Abstract. The behaviour and activity patterns of Apis mellifera and of five species of Bombus were analysed in relation to climatic variables and nectar quality on three varieties of unsprayed cultivated raspberry (Rubus idaeus) in eastern Scotland. Stages of floral morphology and reward were similar for the three varieties: young flowers offered both nectar and pollen, but medium and old flowers offered nectar only, in diminishing quantities. A wide range of insects visited raspberry flowers, but bees were dominant, bumblebees being responsible for about 60% of all visits and honeybees making up most of the remaining percentage. All bees had substantial pollen deposited on their bodies during visits, though few specifically collected it. Bombus spp. were found to favour young (receptive) flowers strongly, especially early in the morning when pollen was most abundant: whilst Apis visited unselectively. Bumblebees also foraged over substantially longer periods of the day, and in poorer weather, some being present at most times of observation; and they foraged more quickly in terms of flower visits per minute. Bombus carried more pollen on their bodies than Apis, and also deposited more pollen on raspberry stigmas, with B.lapidarius and B.terrestris being particularly effective and also being the most abundant species. All bumblebees also foraged over a longer range, moving between canes and rows more frequently than did honeybees. Bumblebees are therefore likely to be substantially more important as pollinators of raspberries than are honeybees, especially as raspberries though moderately self‐fertile may exhibit metaxenia. Reasons why Bombus may be the preferred pollinator in most sites of raspberry cultivation are discussed, together with implications for present and future growers.

Background More than 20,000 species in the superfamily Apoidea have been identified worldwide. This superfamily includes the most important group of insect pollinators that contribute to the integrity of ecosystems. Main body We have gathered in this paper data from many previous works in Northern Africa and Middle East regions. Some of these data are date from many years ago and others are recent. We present here a non-exhaustive list of some common Apoid species. In addition, certain previous studies that were published and other current research opportunities were suggested. Conclusion Although there are many bee experts in the Arab world, i.e., in apiculture, however, a few researchers are interested in melittology even though it seems that this region represents a large bee diversity.

Bees are a large and diverse species of insects belonging to the Hymenoptera order. The family Megachilidae represents a large part of most of the bee fauna all over the world as a result of their importance as pollinators. The study aimed to describe the morphological characteristics of three species of wild bees belonging to Megachile parientina (Geoffroy, 1785), Rhodanthidium sticticum (Fabricius, 1787), and Anthidium diadema Latreille, 1809 in Aljabal Alakder, Libya. Specimens were collected by hand net from different locations in the Aljabal Alakder area (Albayda and Alwastia). The morphological characters were described by using the OPTIC microscope. Measurements were taken at full body length (in cm), front wings length, thorax and abdomen width, body color was taken (head, abdomen, thorax, wings), and the study described in details the morphology of mouthparts, wings venation, antenna and abdominal structure for all species. The morphological structures vary between the different species in color, size, and wings. The body length of M. parientina was 19 mm, R. sticticum was 12 mm, and A. diadema was 13 mm. The study’s conclusion insists on the importance of morphological description studies to facilitate the identification of wild bees species in Libya.

The present study was carried out to investigate the biodiversity, abundance and seasonal fluctuation of ground beetles on Massa region from June 2015 to October 2016. The beetles were collected using 20 pitfall traps which were operated on a weekly basis, a total of 2867 specimen representing two families Carabidiae and Tenbrionidae and 10 genera (Blaps polychresta, Zophosis punctata, Pimelia interpunctata, Blaps nitens, Adesmia dilatata, Scaurus vicinus, Tentyria cyrenaica, Laemostenus complanatus, Ditomus cilpeatun and Akis costitubera were recorded. Overall diversity was 81% and 83% Simpson's scale and Shannon's scale respectively. The highest index; 0.116841 (Simpson's index) and   0.36693 (Shannon's index) was found in species Z.  punctata. Results showed the influence of temperature on A. costitubera,  B.  polychresta and  D. cilpeatun with the A. costitubera  being a better predictor,  addition to constant of  A. costitubera  Beta =0.818 ; constant of A. costitubera and  B.  polychresta Beta = 0.625 and 0.53 and  constant of A. costitubera , B. polychresta and D. cilpeatun  Beta = 0.629 , 0.335 and 0.191. The results concluded the importance of using ecological indexes in studying the abundance and seasonality of ground beetles fluctuated during different seasons.

أوضحت الدراسة إن نبات الإكليل Rosmarinus officinalis L. يوفر غذاء أساسياً (رحيق – حبوب لقاح) لنحل العسل في الفترة الممتدة من أواخر شهر الكانون (ديسمبر) وحتى أواخر شهر الماء ، كما أظهرت الدراسة إن إفراز الرحيق وإنتاج حبوب اللقاح يتذبذب خلال ساعات اليوم الواحد وأيضاً خلال العمر الزهري ، حيث وجد أن أكبر كمية من الرحيق وكذلك حبوب اللقاح تنتجها زهور نبات الإكليل كانت في اليوم الأول لتفتح الزهرة وخاصة في بداية النهار كما أن أعداد الزهور التي ينتجها النبات يكون في قمته في بداية الموسم ثم يبدأ في الانخفاض وهذا بدوره يؤثر على سلوك تغذية الحشرة حيث يتجه النحل في اختياره إلى الرحيق في بداية نشاطه اليومي عندما يكون إفراز الرحيق أكثر مقارنة ببقية اليوم ، كما أظهرت البيانات أن المدة التي تقضيها الحشرة في استخلاص الغذاء من زهرة واحدة حوالي 1.5 ثانية بينما الفترة التي تستغرقها في الانتقال من زهرة لأخرى حوالي 1.7 ثانية . درست أيضاً علاقة طول أجزاء فم الحشرة بطول عنق الزهرة ومدى ملاءمته بتكيف الحشرة مع شكل الزهرة وحجمها ، وكذلك معدل الزيارات في الدقيقة الواحدة . وقد أوضحت هذه الدراسة أن حشرة نحل العسل هي ملقح لنبات الإكليل في منطقة الجبل الأخضر .