Agapostemon virescens microbiome

The microbiome can be a biomarker of bee health, indicating both beneficial and harmful microorganisms in a bee community. We present the first characterization of the bacterial, fungal, and plant composition for adult bicoloured sweat bees (Agapostemon virescens) collected using pan traps, blue vane traps, and sweep netting across the northern extent of their range. Using non-destructive methods, we extracted DNA from pinned wild bee specimens and performed metabarcoding of the 16S rRNA, ITS, and rbcL regions. We found that the collection method affected the detection of some microbial and plant taxa. Fungal alpha diversity was lowest in sweet net samples, although limited differences in bacterial or fungal beta diversity suggest that no method far outweights the others, and a combination of techniques can cater to a wider array of microbial detection. We also found regional variation in bacterial, fungal, and plant diversity. Agapostemon virescens' core microbiome consists of two bacteria, three fungi, and a plant association, all commonly detected in other wild bees. While these core microbes were consistent across collection methods and location, expanded studies of wild bee microbiomes across species and landscapes will unveil important relationships between pollinator health and their environment.