ISHS Acta Horticulturae 288: VI International Symposium on Pollination
SOME OBSERVATIONS ON FLIGHT ACTIVITY AND FORAGING OF WORKERS OF THE STINGLESS BEE MELIPONA FAVOSA (APIDAE, MELIPONINAE) IN A LARGE GREEN HOUSE |
| Authors: | L.L.M. de Bruijn, M.J. van Herk, M.J. Sommeijer |
| Abstract:
To obtain more insight in the ecological needs of stingless bees, the foraging behaviour of Melipona favosa workers was studied, both under semi-natural and experimental conditions in a large tropical greenhouse. Foraging-intensity was found to be temperature- and light-dependant and foraging patterns for nectar and pollen were different. A description is given of the foraging behaviour on different flowers. Nestmates were found to avoid each other when given an alternative foodsource. Workers of different colonies were seen to fight over a particular food source. Bees were seen to sample other possible foodsources regularly, apart from the ones they were foraging on. | |
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