Atividades externas de Melipona marginata obscurior Moure (Hymenoptera, Apidae), em distintas épocas do ano, em São Francisco de Paula, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Abstract

Propõe-se a análise das atividades de vôo de Melipona marginata obscurior Moure, 1971, em diferentes épocas do ano. Atividades de vôo de abelhas de duas colônias foram estudadas no Centro de Pesquisas e Conservação da Natureza Pró-Mata, em São Francisco de Paula, RS. Na primavera-verão, a amplitude diária de atividade de vôo foi de nove e 13 horas para colônias A e B, respectivamente, com maior intensidade de vôo entre nove e 11 horas. A temperatura mínima para vôo foi de 14,3°C e a partir desta tornaram-se mais intensas. A maior intensidade de vôo ocorreu na faixa de 81-90% de umidade relativa e radiação solar a partir de 300 W/m². Para a colônia A, apenas a temperatura influenciou significativamente as atividades de vôo das abelhas, enquanto que para a colônia B foi somente a radiação solar. No outono-inverno, a amplitude diária de atividades de vôo foi de 10 horas, e entre 10 e 15 horas estas atividades foram mais intensas. A temperatura mínima para vôo foi de 13,7°C, e a partir desta temperatura as atividades tornaram-se mais intensas. Assim como na primavera-verão, a maior intensidade de vôo neste período ocorreu a partir de 300 W/m² de radiação solar. A temperatura e a radiação solar exerceram influência significativa nas atividades externas das abelhas das duas colônias no outono-inverno. As atividades de coleta de pólen pelas abelhas, na primavera-verão, ocorreram desde as primeiras horas da manhã, enquanto no outono-inverno o forrageamento foi tardio.

Foraging behavior, environmental parameters and nests development of Melipona colimana Ayala (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) in temperate climate of Jalisco, México

“…The start and end hours of forage activity of M. colimana differs to what has been reported in other carried out works with stingless bees of the same genus in tropical climates (Monteiro and Schlindwein, 2003;Von and Blochtein, 2005;Fidalgo and Kleinert, 2007;Nates-Parra and Rodriguez, 2011) where the activity starts and ends between two to three hours earlier, however, the total quantity of time that bees forage in tropical and temperate climate is similar (between 11 and 12 hours). In the recollection of pollen and resins behavior a tendency of greater activity towards midday was appreciated, were it was observed the bees making these activities between 9 and 10 hours during the day.…”

“…Regarding to environmental parameters, it is observed that all have relation with different foraging activities of bees that indicates that these factors can affect its activities, specially humidity, that presented a negative correlation. Registered temperature ranges that affect worker bees of M. colimana coincide with the reported for other species of bees of the same genus (Hilario et al, 2000;Borges and Blochtein, 2005;Souza et al, 2006). In relation to colonies development, the registered growth during 12 months was not so evident, since the weight of the colonies and the number of brood combs maintained practically stable and only some variations could be observed regarding the quantity of honey and pollen pots.…”

Foraging pattern and harvesting of resources of subterranean stingless bee Geotrigona subterranea (Friese, 1901) (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini)

“…This aspect can be seen in flight activity studies of relatively large species of Melipona, as M. quadrifasciata (Guibu & Imperatriz Fonseca, 1984), M. bicolor bicolor (Hilário et al, 2000), M. scutellaris (Pierrot & Schindwein, 2003;Silva et al, 2011), M. rufiventris (Fidalgo & Kleinert, 2007), M. eburnea (Nates-Parra & Rodriguez, 2011). However other small species of stingless bees, including smaller Melipona presented other pattern of foraging, it is the case of M. marginata (Kleinert-Giovannini & Imperatriz-Fonseca, 1986;Von B Borges & Blochtein, 2005), M. asilvai (Souza et al, 2006), Geotrigona mombuca (Gobatto & Knoll, 2013), Paratrigona subnuda (Mouga, 1984). It is possible that smaller species of Meliponini use floral resources after they have been exploited by larger bees (Silva et al, 2011).…”

Tetragonisca angustularesin gathering behaviour ofSchizolobium parahyba

“…This group is one of the most important to the tropical region, due to its ecological importance of pollination to all the angiosperms of this part of the world (Sawaya et al 2009). Recently this group of bees have been explored as an alternative in controlled crop pollination, and greenhouse cultures (Borges and Blochtein 2005) offering almost no harm to humans, since they lack the usual sting present on other bee groups, they are better alternatives (Da Silva et al 2011).…”