Studying the Daily Harvesting of Pollen by Apis mellifera (Galicia-NW Spain). Pollen Foraging Pattern from Several Sources

Authors

  • M. Pilar de Sá-Otero Department of Vegetal Biology and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Vigo, As Lagoas, 32004 Ourense, Spain
  • Sandra Armesto-Baztán Department of Vegetal Biology and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Vigo, As Lagoas, 32004 Ourense, Spain

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12974/2311-858X.2018.06.01.2

Keywords:

Harvesting pollen, daily pattern, honey bees, pollen offer, sources competition, foraging rhythm.

Abstract

In order to study the behaviour of honey bees in relation to pollen harvesting, and diversity and quantity of pollen from harvested loads, we have studied honey bee visits in different hours of the day and in several months, in four hives located in the South of Galicia (NW of Spain). All hives showed some hourly patterns in common. The honey bee colonies focalised their activity in any pollen sources in different moments of the day [morning –before 12:00 a.m.- (Ranunculus peltatus-type, for example); central hours -from 12:00 to 16:00 p.m.; morning and afternoon interval –before 16:00 p.m. (Cytisus scoparius-type, Quercus spp., for example); and in evening –from 16:00 p.m.-(Castanea sativa and Rubus ulmifolius-type)]. Sometimes, the collecting pattern of one determined pollen source varies in different hives. 

References

de Sá-Otero MP, Díaz-Losada E and Armesto-Baztán S. Flower election by honeybee and floral morphology. Lazaroa 2004; 25: 113-123.

Dobson HEM. Role of flower and pollen aromas in host-plant recognition by solitary bees. Oecologia 1987; 72: 618-623. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378991

Rasheed SA and Harder LD. Economic motivation for plant species preferences of pollen-collecting bumble bees. Ecol Entom 1997; 22: 209-219. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2311.1997.t01-1-00059.x

Baum KA, Rubink WL, Coulston RN and Bryant VM Jr. Diurnal patterns of pollen collections by feral honey bee colonies in southern Texas, USA. Palynology 2011; 34 (1): 85-93. https://doi.org/10.1080/01916122.2010.546621

Corbet SA and Delfosse ES. Honeybees and the nectar of Echium plantagineum L. in south-eastern Australia. Aust J Ecol 1984; 9: 125-139. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.1984.tb01351.x

Cortopassi-Laurino M and Ramalho M. Pollen harvest by africanized Apis mellifera and Trigona spinipes in Sao Paulo botanical and ecological views. Apidologie 1988; 19(1): 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:19880101

Zhang S, Schwarz S, Pahl M, Zhu H and Tautz J. Honeybee memory: a honeybee knows what to do and when. J Exp Biol 2006; 209: 4420-4428. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.02522

Kevan P and Menzel R. The plight of pollination and the interface of neurobiology, ecology and food security. Environmentalist 2012; 32: 300-310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10669-012-9394-5

Silva DP, Moisan-De-Serres J, Souza DC, Hilgert-Moreira SB, Fernandes MZ, et al. Efficiency in pollen foraging by honey bees: time, motion, and pollen depletion on flowers of Sisyrinchium palmifolium (Asparagales: Iridaceae). J Poll Ecol 2013; 11(4): 27-32.

Greco CF, Banks P and Kevan PG. Foraging behaviour of honey bees (Apis mellifera) on asparagus (Asparagus officinalis). P Entomol Soc Ont 1995; 126: 37-43.

Butler CG, Jeffree EP and Kalmus H. The behaviour of a population of honeybees on an artificial and on a natural crop. J Exp Biol 1943; 20: 65-73.

Ribands CR. The foraging method of individual honey bees. J Anim Ecol 1949; 18: 47-66. https://doi.org/10.2307/1581

Grant V. The flower constancy of bees. Bot Rev 1950; 16: 379-398. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02869992

Free JB. The flower constancy of honeybees. J Anim Ecol 1963; 32: 119-131. https://doi.org/10.2307/2521

Project Apolo: Polinizadores y Biodiversidad. Apolo. Observatorio de agentes polinizadores. Ed.: Asociación Espa-ola de Entomología, Jardín Botánico Atlántico, Ayuntamiento de Gijón, Centro Iberoamericano de la Biodiversidad -CIBIO-, Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente, Fundación Biodiversidad y Asociación de Defensa de la Abeja Principado de Asturias - Adapas- 2011.

de Sá-Otero MP, Marcial-Bugarín S, Armesto-Baztán S and Díaz-Losada E. Método de determinación del origen geográfico del polen apícola comercial. Lazaroa 2002; 23: 25-34.

de Sá-Otero MP, Armesto-Baztán S and Díaz-Losada E. Analysis of protein content in pollen loads. Grana 2009; 48: 290-296. https://doi.org/10.1080/00173130903149140

de Sá-Otero MP, Armesto-Baztán S and Díaz-Losada E. Initial data on the specific heterogeneity found in the bee pollen loads produced in the "Baixa Limia-Serra do Xurés" Nature Reserve. Acta Bot Gallica 2005; 152 (3): 361-375. https://doi.org/10.1080/12538078.2005.10515495

de Sá-Otero MP. Armesto-Baztán, S, Díaz-Losada, E. Initial data on the specific heterogeneity found in the bee pollen loads produced in the Pontevedra region (North-West Spain). Grana 2007; 46: 300-310. https://doi.org/10.1080/00173130701776490

Percival M. The presentation of pollen in certain angiosperm and its collection by Apis mellifera L. New Phytol 1955; 54: 353-368. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.1955.tb06192.x

Faegri K and van der Pijl L. The principles of pollination ecology. 3ª Ed. Pergamon Press, Oxford 1979.

von Frisch K. La vida de las abejas. Ed. Labor, Barcelona 1984.

