Bees of Andorra

In April 2026, AR+I launched a project to study the country's wild bees. Until now, knowledge of these insects had been very limited, as there were only a few bibliographic references and some field studies that by no means reflected the true diversity of this insect group.

The project has been led by biologist and specialist Matthieu Aubert, who, with the help of AR+I researchers, has surveyed most of the country's habitats.

Bees are insects of the order Hymenoptera that play a fundamental role in ecosystems as pollinators, both the well-known honey bee and the vast multitude of other species in the group. Their activity is essential for the fertilization of numerous plants and for the production of fruits and seeds, decisively contributing to the conservation of biodiversity and the proper functioning of ecosystems.

During the spring and summer of 2026, numerous localities in Andorra were visited with the goal of surveying the greatest possible diversity of habitats and identifying the highest number of bee species. A methodology based on two techniques was used:

• Manual capture with an entomological net (sweeping net)
• Traps made of colorful containers that mimic flowers, intended to attract different species.

The collected species are sorted for subsequent identification in the laboratory.

Once the process of identifying the collected samples is complete, the results will be compiled into a final report that will also be available on the AR+I website.