Pollen Harvest by Africanized Apis Mellifera and Trigona Spinipes in São Paulo Botanical and Ecological Views (original) (raw)
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Recebido em 12/03/2010. Aceito em 12/08/2010 RESUMO -(Pólen coletado por Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) na região de Dourados, estado de Mato Grosso do Sul (Brasil)). Apresentamos dados sobre a coleta de pólen por Apis mellifera L. em uma localidade no centro-oeste do Brasil, ainda não estudada. Cargas corbiculares de pólen foram coletadas durante um ano em frente ao ninho, acetolisadas e montadas em lâminas para microscopia óptica. A identifi cação foi feita por comparação com uma coleção de referência local. Quarenta e dois tipos polínicos foram utilizados pelas abelhas; as famílias mais importantes foram Myrtaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Brassicaceae e Poaceae. O ranqueamento de importância relativa para gênero/espécie mostrou Eucalyptus (19%), Raphanus raphanistrum (13%), Poaceae tipo 2 (7,5%), Jatropha cf. gossypiifolia (7%) e Sapium glandulatum (6,5%). No geral, a maioria dos recursos (80%) não foi utilizada com abundância, e uma minoria (4%) alcançou valores de 10%. Dado que a área de estudo não possui uma vegetação natural, mas cultivares, nós indicamos a maioria das espécies identifi cadas como manejáveis e apontamos que a vegetação ruderal pode ser importante como recurso alimentar para abelhas uma vez que ela ocorreu com frequência no espectro polínico mesmo dentro de uma área completamente cultivada. Palavras-chaves: centro-oeste brasileiro, fl ora apícola ABSTRACT -(Pollen harvest by Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the Dourados region, Mato Grosso do Sul state (Brazil)). We present data on the pollen harvest by Apis mellifera L. at a central-western Brazil site not yet studied. Corbiculae pollen loads were collected during one year in front of the hive, acetolysed and slides mounted for optical microscopy. Identifi cation followed comparisons with a local pollen collection. Forty-two pollen types were utilized by the bee; the most important families were Myrtaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Brassicaceae and Poaceae. The genus/species level ranking of relative importance showed Eucalyptus (19%), Raphanus raphanistrum (13%), Poaceae type 2 (7.5%), Jatropha cf. gossypiifolia (7%) and Sapium glandulatum (6.5%). Overall, the majority of pollen types (80%) were not abundantly harvested, and a minority (4%) reached values of 10%. Given that the study area has cultivated plants and not natural vegetation, we indicate most of the identifi ed species as manageable and point out that weedy vegetation can be an important food source for bees since it frequently occurred in the pollen spectra even within a totally cultivated area.
Botanical affinity of pollen harvested by Apis mellifera L. in a semi-arid area from Bahia, Brazil
Grana, 2009
We analysed the botanical composition of pollen harvested by Apis mellifera L. in the Canudos Biological Station, Bahia, Brazil, and the influence of climatic factors on pollen sample composition was assessed. Forty-six pollen types were identified belonging to species occurring in the study area. The family Leguminosae was of significant importance amongst the samples, represented by ten pollen types. Diodia radula, Rhaphiodon echinus, and Mimosa misera pollen types occurred most constantly among the samples. We observed that isolated pollen class characterises samples analysed. It was also observed that pollen type richness is directly linked to rainfall, reflecting the strong influence of this climatic parameter on flowering intensity, and thus on the ability of the bees to obtain food resources.
