CONSERVATION OF MEGACHILE LAGOPODA

OVERVIEW

OVERVIEW

Victor’s project focuses on Megachile lagopoda (Stortapetserarbi in swedish), which is the largest mason bee in Sweden. The species is listed as Near Threatened (NT) according to the 2020 Red List. Historically it was widespread across southern and central Sweden, but the population has declined dramatically since the 1950s. Key threats include habitat destruction, agricultural intensification, and inappropriate land management practices. However, recent observations indicate a possible recovery of the species, likely due to climate change.

This project aims to understand the habitat requirements, spatial distribution and population dynamics of M. lagopoda based on field surveys of the species in Östergötland and population genetics of the entire Swedish population. By collecting these data, the project should identify critical factors influencing the species’ survival and inform conservation strategies. The project also aims at developing population models that can be used to predict future population dynamics under different scenarios of management and climate change. Predictions can for example be used to identify where potential restoration actions should be focused.