the movement of flower‐visiting insects

Roads and road verges can potentially have opposite impacts on organisms that move through the landscape. While be habitat for a large number of species, been proposed to act as dispersal corridors, roads barriers movement. This duality has however rarely assessed simultaneously, it is unknown what degree depends amount traffic quality verge. We used fluorescent powdered dye track movements flower-visiting insects along with varying intensity, in contrasting (flowering plant species richness flower density). Insect were more frequent than into adjacent habitats, indicating corridors. The frequency required crossing was lower compared did not, suggesting are barriers. movement patterns independent but barrier effect stronger when verge had higher density resources. corridors each other. Our results suggest tend remain longer high flowers we therefore managing habitats an increased diversity will mitigate known negative insect populations.