Hybrid carrot seed crop pollination by the fly Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Abstract

Many insect species can contribute to crop pollination; however, most growers remain highly dependent on the managed honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) for this service. The European Blue Blow Fly Calliphora vicina Robineau‐Desvoidy, 1830 is one species with potential use as a pollinator. It occurs worldwide and is easy to rear. Caged trials conducted within a hybrid carrot (Daucus carota L.) seed crop found C. vicina to be an effective pollinator. Seed yield (number and weight) from field‐grown carrot plants caged with C. vicina, but excluding all other large flower visitors (body width > 3 mm), was similar to seed yield from uncaged plants in the presence of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) and other insects. In contrast, caged plants without C. vicina produced 10‐fold less seed. Under open field conditions, C. vicina spent an average of 71.0 s per umbel compared to 54.4 s for honey bees; however, under caged conditions, C. vicina spent more time on average per umbel (128.9 s). Counts of C. vicina and honey bees on umbels outside of cages and C. vicina inside cages found that honey bees were most abundant on days with maximum temperature > 25°C, while C. vicina was more abundant on cooler days around 20°C. C. vicina may therefore be a useful pollinator of crops grown in isolation cages for plant breeding purposes as well as in open fields when climatic conditions are less favourable for optimal honey bee activity.

Non-bee insects are important contributors to global crop pollination

“…For example, pollinator species may visit different parts within a flower or inflorescence or different flowers within a plant (high versus low flowers), improving the quality or quantity of pollination services overall (13,(31)(32)(33). Non-bee taxa, in particular, often have broader temporal activity ranges (34)(35)(36) and can provide pollination services at different times of the day compared with bees and in weather conditions when bees are unable to forage (37)(38)(39)(40). In addition, non-bee taxa may be more efficient in transferring pollen for some crops under certain conditions (18,19,38) and/or carry pollen further distances than some bees (41).…”

“…Non-bee taxa, in particular, often have broader temporal activity ranges (34)(35)(36) and can provide pollination services at different times of the day compared with bees and in weather conditions when bees are unable to forage (37)(38)(39)(40). In addition, non-bee taxa may be more efficient in transferring pollen for some crops under certain conditions (18,19,38) and/or carry pollen further distances than some bees (41). It has been suggested that this long-distance pollen transfer could have important genetic consequences for wild plants (42,43).…”

Relative abundance and movement of flower visitors within ‘Black Doris’ plum orchards in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand

“…In New Zealand, calliphorid and syrphid flies are known to be effective pollinators of other crops (Rader et al 2009;Howlett 2012). Moreover, calliphorids will forage under cool, low light conditions that are not preferred by honey bees (Howlett et al 2013), and are active throughout all seasons of the year (Howlett et al 2016).…”

Diurnal insect visitation patterns to ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit flowers in New Zealand

“…It remains unknown how these variables might influence the occurrence and abundance of non-honey bee flower visitors in New Zealand kiwifruit orchards. However, there may be potential to increase abundances by focusing on practices to promote wild pollinators such as through the establishment of supporting habitat (Howlett et al 2013b) or through management of specific species in addition to honey bees (Donovan et al 2010;Howlett 2012).…”

“…For vegetable seed crops grown in New Zealand, honey bees, other bees and non-bee pollinators can vary in their flower visitation times (Howlett et al 2013a;Rader et al 2013). Some of this fluctuation may be because of differences in weather variables such as temperature and light intensity (Howlett 2012;Howlett et al 2013a) but peak activity within species may also vary depending on crop species. For example, in kiwifruit, peak honey bee foraging activity on flowers in New Zealand orchards has been noted to occur during the late morning (10:00-11:00) (Goodwin & Haine 1995), whereas for pak choi (Brassica rapa var.…”