The accompanying fauna of Osmia cornuta and Osmia rufa and effective measures of protection

Abstract

The present paper treats species of the fauna accompanying Osmia cornuta (Latreille) and O. rufa (L.), with special attention to measures of protection against the most significant organisms that restrict their populations. The most significant organisms that restrict Osmia populations are the fly Cacoxenus indagator Loew and the mite Chaetodactylus osmiae Dufour. The wasp Monodontomerus obscurus Westwood is a significant organism that restricts Osmia populations in paper tubes used as nesting material, and is found sporadically in marsh reeds used for this purpose in the vicinity of Belgrade. However, it was not present in lamellar boxes. Anthrax anthrax Schrank is an important organism restricting populations of O. cornuta and O. rufa in several localities in the vicinity of Pisa (Italy). The other species of the accompanying fauna exerted no significant influence on the abundance of populations of these bees in the vicinity of Belgrade. Species of the accompanying fauna are grouped in the following categories: cleptoparasites, parasitoids, nest destroyers, predators, cleptobionts, and accidental nest residents.