Floral preferences of a neotropical stingless bee, Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Apidae: Meliponina) in an urban forest fragment

Brazilian Journal of Biology

Y. Antonini²  R. G. Costa¹  R. P. Martins¹ 

[1] ,Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas Departamento de Ciências BiológicasOuro Preto MG ,Brazil

关键词: floral sources;    stingless bee;    forest fragments;    recursos florais;    abelhas sem ferrão;    fragmento de floresta;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S1519-69842006000300012

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

Species of plants used by Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier for pollen and nectar gathering in an urban forest fragment were recorded in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Melipona quadrifasciata visited 22 out of 103 flowering plant species. The plant species belonged mainly to Myrtaceae, Asteraceae, and Convolvulaceae (64% of the visits). Melipona quadrifasciata tended to collect pollen or nectar each time, except for Myrtaceae species, from which both pollen and nectar were collected. Bee abundance at flowers did not significantly correlate to food availability (expressed by flowering plant richness). We found a relatively high similarity (50%) between plant species used by M. quadrifasciata, which was also found in studies carried out in São Paulo State. However, low similarity (17%) was found between the results of this study and those of another done in Bahia State, Brazil.

【 授权许可】

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