Bee abundance and diversity respond to extremes in temperature and precipitation in the Urban Chihuahuan Desert

Abstract The abundance and diversity of insects have been linked to periodic, intra‐annual fluctuations in climate. Climate change is increasing average temperatures as well as the frequency of extreme weather between years (inter‐annually). Bees use temperature and humidity as behavioural cues but are susceptible to desiccation and overheating in extreme conditions, with differences among groups of bees depending on their respective nesting habits (ground nesting or cavity nesting). Pan traps were deployed monthly for 5 years at garden plots in El Paso, Texas, to collect and identify bees to genus level. Weather variables were collected by a continuous weather station operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Ground‐nesting bee abundance was significantly negatively correlated with extremely hot temperatures, and significantly positively correlated with above‐average precipitation of the current and previous year. Cavity‐nesting bee abundance was not significantly associated with weather conditions. Research surrounding nesting traits has predominantly focused on cavity‐nesting bees; however, we found an interaction between nesting behaviour and weather effects. Ground‐nesting bee genera are susceptible to weather variation in the urban Chihuahuan Desert whereas cavity nesters were not. Further research is needed to understand the root causes and species‐level responses underlying the interactive effects of weather and nesting behaviour.