Bibaggar i Halländska grustäkter
This report is a result of a first survey of Halland?s gravel pits as an assignment from the County Administrative Board of Halland. The focus has been on Apalus bimaculatus, since the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency are creating a restoration program as it is red listed as Near Threatened. The purpose was also to get an overview of the pits since the County Administrative Board wants to continue this project. Apalus bimaculatus is easy to overlook since it is a short-lived beetle and it lives early in the spring. The species parasitize on Colletes cunicularius which are dependent on fine-grained, exposed sand in sunlit areas with Salix nearby. Gravel is a limited resource that today is replaced with crushed rock, this is a big problem for the beetles since the gravel pits are their primary habitat. The sand pits have a continuous disturbance which results in mixed sand and removed vegetation. This early succession state benefits species that are sensitive to competition. The after-treatment of the pits disfavors Apalus bimaculatus when plantation of trees occurs and the exposed sand disappears. It is suitable to save sun exposed slopes and to prevent overgrowing of vegetation. The survey was between 5th of March to the 19th of April and in total 96 active and disused pits was visited. The species was found in only two localities but 14 were considered as suitable environments since they contained exposed sand and Salix.