Wild Bee Conservation in North American Roadside Rights of Way

Abstract

Wild bees are critical species, as both ecosystem service providers through pollination of plants and as components of global biodiversity. Documented declines of wild bees globally, in part due to decreasing habitats and degradation of remaining habitats, has led to exploration of novel conservation approaches. In more recent years, roadside habitats, also referred to as verges, have been proposed as one potential new conservation habitat for insect pollinators. This is a distinct shift, as roads are known to impact insects negatively, through both direct lethal impacts, such as collision with vehicles while crossing, and indirect sublethal impacts, such as altering movement in the landscape for species unwilling or unable to cross roads.