DEMO

Osmia cornuta is a native solitary bee. It occurs in most of Catalonia. In some areas, it is know as "primavera" (spring) due to its early flight period, or as “abella de forat” (hole bee) because it nests in small cavities. Previous studies conducted by our group have shown that this species is an excellent pollinator of almonds, cherries, apples and pears. These studies also developed methods to rear and manage populations of this species. More recently, we have found natural populations of this species in the fruit production areas of Lleida and Girona.

In this project we aim to demonstrate that the use of native populations of Osmia cornuta is a good strategy to improve pollination of various orchard crops in Lleida. We have three objectives:

1. To demonstrate in commercial orchards managed by producers that the use of Osmia cornuta populations results in increased production in almonds, cherries and pears. 
2. To demonstrate that it is possible to multiply Osmia populations in these orchards, and therefore ensure the sustainability of this resources. 
3. To transfer to the fruit sector the knowledge related to the use of this bee species.