Anais da Academia …, 2010
The aim of this study was to investigate the polliniferous floral sources used by Apis mellifera (L.) (africanized) in an apiary situated in Pará de Minas, Minas Gerais state, and evaluate the pollen prefences among the beehives. Two beehives of Langstroth type with frontal pollen trap collectors were used. The harvest was made from September 2007 to March 2008, with three samples of pollen pellets colected per month per beehive. The subsamples of 2 grams each were prepared according to the European standard melissopalynological method. A total of 56 pollen types were observed, identifying 43 genus and 32 families. The families that showed the major richness of pollen types were: Mimosaceae (8), Asteraceae (6), Fabaceae (3), Arecaceae (3), Euphorbiaceae (3), Rubiaceae (3), Caesalpiniaceae (2), Moraceae (2) and Myrtaceae (2). The most frequent pollen types (> 45%) were Mimosa scabrella, Myrcia and Sorocea. The results demonstrated a similarity regarding the preferences of floral sources during the major part of the time. There was a distinct utilization of floral sources among the pollen types of minor frequency. In spite of the strong antropic influence, the region showed a great polliniferous variety, which was an indicative of the potential for monofloral as well as heterofloral pollen production.
Sociobiology, 2012
Pollen analysis in honey can be used as an alternative method to research into flowers visited by bees in an area. This study aimed to indentify the main floral families in honey from apiaries in the Atlantic Forest and Sergipe state coast. Honey samples from these apiaries were studied, as well as plants that grow around them, which can be used as a source of foraging for bees. The palynological technique was used to compare the pollen content of honey samples with the pollen grains from leaves of plants found in the vicinity of the apiaries to assess whether they had been visited by bees. The results of studies in both sites were similar in terms of incompatibility of families found in the apiary vicinity and honey. Thus, it was possible to observe that in honey samples from the coast and in the remaining Atlantic forest, the number of families was greater than the number of families found in the apiary vicinity, which highlights the diversity of plants visited by bees and a possible expansion of the visited area for food search. This diversity suggests an adaptive foraging behavior to plant resources available in the environment, which may facilitate the pollination of these botanical families and consequently improve their genetic quality.
The botanical profiles of dried bee pollen loads collected by Apis mellifera (Linnaeus) in Brazil
Sociobiology, 2013
Resende, 2007). Brazilian vegetation is geographically diverse and is divided into five macro-regions. The North region includes the largest tropical rainforest in the country such as a huge drainage area through the Amazon basin. The Northeast re-Abstract A total of 61 dried bee pollen samples collected in four Brazilian macro-regions within 19 municipalities were analyzed aiming to identify the sources used by Apis mellifera (L.) for pollen production and to enable a more accurate product certification. Sample preparation followed the standard methodology, including washing the pollen grains with ethanol, then with water and homogenising the sediment in a water/glycerine solution for microscopic observation. Pollen counts included at least 500 pollen grains per sample. Only six samples, presenting a unique species or pollen type comprising more than 90% of the pollen sum, were considered monofloral, including Ambrosia sp., Cecropia sp., Eucalyptus sp., Fabaceae, Mimosa scabrella (Benth.) spp. and Schinus sp. pollen types. The most frequent pollen types of the heterofloral pollen batches, based on a counting limit of 45%, included Anadenanthera sp., Asteraceae, Brassica sp., Caesalpiniaceae, Cocos nucifera (L.) sp., Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia (Benth.) sp., Mimosa verrucosa (Benth.) sp., and Myrcia sp. pollen types. This result may be related to the great diversity of the Brazilian flora contributing to heterofloral pollen loads and honeys.
Forest Ecology and Management, 2014
Eucalyptus is an exotic genus in Brazil with massive flowerings that are visited by bees in search of food. To verify the use of Eucalyptus spp. in the pollinic diet of Apis mellifera L. and Melipona obscurior Moure, we evaluated the proportion of pollen that both bee species collected from Eucalyptus spp. in relation to the relative abundance of Eucalyptus spp. in the study areas. The study occurred in the localities of Riozinho and Rolante, RS, Brazil, whose land cover was characterized by remote sensing. Every two weeks from April/2009 to March/2010, pollen was collected from foragers of three hives of each bee species for posterior palynological analysis. The median percentage of Eucalyptus spp. pollen collected in Riozinho was 16.3% (0-55.3%; n = 18) for A. mellifera and 2.6% (0-72.3%; n = 15) for M. obscurior. In Rolante, the median was 21.9% (0-66.7%; n = 19) for A. mellifera and 17.6% (0-82.9%; n = 17) for M. obscurior. The difference between these values was significant only when considered the collection period. The index of use was similar for both species and both areas. The attractiveness and availability of flowering Eucalyptus spp. throughout the year allowed both species of bees to use pollen from this genus in both areas, regardless of the landscape characteristics. In southern Brazil, sustainable practices for the management of eucalypts can contribute to the survival of social bees during the periods of lower pollen production by other sources.
