Colletes merceti
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Colletes merceti faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from coastal development and urbanization along Mediterranean shorelines. The species' highly specialized nesting requirements in sandy coastal soils make it extremely vulnerable to beach modification and tourism infrastructure development. Climate change-induced sea level rise and increased storm intensity further threaten the narrow coastal strip habitats essential for this bee's survival.
Habitat
This specialized solitary bee inhabits sandy coastal areas and Mediterranean shorelines, where it excavates nesting burrows in loose, well-drained sandy soils. The species requires specific microhabitat conditions found in undisturbed coastal dunes and sandy beaches with appropriate flowering plants for foraging.
