Managing West African Bees in the implementation of a first reference collection: Bees caught in three areas of Burkina Faso

Study Extent

Sampling was carried out in three different localities of Burkina Faso (Dano, Bontioli and Nazinga). In each locality, we made capture on 4 sites per habitat type (natural savanna, cotton fields and sesame fields).

Sampling

Four sampling plots of each 5400 m2 (60m x 90m) were chosen in near-natural savannah habitats and in nearby fields of the main cash crops of this area (cotton, sesame) at each study site (Figure 2), resulting in a total number 36 sampling plots. Each sampling plot comprised four sampling blocks (15m x 30m) spaced to 30 m. In each block six traps were installed in a distance of 15 m. In total, we set up 864 traps (24 traps per sampling plot; 288 traps per site). Cotton and sesame fields chosen to capture bees in were located at a maximum distance of 2km from the near-natural savanna sites. (Figure 2). Pantraps were used to sample honey bees and wild bees. UV-bright yellow, white and blue 500ml plastic bowls were placed in the height of ca. 1m above the ground in the savanna sites and fields; filled with salt (NaCl) saturated water and a small drop of detergent (liquid soap) were left out for 72h during each sampling round. Bees were sampled once each month in the savanna plots and every 2 weeks in the fields due to the shorter flowering period of the crops. Specimens of bees were collected, stored in alcohol, and thereafter pinned and identified to genus or species (voucher specimens are held at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels).

Method steps

1. Four sampling plots of each 5400 m2 (60m x 90m) were chosen in near-natural savannah habitats and in nearby fields of the main cash crops of this area (cotton, sesame) at each study site (Figure 2), resulting in a total number 36 sampling plots. Each sampling plot comprised four sampling blocks (15m x 30m) spaced to 30 m. In each block six traps were installed in a distance of 15 m. In total, we set up 864 traps (24 traps per sampling plot; 288 traps per site). Cotton and sesame fields chosen to capture bees in were located at a maximum distance of 2km from the near-natural savanna sites. (Figure 2). Pantraps were used to sample honey bees and wild bees. UV-bright yellow, white and blue 500ml plastic bowls were placed in the height of ca. 1m above the ground in the savanna sites and fields; filled with salt (NaCl) saturated water and a small drop of detergent (liquid soap) were left out for 72h during each sampling round. Bees were sampled once each month in the savanna plots and every 2 weeks in the fields due to the shorter flowering period of the crops. Specimens of bees were collected, stored in alcohol, and thereafter pinned and identified to genus or species (voucher specimens are held at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels).

The captured bees have been identified from the family to the species. We obtained 4 families of bees(Apidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae, Colletidae).

1. Hymenoptera
   common name: Hymenoptera rank: order
2. Apidae
   common name: Apidae rank: family
3. Halictidae
   common name: Halictidae rank: family
4. Megachilidae
   common name: Megachilidae rank: family
5. Colletidae
   common name: Colletidae rank: family

The Ecology Station of Lamto is an ecological research station located in the center of Côte d’Ivoire. Founded in 1962 by two French scientists, Maxime Lamotte and Jean-Luc Tournier, the station of Lamto is both a geophysical measurement center and a tropical ecological center. It is attached to Nangui Abrogoua University of Abidjan.