García-García MC, Ortiz PL and Díez-Dapena MJ. Recolección de polen durante un día por Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, apidae), II. Lagascalia 1998; 20(2): 195-209.

García-García MC, Ortiz PL and Díez-Dapena MJ. Pollen collecting behaviour of Apis mellifera during one day. Grana 2001; 40(4-5): 205-209. https://doi.org/10.1080/001731301317223141

Rivas-Martínez S, Gandullo-Gutiérrez JM, Allué-Andrade JL, Montero-de Burgos JL and González-Rebollar JL. Memoria del mapa de series de vegetación de Espa-a. I.C.O.N.A., Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación 1987.

Erdtman G. Handbook of Palynology - An Introduction to the Study of Pollen Grains and Spores. Verlag Munksgaard, Copenhagen 1969.

Vergeron PH. Interprétation statistique des résultats en matière d'analyse pollinique des miels. Annales de l'Abeille 1964; 7(4): 349-364. https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:19640407

Valdés B, Díez MJ and Fernández I. Atlas polínico de Andalucía occidental. Instituto de Desarrollo Regional de la Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla 1987.

Ramil-Rego P, Aira-Rodríguez MJ and Saá-Otero P. Clave de las Ericeae gallegas. Lazaroa 1992; 13: 33-40.

Saa-Otero MP, Suárez-Cervera M and García VR. Atlas de polen de Galicia I. Deputación de Ourense, Ourense 1996.

Moore PD, Webb JA and Collinson ME. Pollen analysis. Blackwell Science, University Press, Cambridge 1999.

Louveaux J, Maurizio A and Vorwohl G. International commission for bee Botany of IUBS methods of Melyssopalynology. Bee World 1978; 59(4): 139-157. https://doi.org/10.1080/0005772X.1978.11097714

Armesto-Baztán S. El análisis del polen corbicular y estudio de factores de la biología floral que condicionan la elección de especies poliníferas. Doctor Thesis, Vigo University, Ourense-Galicia (Spain) 2013.

Díaz-Losada E, González-Porto AV, Fernández-Gómez E and Saa-Otero MP. Contribución al estudio de la utilización selectiva por Apis mellifera L. de la flora local en un colmenar del NW de la Península Ibérica (Galicia). Acta Bot Malac 1995; XX(20): 115-122.

Díaz-Losada E, González-Porto AV and Saa-Otero MP. Botanical nature of apicultural pollen in northwest Spain. Bee Science 1996; 4(1): 14-20.

Díaz-Losada E, González-Porto AV and Saa-Otero MP. Estudio melisopalinológico en Galicia (NW de Espa-a). Orsis 1997; 12: 27-38.

de Sá-Otero MP, Díaz-Losada E and González-Porto AV. Relación categorizada de especies de la flora gallega (NO de Espa-a) que Apis mellifera L. utiliza como fuente de polen. Bol Soc Esp Hist Nat (Secc Biol) 2001; 96(3-4): 81-89.

Seijo-Coello MC, Aira-Rodríguez MJ, Iglesias MI and Jato- Rodríguez V. L'activité d'affouragement de l'abeille domestique sur Actinidia deliciosa Chev. Comprise à la lumière de l'analyse pollique. Grana 1994; 33: 286-291. https://doi.org/10.1080/00173139409429012

Sabatini AG, Giordani G and Bottazzi F. Flora pollinifera ed api: risultati di un'indagine. L'Ape Nostra Amica 1985; 4-12.

Bolchi-Serini G and Salvi G. Contributo alla conoscenza dell'etologia di Apis mellifera L. nella raccolta di polline. L'Apicolore Moderno 1986; 77: 195-202.

Chen CT. Effects of honey bees on pollination and fruit set of cantaloupe. Zhonghua Kunchong 1996; 16: 25-33.

Greco CF, Holland D and Kevan PG. Foraging behaviour of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) on staghorn sumac

[Rhus hirta Sudworth (ex-Typhina L.)]: differences and dioecy. Can Entomol 1996; 128 (3): 355-366. https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent128355-3

Bruijn MLL and Sommeijer MJ. Colony foraging in different species of stingless bees (Apidae, Meliponinae) and the regulation of individual nectar foraging. Insect Soc 1997; 44: 35-47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s000400050028

Schneider SS and Hall HG. Diet selection and foraging distances of African and European-African hybrid honey bee colonies in Costa Rica. Insect Soc 1997; 44: 171-187. https://doi.org/10.1007/s000400050039

de Sá-Otero MP, Díaz-Losada E and Armesto-Baztán S. Flower election by honeybee and floral morphology. Lazaroa 2004; 25: 113-123.

Dukku UH, Russom Z and Domo AG. Diurnal and seasonal flight activity of the honeybee, Apis mellifera L., and its relationship with temperature, light intensity and relative humidity in the savannah of Northern Nigeria. GJSFRBS 2013; 13: 4(1): 1-7.

Romero-Bujan MI. Catálogo de Flora de Galicia. Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Monografías do IBADER, Lugo, Spain 2008.

Downloads

Published

03-05-2018

How to Cite

de Sá-Otero, M. P. ., & Armesto-Baztán, S. . (2018). Studying the Daily Harvesting of Pollen by Apis mellifera (Galicia-NW Spain). Pollen Foraging Pattern from Several Sources. Global Journal Of Botanical Science, 6, 5–18. https://doi.org/10.12974/2311-858X.2018.06.01.2

Issue

Section

Articles