Stuttgart – Tansy Mask Bee is the “Wild Bee of the Year 2022”.
At first glance, the bee is reminiscent of a tiny black wasp or ant, the Stuttgart Natural History Museum, Wild Bee Cadastre and Association Naboo Baden-Württemberg reported together on Thursday.
“Wild Bee of the Year” with the technical name Hylaeus nigritus belongs to the genus of masked bees, which includes 39 species in Germany. The masked bees were no more than nine millimeters long and were counted among the “smallest representatives of our wild bee fauna,” according to a statement. The animals are mainly black, but their body parts are also white. The white face mask may have given the genus its German name.
The tansy mask bee is currently not endangered in Germany. Among other things, it can be found in gardens and public green spaces if there are certain composites such as tansy, marguerite, Dyer’s chamomile or meadow yarrow.
Along with the tansy mask bee, the responsible board of trustees has chosen for the tenth time, according to the information, “wild bee of the year”.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 220113-99-691707/3
