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. 2019 Nov 1;19(6):22.
doi: 10.1093/jisesa/iez125.

Pollen Resources Used by Two Species of Stingless Bees (Meliponini) in a Tropical Dry Forest of Southern Ecuador

Fernando P Gaona  1   2 , Anthony Guerrero  1 , Elizabeth Gusmán  1 , Carlos Iván Espinosa  1
Affiliations

Pollen Resources Used by Two Species of Stingless Bees (Meliponini) in a Tropical Dry Forest of Southern Ecuador

Fernando P Gaona et al. J Insect Sci. .

Abstract

Pollinators are crucial for ecosystem functionality; however, little is known about the plant species used by some of these, such as stingless bees. In this study, for the first time, pollen resources used by Melipona mimetica Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) and Scaptotrigona sp. Moure (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) were identified through analysis of corbicular pollen found on worker bees in a dry forest in southern Ecuador. In total, 68 pollen types were identified belonging to 31 botanical families. The most represented plant families were Fabaceae (16%), Malvaceae (7%), and Boraginaceae (7%). Both stingless bee species exhibited a polylectic behavior, with an average of 16 pollen types collected by individual bees. Differences in abundances of pollen types collected by each species indicated distinct uses for these two bee species.

Keywords: Melipona; Scaptotrigona; corbicular pollen; dry forest; stingless bee.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Percentage of pollen occurrence from most frequent plant species for Melipona mimetica and Scaptotrigona sp. in the Southern of Ecuador. Undetermined species are expressed as ‘type’ and their family is indicated in brackets. Pro = Proteaceae, Eri = Ericaceae, Cun = Cunoniaceae, Mun = Mundaceae, Pol = Polygonaceae, Und = Undetermined family.
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