Foraging Range of Honey Bees,Apis mellifera, in Alfalfa Seed Production Fields

Abstract

A study was conducted in 2006 and 2007 designed to examine the foraging range of honey bees, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae), in a 15.2 km2 area dominated by a 128.9 ha glyphosate-resistant Roundup Ready® alfalfa seed production field and several non-Roundup Ready alfalfa seed production fields (totaling 120.2 ha). Each year, honey bee self-marking devices were placed on 112 selected honey bee colonies originating from nine different apiary locations. The foraging bees exiting each apiary location were uniquely marked so that the apiary of origin and the distance traveled by the marked (field-collected) bees into each of the alfalfa fields could be pinpointed. Honey bee self-marking devices were installed on 14.4 and 11.2% of the total hives located within the research area in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The frequency of field-collected bees possessing a distinct mark was similar, averaging 14.0% in 2006 and 12.6% in 2007. A grand total of 12,266 bees were collected from the various alfalfa fields on seven sampling dates over the course of the study. The distances traveled by marked bees ranged from a minimum of 45 m to a maximum of 5983 m. On average, marked bees were recovered ∼ 800 m from their apiary of origin and the recovery rate of marked bees decreased exponentially as the distance from the apiary of origin increased. Ultimately, these data will be used to identify the extent of pollen-mediated gene flow from Roundup Ready to conventional alfalfa.

Genetic connectivity and diversity in inselberg populations of Acacia woodmaniorum, a rare endemic of the Yilgarn Craton banded iron formations

“…Generalist insects including native and introduced bees are known to routinely fly distances of several kilometres, especially among fragmented habitat (Dick, 2001;Jha and Dick, 2010;Hagler et al, 2011) and may directly facilitate pollen dispersal when traversing intervening unsuitable habitat among populations. Pollen dispersal over a distance of 1.6 km has also been recorded previously for A. saligna, a common widespread species of the more mesic areas of south west WA, using direct paternity analysis methods (Millar et al, 2008.…”

Correlations between land covers and honey bee colony losses in a country with industrialized and rural regions

“…A radius of 5 km was found as the main foraging distance, accounting for 90% of the foraging activity (Visscher and Seeley, 1982). Hagler et al (2011) found that the foraging distance of honey bees ranged up to 5.983 km. Based on these findings, we decided to look for relationships between land use and colony losses within radii of 2 km and 5 km around the apiaries as estimates of the mean and main foraging distances.…”

Genetic structure of dioecious and trioecious Salix myrsinifolia populations at the border of geographic range

“…It was measured in ArcGIS 10.0 software (upon Corine Land Cover 2006 data) as ratio of all forests over a 5.5-km radius around the populations. The distance used here was assumed to be a reasonable length to overcome a common pollinator like honey bees (Beekman and Ratkiens 2000;Hagler et al 2011). The O COV represents possible habitats for S. myrsinifolia and better conditions for pollinator movement.…”