Diversity of bees during flowering of onion crops in a xeric envi-ronment

The study of bee species present in agricultural landscapes is necessary to identify potential crop pollina-tors and promote the ecosystem services they provide. Bee community studies are the first step to know the bee species in a given area, as well as their abundance and activity periods. The aim of this research was to identify bee species as potential pollinators of onion crops in a xeric area of Argentina (San Juan province). Specimens were captured with elevated pan traps during flowering of onion crops, and the bee community was characterized by functional traits such as body size, nesting biology, and sociality. Additionally, we stud-ied the period of activity for each species in relation to the peak of onion blossom. Traps collected a total of 1,765 individuals and 55 species/morphospecies of bees were identified, reporting 21 new records for San Juan province. The most abundant species were Apis mellifera L. and two species of Lasioglossum (Dialic-tus) Robertson. The bee community was characterized by a great richness of species of small and very small size, with a preference for nesting below ground and solitary behavior. Among wild bees, genus La-sioglossum Curtis showed a high diversity (richness and abundance) during onion flowering. Future studies are needed to determine their contribution to the pollination of this crop. In this study, we highlight the diver-sity of wild bees present during onion flowering in a xeric environment and its importance for future ecolog-ical, conservation, and pollination studies.