Atividade de meliponíneos (Hymenoptera: Apidae) em ambiente protegido / Meliponin activity (Hymenoptera: Apidae) into protected environment

AUTOR(ES)
FONTE

IBICT - Instituto Brasileiro de Informação em Ciência e Tecnologia

DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

20/04/2009

RESUMO

In order to use tribe Meliponin bees into protected environment pollination programs, this work has aimed to evaluate different Meliponin species into greenhouse. The study was made at UFV, using a greenhouse, with an area of 115,2 m, 3,5 m height in the sides and 5,2 m in the upper part. Initially six Meliponin species were studied (Melipona quadrifasciata, Scaptotrigona xanthotricha, Nannotrigona testaceicornis, Tetragonisca angustula, Frieseomelitta varia and Partamona helleri), from which three: Melipona quadrifasciata, Nannotrigona testaceicornis and Frieseomelitta varia were selected, once they presented major foraging activity in vegetation house and were kept in easy handling colonies. Three colonies of each selected species were housed, at a time, into the vegetation house: Four replications with different colonies were made. In the last replication only M. quadrifasciata and F. varia were used, once there were just three colonies of N. testaceicornis available. Foraging activity, collecting nectar and pollen, varied among colonies of same species and between different species colonies. In the first days, bees flew to the ceiling and sides of vegetation house and died. When they began visiting flowers this behavior reduced greatly or ceased. Melipona quadrifasciata has presented a wide daily activity period (from 6:30 to 18:00 h.), with an increase in the middle of the morning and peak at 9:00 h. This species activity presented relation with meteorological factors (moisture, relative humidity of air). They have visited different plants for collecting nectar, especially coral vine (Antigonon leptopus) and basil (Ocimum sellowii). Nannotrigona testaceicornis and Frieseomelitta varia which have presented shorter foraging activity daily period, were more active in midday and in the beginning of the afternoon (12:00 – 14:00 h.), have shown positive relation with temperature and lighting but negative with relative humidity of air. Nannotrigona tesataceicornis visited several plants for collecting nectar and pollen, preferably in basil (Ocimum sellowii) flowers and coral vine (Antigonon leptopus). On the other hand, Frieseomelitta varia visited only Crown-of-thorns or Christ Plant (Euphorbia milii) flowers, from which has taken nectar, pollen and resin used for building the nest. During foraging period these bees visited flowers of same individuals and also of distinct individuals, touching their reproductive parts, enabling hence to make pollination.

ASSUNTO(S)

polinização ambiente protegido meliponíneos entomologia agricola pollination protected environment meliponin

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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