Natagora researchers recently discovered the Andrena tscheki bee, a rare species never before recorded in Belgium, during habitat restoration monitoring in the Laclaireau Valley nature reserve. This specialist bee nests in sandy areas and depends exclusively on plants from the mustard family for pollen. The discovery raises important scientific questions, as the species is rare across its entire European range and little is known about its conservation status or response to climate change.
The finding was made possible through the combined efforts of the LIFE Connexions and LIFE Belgium for Biodiversity (B4B) projects. While LIFE Connexions restored valuable calcareous grasslands, LIFE B4B significantly improved knowledge of bee distribution through large-scale biodiversity surveys across Wallonia. The discovery also highlights the importance of the EU LIFE programme for biodiversity conservation and monitoring, at a time when its future as an independent funding instrument is being debated within the European Union.
Photo Thibaud Vandaudenard