Caring for Pollinators - Bundesamt für Naturschutz

Hamm Fact sheet pollinators: Hymenoptera
Hymenopterans and biodiversity of wild plants
The impact of hymenopterans on maintenance of wild plant diversity is the highest among
insects.
Aceraceae Cornaceae Linaceae Ranunculacae
Apiaceae Cucurbitaceae Malvaceae Salicaceae
Araliaceae Dipsacaceae Oleaceae Scrophulariaceae
Arecaceae Ebenaceae Onagraceae Solanaceae
Asteraceae Ericaceae Orchidaceae Tiliaceae
Betulaceae Fabaceae Papaveraceae Violaceae
Boraginaceae Fagaceae Plantaginaceae Vitaceae
Brassicaceae Gentianaceae Polygonaceae
Cactaceae Geraniaceae Rosaceae
Campanulaceae Liliaceae Rubiaceae
See also fact sheet Flower Bees.
Specific remarks
The earliest fossil records of Hymenoptera are from the Middle Triassic of Central Asia and
the Upper Triassic of Austria. By the time of the Jurassic (200 mya) the group had radiated
considerably (approximately 21 families were represented). The first groups were phyto-
phagous exclusively on non-flowering vascular plants. Most of the modern families began to
appear towards the end of the Cretaceous. The hymenopteran families of today probably
arose with the radiation of the angiosperms in the late Cretaceous. The most recent hymen-
opteran families have existed for at least 50 million years and the oldest bee specimen is
from Bumese Amber of nearly 100 mya in age.
Acknowlegdement
Many thanks to David Roubik for providing valuable comments and corrections.
Authors' address:
Dr. Andreé Hamm, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation Section Ecology of
Cultural Landscape (Zoo-Ecology), University of Bonn, Melbweg 42, 53127 Bonn, e-mail:
a.hamm@uni-bonn.de, Website: http://www.tierökologie.uni-bonn.de
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