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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Pollinator Health in Southern Crop Ecosystems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #424992
Research Project: Ecological Assessment and Mitigation Strategies to Reduce the Risks of Bees to Stressors in Southern Crop Ecosystems

Location: Pollinator Health in Southern Crop Ecosystems Research

Title: Bees (hymenoptera: anthophila) of seasonal herbaceous wetlands in mississippi

Author
item HUGHES, HALEY - Mississippi Department Of Wildlife,fisheries, And Parks(MSU)
item Parys, Katherine
item Huntzinger, Kimberly
item Lankford, Caleb
item FORTUIN, CHRISTINE - Mississippi Department Of Wildlife,fisheries, And Parks(MSU)
item DAVIS, J. BRIAN - Mississippi Department Of Wildlife,fisheries, And Parks(MSU)

Submitted to: USDA Miscellaneous Publication 1343
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/14/2025
Publication Date: 9/13/2025
Citation: Hughes, H., Parys, K.A., Huntzinger, K.T., Lankford, C.A., Fortuin, C., Davis, J. 2025. Bees (hymenoptera: anthophila) of seasonal herbaceous wetlands in mississippi. USDA Miscellaneous Publication 1343. 8:1-2. https://data.canadensys.net/micropublications/resource?r=collection_8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5886/wv0tub

Interpretive Summary: Seasonal wetlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) are often managed to provide habitat for migrating waterfowl by manipulating water levels and vegetation. However, little is known about how these management practices impact native bee populations, which are essential pollinators for many flowering plants in these wetlands. In 2024, researchers collected 1803 bees representing 66 species, from four sites, including public and private lands in Mississippi, using specialized traps (bee bowls and vane traps). The most common species were Augochlorella aurata and Ptilothrix bombiformis. These findings provide valuable information on the richness, abundance, and community structure of native bees in managed wetlands. This research highlights the importance of seasonal wetlands not only for waterfowl but also for pollinators. Understanding how native bee populations respond to habitat management can inform future wetland management practices that support both pollinators and waterfowl, enhancing overall ecosystem health.

Technical Abstract: Seasonal wetlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) are managed to promote early succession plants that provide food for migrating waterfowl, but their impact on native bee communities remains understudied. In order to investigate how moist-soil impoundments influence native bee richness, abundance, and community structure, collections were conducted from February to October 2024 across four sites, including public and private lands, with three located in the Delta (part of the MAV) and one at the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge. Sampling used pan traps and vane traps, with 216 total sample-surveys resulting in 1,803 specimens from 66 species across five families (Andrenidae, Apidae, Colletidae, Halictidae, and Megachilidae). The most abundant species were Augochlorella aurata (16.6%) and Ptilothrix bombiformis (16.4%). These findings highlight the richness of native bees in managed moist-soil wetlands and provide baseline data for future research on pollinator responses to habitat management in floodplain ecosystems.