THE POLLINATORS Useful organism Non-competitive invasion A pollinator is the biotic agent (vector) that moves pollen from the male anthers of a flower to the female stigma of another flower to accomplish fertilization. Some bee specimens, of unusual dimension for the Italian fauna, have nested in wooden railway sleepers within the Nature Reserve in Fondotoce in July 2009. Useful organism Non-competitive invasion Bioindicator of climate change

LIVING BEING Plant pollination by insects is one of the most widespread and important ecosystem service and is essential in both natural and agricultural landscapes. It is estimated that 60 – 90% of the world’s flowering plants depend on animal – mainly insects- for pollination. POLLINATORS

SOLITARY BEE LIFE CYCLE Growing larva

FIELD WORKS There is evidence of declines in the number of wild pollinators. European pollinator monitoring program have found significant declines in pollinators. In Italy in 2003, 500 species were found, about a half of the number of species found in 1993 (950). Causes of declines are difficult to pinpoint, but loss of habitat due to increasing urbanization, expansion of intensive agricultural, invasive species, diseases, parasites, and the widespread use of pesticides have all negative impacts on pollinator population. ISA

ARTIFICIAL NESTS Two tipes of artificial trap-nests Thuja: tree trunk segment shaped to stand securely on a horizontal support and drilled with 31 holes. Arundo donax: bundling a number of giant reeds stems, with a diameter of no less than 1 cm.

We did our own nests. Artificial nests can be constructed with bundles of reed, teasel, cup plant or bamboo, cut so that a natural node forms the inner wall of the tunnel. Cut each stem below the nodes to create a handful of tubes each with one open end. They will be used the next year to host pollinators.

POLLINATORS: BIOINDICATORS OF CLIMATE CHANGE Chalicodoma sculpturalis are tropical insects that usually live on a latitude of 6° 12’ 0” S and that acclimated in our area latitude 45° 56’ 29” N Their population is growing Every year they flicker one week earlier

EXPANSION Japan South-east Asian coast North America Europe The specimens were found belong to the species Megachile sculpturalis. Japan South-east Asian coast North America Europe original countries since 1990 recently been reported

Expansion maps of Megachile sculpturalis

Thank you Grazie mille Kiitos Serena Garbini, Isabelle Brichetto, Andrea Bonisoli, Eelis Kamula, Jonna Piippo, Olli Maaninka