Villages: underestimated habitats with potential

Villages are still relatively little studied as habitats for pollinating insects – yet they offer considerable potential.
Photo Credit: Peter Widmann / Universität Würzburg

Scientific Frontline: "At a Glance" Summary: Villages as Habitats for Pollinating Insects

• Main Discovery: Wild bees and other pollinating insects exhibit remarkable species diversity in village environments, with minimally managed green spaces and fallow lands providing superior living conditions compared to heavily cultivated areas with abundant blooms.
• Methodology: Researchers investigated 40 villages across the Würzburg and Rhön regions, categorizing the environments into five distinct habitat types—green spaces, fallow land, cemeteries, residential gardens, and farm gardens—to assess their respective ecological value for insects.
• Key Data: Cemeteries contained the highest average abundance of flowers but functioned as poor habitats due to frequent lawn mowing and the use of nectar-poor cultivated plants like double-blossom roses, whereas unmanaged green spaces provided crucial bare ground and near-natural hedges necessary for insect nesting.
• Significance: The study establishes that aesthetic floral abundance does not equate to a healthy ecosystem for pollinators; instead, undisturbed nesting sites and the presence of native wildflowers, such as scabious and thistles, are the primary drivers of regional pollinator biodiversity.
• Future Application: These ecological insights will be utilized to implement evidence-based management strategies, such as adjusted municipal mowing schedules and targeted pollinator-friendly planting advisories for residents, to optimize rural settlements for insect conservation.
• Branch of Science: Animal Ecology, Biodiversity Conservation, and Entomology.

Knautia sand bee (Andrena hattorfiana) on field scabious (Knautia arvensis)
Photo Credit: Sonja Schulze

Villages can provide important habitats for insects. A new study by the University of Würzburg shows which areas in rural settlements are particularly rich in species – and where there is still room for improvement. 

When it comes to research on habitats for pollinating insects, villages have so far received relatively little attention. The project “Summende Dörfer” (Buzzing Villages), based at the Chair of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III) at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU), aims to change that. 

In the Würzburg region and the Rhön, researchers examined a total of 40 villages to investigate which habitats within village environments are particularly insect-friendly and species-rich – and where improvements could be made. The results have now been published in the journal Ecological Applications. 

Five habitat types defined 

Within village environments, the researchers defined five habitat types: green spaces, fallow land, cemeteries, and both residential and farm gardens – that is, gardens where vegetables are grown alongside ornamental plants. 

“What is particularly surprising is the remarkable diversity of wild bees that could be recorded in village habitats. First impressions can be misleading; the areas with the most colorful blooms are not necessarily those with the greatest species diversity,” says project coordinator Dr Fabienne Maihoff. 

Although cemeteries had the highest abundance of flowers on average, pollinators often found better living conditions in green spaces and on fallow land. 

Not every flower appeals 

Cemeteries are strongly influenced by human management. Lawns are frequently mown, and plants are often selected primarily for aesthetic reasons – yet not everything that flowers beautifully is insect-friendly. 

“Cultivated roses of the genus Rosa with double blossoms, as well as lilac (Syringa) and heather (Erica), may look attractive but are not appealing to bees and hoverflies,” explains Maihoff. In addition, heavily managed areas often lack suitable nesting sites for insects. 

Conditions are often different in green spaces – such as small parks or playgrounds – and on fallow land, for example undeveloped building plots. Provided that vegetation is allowed to grow and is not prevented from flowering by frequent mowing, these areas can offer valuable resources. Bare ground and near-natural hedges provide nesting opportunities, while the plants themselves are also attractive to insects. 

“Native wildflowers such as species of Knautia (scabious) or Cirsium (thistles) can thrive here. These are particularly valuable for pollinators.” 

However, some non-native ornamental plants can also be popular sources of nectar, including species of Cuphea and Sanvitalia. “In such cases, it is important to observe how these plants integrate into the ecosystem overall, for example whether they displace important native species,” Maihoff adds. 

In addition to habitats within villages, connectivity with nearby semi-natural areas also plays a key role. These can serve as important source of habitats, particularly for solitary wild bees. Conversely, bumblebees in intensified agricultural landscapes often depend on the food resources available in villages. 

Tips for gardeners 

Cemeteries therefore offer considerable potential as habitats. But people can also contribute to biodiversity in their own gardens. As part of the project, the researchers work closely with residents. Participants receive practical advice on pollinator-friendly planting, for example, based on the findings of the current study. 

The results show that with appropriate ecological management and pollinator-friendly plants, even small areas can provide habitat for a wide variety of insects. The findings also suggest that differences between habitats indirectly reflect the availability of nesting sites, which are particularly important for maintaining regional pollinator diversity. 

Conversely, even a large garden can become a virtual desert if it is not managed appropriately. And not everything that is commonly considered attractive in a garden is ecologically valuable: plants often regarded as weeds, such as thistles, can be far more beneficial to pollinators than many popular ornamental species. 

In the current phase of the project, the researchers are also examining how temporal and spatial changes in the management of villages and their surroundings – such as mowing schedules or connecting elements between natural areas – affect species numbers and community composition. 

Resource material: Village Bees website

Additional information: The project “Wild Bees in Villages” has been running since 2020. The second project phase, titled “Buzzing Villages”, began in 2023 and is scheduled to run until 2027. 

Funding:  The project is supported by the Biodiversitätszentrum Rhön and the Bayerisches Landesamt für Umwelt.

Published in journal: Ecological Applications

Title: More than flowers: Habitat type, floral resources, and landscape context shape pollinator communities in villages

Authors: Sonja Schulze, Fabienne Maihoff, Jie Zhang, Daniela Kessner-Beierlein, Alicia Bender, Annika Schöninger, Andrea Holzschuh, and Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter

Source/Credit: Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg | Lutz Ziegler

Reference Number: eco030626_01

Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Contact Us