The Istituto Nazionale di Apicoltura, in close partnership with the University of Bologna (Department of Agro-environmental Science and Technology – Entomology Section), has set up a research unit to study the interaction between bees and the environment: the Apoidea Group.




The Group conducts trials using an environmental biomonitoring technique based on a unique feature of honeybees: i.e. bees are like mobile sensors and can provide us with a huge amount of information regarding the state of health of the environment (in the photo: environmental monitoring station with collection traps for dead bees). But the INA has also launched intense research activities in the field of apidology: study of various types of bees, members of the superfamily Apoidea, which have immeasurable ecological importance given their role as pollinators.

This area specifically embraces the following aspects:

- Development of experimental protocols for environmental monitoring with honeybees: in rural environments to assure correct use of pesticides, in urban environments to detect pollution caused by traffic (heavy metals, PAHs), in specific environments to determine pollution caused by industrial processes, radionuclides, etc.
- Field application of biomonitoring techniques
- Study of biodiversity among pollinating insects (pollinators) in agricultural and protected areas
- Research on the biology of megachilids (family of solitary bees) aimed at defining guidelines for breeding and using them to pollinate crops where the honeybee is not the pollinator par excellence.
- Studies on the toxicity of pesticides for honeybees and other pollinators.
- Study of the possible relationships between bees and genetically modified plants.