Bacterial communities of wild bee species and the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) (Hymenoptera: Apoidea): Alpine insights.

ABSTRACT: Wild bees are decreasing in species diversity and populations due to human impact. The abundance of the western honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) experiences an inverse trend, enhancing competition with wild bees and the probability of microbiome exchange. Addressing this exchange, we studied the gut microbiome composition of wild and honey bees, focusing on patterns indicating honey bee influence. Three solitary wild bee species (large scabious mining bee [Andrena hattorfiana F.], grey-backed mining bee (Andrena vaga Panzer), and European orchard bee [Osmia cornuta Latreille]) as well as bumble bees as representatives of eusocial wild bees (Bombus spp. Latreille) and honey bees were sampled in the Austrian Alps. Subsequent 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing revealed the composition of the bacterial

SUBMITTER: Royer FP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12598629 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature