Beekeeping in natural areas and its effects on wild bees: Data and metadata

Abstract

Data used to evaluate the effect of honeybees on richness, pollen nest provision, and reproductive success of wild wood-nesting bees in a dryland reserve in Argentina. Experimental design: Over three years (2019, 2021, and 2022), we worked with beekeepers to establish five beekeeping sites (25 hives at each site) and, from each beekeeping site, we established a 1 km transect with two sampling points: one near (200 m) and one far (1000 m) from managed hives. Sampling: To assess the impact of managed honeybee hives on nest pollen provision and reproductive performance of wood-nesting bees, we used wooden trap nests. Trap nests are a straightforward method for studying the nesting biology of solitary bees. From each bee nest, we recorded the species, the number of brood cells, and the length of the nest within the longitudinal hole, and we collected one brood cell for subsequent pollen identification in the laboratory. For more information, see: Tudanca, M. P. P., Medero, A. V., & Vázquez, D. P. (2025). Beekeeping in natural areas and its effects on wild bees. Biological Conservation, 305, 111097. Figshare repository: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.27074905