Torsdag d. 19/5 kl. 18:30, Universitetsparken 15B, Bygning 1, Auditorium A, 2100 København Ø

Generalforsamling efter foredraget 

Plants for Pollinators: Which flowers make hoverflies hover and bees buzz?

Associate Professor and Curator of Botany, Natasha de Vere

(Statens Naturhistoriske Museum, Københavns Universitet)

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Pollinating insects are facing global declines with potentially severe impacts on biodiversity and human health. Pollinator declines are caused by a combination of interacting factors including habitat loss, climate change, pests and diseases and the use of pesticides. A lack of suitable floral resources is a key cause of decline in wild pollinators and ill-health in managed honeybees. My research aims to understand pollinator foraging preferences and provide recommendations on how to maximise suitable flowering plants in gardens, amenity areas and agricultural landscapes. To track the plants used by pollinators we collect pollen, from the bodies of insects, or from honey samples, and use DNA metabarcoding to identify the plants. In this talk I will present some examples from my research team. We will look at how the diet of honeybees has changed over the last 60 years and identify the ‘June gap’ when floral resources are low. Then we will look at the floral preferences of bees (bumblebees, solitary bees and honeybees) and hoverflies to see how their diet differs between species and individuals. I’ll finish off with recommendations on what we can all do within our gardens, green spaces and communities to help pollinators.