Bee populations have declined nearly 90% in the past years, and have been placed on the endangered species list. While tiny in size, bees play a massive role in our greater ecosystem, and so their preservation is crucial. In good news, researchers at Hebrew University have identified a new bee species in Israel’s coastal area, where restoration efforts have been made by Israeli scientists.
A study led by Professor Yael Mandelik and Karmit Levy, PhD candidate, has found that their preservation efforts have a positive impact on the bee population, as well as supports a better understanding of their survival requirements and pollination patterns. The new bee species is believed to be unique to the Sharon area and is named Lasioglossum dorchini, after Professor Achik Dorchin, an esteemed bee researcher from Tel Aviv University.
Levy said “we observed changes in bee communities and in the availability of their food and nesting resources in the restored habitats. In general, we can see that restoration efforts have positive effects.”
