Wild bee diversity in the Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse National Park (Belgium)

Human-induced environmental changes are driving declines in wild bee populations globally, threatening both pollination services and overall ecosystem stability. The implementation of effective conservation strategies for these pollinators ultimately depends on a clear understanding of both their local patterns of diversity and habitat associations. The Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse National Park (ESEMNP), recently created in southern Belgium, is situated in a botanically rich area but remains poorly documented in terms of standardised bee surveys. To address this gap, we monitored 32 sites over a five-month period, collecting 1159 specimens from 102 species. Of these, 17 are listed as threatened in Belgium's most recent Red List, including four Critically Endangered species. Analyses revealed that calcareous grasslands supported the highest overall diversity and the greatest concentration of threatened taxa. These results emphasise the conservation value of certain habitat types within the park and the need for management practices that sustain both species richness and populations of at-risk species.