A survey of native bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) at lakeplain prairie and prairie fen habitats in Michigan

Michigan’s lakeplain prairie and prairie fen natural communities contain refugia for many at-risk species of insects, including species that are listed at the federal and state level. Wild bees are a group of insects crucial for maintaining robust plant-pollinator communities. Numerous species of bees are presumed to be in decline. However, baseline community surveys are lacking and needed to document the status of species occupying these natural communities. In 2021, Michigan Natural Features Inventory completed wild bee surveys in lakeplain prairie (lakeplain wet-mesic prairie and lakeplain wet prairie) and prairie fens in Michigan using a combination of aerial netting and bowl trapping. A total of 1,118 wild bees, representing 104 unique species or morphospecies, were collected during these surveys, including new state records for Dufourea marginata (Cresson, 1878) and Sphecodes nigricorpus Mitchell, 1956. The baseline inventory of wild bees in 2021 provides valuable information on species presence at these locations and suggests that they may act as refuges for rare species of native bees in the state. Continued management of lakeplain prairie and prairie fen natural communities should take into consideration wild bee communities and strive to ensure populations maintain stable numbers.