Sixty-one samples of dried bee pollen collected from various apiaries in the southern Brazilian macro-region were examined to detect the botanical origin of the pollen and to enable more accurate product certification. The palynological analysis of the samples followed the standard methodology and was conducted without the use of acetolysis. The samples were washed once or twice with ethanol and then with water. The sediment obtained was homogenised in a water/glycerine solution for microscopic observation. The target number of pollen grains to be counted was 500 pollen grains or more per sample. The results demonstrated that 35 samples consisted of a unique pollen type representing more than 90% of the pollen sum (or more than 60% if no accessory pollen was present). These samples were considered monofloral. Several pollen types grouped in a sample were related to heterofloral pollen batches. The most frequent pollen types were of Mimosa scabrella, Eucalyptus, Andira, Machaerium, Myrcia and Piptocarpha. The results of the current study were related to the surrounding vegetation of the apiaries and reflected the resources available to the bees. Furthermore, these results are relevant to apicultural activities and are commercially significant.
Bee Plants and Relative Abundance of Corbiculate Apidae Species in a Brazilian Caatinga Area
Plantas melíferas e abundância relativa de espécies de Apidae corbiculadas em uma área de caatinga no Brasil. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a utilização floral por parte de espécies de Apidae corbiculados na caatinga nos Cariris Velhos, no estado da Paraíba, Brasil. A área apresenta uma pluviosidade total anual em torno de 300 mm. As abelhas foram capturadas principalmente em flores, num intervalo de duas semanas durante um período de 12 meses. Foram coletados 1154 indivíduos de 15 espécies de abelhas em flores de 48 espécies de plantas pertencentes a 34 famílias. Trigona spinipes foi a espécie de abelha mais abundante, seguida de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis, Apis mellifera, Scaptotrigona aff. tubiba, Frieseomelitta varia dispar, e Trigonisca pediculana. Convolvulaceae (21.7% das visitas), Caesalpiniaceae (18.8%) e Papilionaceae (17.0%) foram as famílias botânicas mais visitadas. As abelhas demonstraram alguma preferência por certas espécies de plantas. Apis mellifera e abelhas sem ferrão apresentaram uma baixa sobreposição no uso dos recursos. Maiores sobreposições foram observadas entre abelhas sem ferrão do mesmo gênero. Trigona spinipes foi a espécie mais abundante e menos especializada observada. A. mellifera apresentou uma baixa abundância na área. Supõe-se que as condições áridas dos Cariris Velhos sejam mais adversas para Apis mellifera do que para abelhas da subtribo, Meliponina.
Brazilian Journal of Biology, 2015
Eucalyptus plantations are frequently used for the establishment of bee yards. This study was carried on at Fazenda Brejão, northwestern region of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This farm is covered both with native Cerrado vegetation (Brazilian savanna) and eucalyptus plantations. This paper reports on the botanic origin of pollen pellets and honey collected from honeybee (Apis mellifera) hives along a thirteen-month period (January 2004 to January 2005). The most frequent pollen types found in the pollen pellets during the rainy season were Trema micrantha (Ulmaceae), Copaifera langsdorffii (Fabaceae), an unidentified Poaceae, unidentified Asteraceae-2, Cecropia sp. 1 (Cecropiaceae) and Eucalyptus spp. (Myrtaceae); during the dry season the most frequent pollen types were Acosmium dasycarpum (Fabaceae), Cecropia sp. 1 (Cecropiaceae) and Eucalyptus spp. (Myrtaceae). Pollen grains of Baccharis sp. (Asteraceae), Cecropia sp. 1 (Cecropiaceae), Copaifera langsdorffii (Fabaceae), Mi...