Copyright of all bees photos belong to Prof. Peter Wirtz
Madeira Nature is very rich in what respects to insects. From the almost 3000 known species there are many Madeira and Macaronesia endemics in this animal class, around 20%, though we believe there is still much more to discover... Just on the Laurel Forest there are more than 500 species of invertebrates, ranging from insects, arachnids and molluscs.
Putting our attention on the order Hymenoptera, superfamily Apoidea, next there is a checklist of the bees you can find in Madeira nature where the ones underlined are endemic species or subspecies:
FELLENDORF, M., C. MOHRA, S. ROBERTS, P. WIRTZ & G. van der ZANDEN:
1999. The bees of Madeira (Hymenoptera Apoidea). Bocagiana, 197: 1-17.
SMIT, J. T. & J. SMIT
2003. Hylaeus signatus (Panzer, 1798) new for the fauna of Madeira, with notes on its feeding behaviour (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Entomofauna, 24/11: 165-168.
List produced by Peter Wirtz on 18/02/2007, to whom Madeira Wind Birds thank his precious collaboration.
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