The biodiversity of wild bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) in southern Italy—particularly in Calabria and Basilicata—remains poorly documented despite the region’s high species richness. This study addresses this gap by assessing bee fauna through field surveys conducted across diverse habitats, including national parks, reserves, and agroecosystems, between 2016 and 2023. Bees were collected using hand nets or traps, and DNA barcoding was applied to 63 specimens to support species identification. A total of 223 species were recorded, including 10 new records for Basilicata, 57 for Calabria, 20 for southern Italy, 3 for the Italian mainland, and 1 for Italy, Eucera (Eucera) colaris Dours, 1873 (Apidae). The results reveal the unexpected presence of several central European species in mountainous areas of southern Italy, co-occurring with Mediterranean taxa. These findings indicate that these regions act as important refugia for species from both Mediterranean and Central European biogeographic zones, contributing to high regional diversity. DNA barcoding also revealed notable genetic divergence in several species compared to other European populations, highlighting the uniqueness of southern Italian bee fauna. Continuous monitoring and habitat protection are urgently needed in light of agricultural intensification and climate change.
Mendicino et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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