Wrocław/ Scientist: Climate change is contributing to the spread of the black bee in Poland

The purple carpenter bee, or black bee, until recently considered a likely extinct species in Poland, is spreading rapidly, primarily in the north of the country. Global warming and climate change are responsible for its expansion, pointed out Dr. Paweł Jarzembowski from the Institute of Biology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences.

Adults of the purple woodlice moth reach up to 3.5 cm in length. The insect builds nests in dead wood, hence its Latin name , Xylocopa violacea , which comes from the Greek words "xylon" (wood) and "kopē" (to cut). The woodlice moth has a black body and wings with a navy-purple sheen.

Since 2004, it has been considered a "probably extinct" species in Poland, but today it is increasingly found, especially in the north of the country.

Dr. Paweł Jarzembowski from the Institute of Biology of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences pointed out that global warming and climate change are mainly responsible for the return of this insect to Poland.

"The rising temperature favors the survival of thermophilic species and allows them to colonize areas where they were previously unable to survive. For over a decade, this phenomenon has resulted in the northward shift of the distribution boundaries of many species," explained Jarzembowski, quoted in a university press release sent to PAP.

The scientist also pointed to the natural migration of the woodlice and its spread related to human activity. "The insects migrate, for example, with the transport of timber, which, combined with a milder climate, allows them to survive and reproduce in new areas. The ecological flexibility of this species is also important. Although the woodlice are thermophilic, they can also inhabit environments transformed by humans. They use dead wood, wooden building walls, fences, and even crevices in walls, building nests there," Jarzembowski emphasized.

Scientists attribute the disappearance of this species in Poland at the beginning of the 21st century to the loss of suitable habitats, especially old, decaying trees, and the impact of agricultural intensification and the use of chemicals.

In Lower Silesia, the presence of the purple carpenter beetle was not recorded for 100 years, until 2015. Currently, it can be found in the southern and eastern parts of the voivodeship, including the Kłodzko Land, the Sudetes Foothills, the Wrocław Lowland, and along the Oder Valley. (PAP)

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