Abelhas (Apoidea) visitantes de flores de Comolia ovalifolia DC Triana (Melastomataceae) em uma área de restinga na Bahia

Abstract

-The flowers of Comolia ovalifolia present poricidal anthers and their pollen serve as protein source to a specific group of bees, able to extract the pollen from the anthers through vibration. From January to December /2001, we observed the flowering of C. ovalifolia and the activity of the most frequent bees throughout the year. The peaks of flowering of C. ovalifolia occurred in March and from September to November/2001. The flowers of C. ovalifolia were visited by 16 species of bees, being the most frequent Centris leprieuri (Spinola), Xylocopa subcyanea Pérez, Centris sp., Euglossa sp. and Florilegus similis Urban. Among these, C. leprieuri was the most frequent visitor in the flowers (89%) and its foraging period overlapped with the blooming of C. ovalifolia. This bee presented adequate size and efficient behavior in pollen collection and transfer to the stigma, being considered an effective pollinator of the flowers.

Flowering phenology of Mouriri guianensis (Melastomataceae) and its interaction with the crepuscular bee Megalopta amoena (Halictidae) in the restinga of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil

“…In addition, Xylocopa are efficient pollination agents, mainly for plants such as Mouriri with poricidal anthers (Buchmann 1983). Poricidal anthers could be a strategy for avoiding the harvest of pollen grains by less efficient visitors (Junker and Blüthgen 2010;De Luca and Vallejo-Marin 2013), reducing the numbers of visiting bees, as found in Tibouchina, Comolia and Mouriri (Buchmann and Buchmann 1981;Buchmann 1983;Oliveira-Rebouças and Gimenes 2004). Furthermore, the large quantity of pollen produced and the heteranthery presented by Mouriri flowers may, in part, contribute to mitigate the problem of the "pollen dilemma," guaranteeing their reproductive and feeding success (Vallejo-Marin et al 2009).…”

Atividades relacionadas à construção e aprovisionamento de ninhos de Xylocopa subcyanea (Hymenoptera, Apidae) em uma área de restinga na Bahia, Brasil

“…Xylocopa subcyanea atua como polinizador eficiente de várias espécies de plantas nativas do ambiente de restinga (OLIVEIRA-REBOUÇAS & GIMENES, 2004). Neste sentido, obter informações sobre o hábito de nidificação e os horários preferenciais para suas atividades forrageiras e de nidificação são de especial interesse, especialmente, para futuros estudos de conservação da biodiversidade do ecossistema de restinga, que se encontra em acelerado processo de degradação pela ação antrópica.…”

Daily activity patterns of visits by males of four species of Eulaema (Apidae: Euglossina) to odor baits in a tropical forest fragment in Bahia, Brasil

“…Hara (Onagraceae) in Southeast Brazil report that the light-dark cycle and the daily temperature cycle affected the opening time of flowers and bee activities on flowers (GIMENES et al 1993, 1996, GIMENES 2002, 2003. OLIVEIRA-REBOUÇAS & GIMENES (2004) observed that the beginning of the foraging activities of Centris leprieuri Spinola in a 'restinga' area in Bahia was synchronized with sunrise and the flower opening times in Comolia ovalifolia Triana. GOTTLIEB et al (2005) concluded that the daily activities of P. olivieri bees were af- fected by the daily light-dark cycle because they only occurred during sunrise and sunset hours.…”