Honeybee pollination of Japanese plums (Prunus salicina Lindl. cv. Satsuma) in the Goulburn Valley, Victoria

1985 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 227 ◽  
Author(s):  
DF Langridge ◽  
RD Goodman
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Wind Pollination ◽  
Native Bees ◽  
Prunus Salicina ◽  
Valley Area ◽  
Insect Visitors

The pollination requirements of Japanese plums (Prunus salicina Lindl. cv. Satsuma) were examined in an orchard in the Goulburn Valley area of Victoria. Trees which were accessible to honeybees (Apis mellifera) had a higher percentage pollination rate (3.2 times) greater weight of fruit (2.6 times) and more fruit (3.3 times) than did the trees that were enclosed to exclude bees and large insects. Honeybees comprised 88.5% of all insect visitors to the flowers. The behaviour patterns of other insects were such that they would effect little or no pollination. Pollen gathering bees are considered the main pollinators of this species because of their activity early in flowering. No native bees (Trigona spp.) were seen to visit the flowers. While parthenocarpy and wind pollination may produce some fruit on Satsuma, the presence of an adequate population of honeybees is necessary to set a satisfactory crop.

Honeybee pollination of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) cv. Manor

2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 1217 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Goodman ◽  
G. Hepworth ◽  
P. Kaczynski ◽  
B. McKee ◽  
S. Clarke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Seed Production ◽  
Pieris Rapae ◽  
Fagopyrum Esculentum ◽  
Native Bees ◽  
Fagopyrum Esculentum Moench ◽  
Insect Visitors ◽  
Coccinella Transversalis

The role of honeybees (Apis mellifera) in the pollination of buckwheat cv. Manor was studied in a commercial planting at Smeaton, Victoria. Honeybees comprised 80% of all insect visitors to this crop. Other insects included ladybirds (Coccinella transversalis and C. undecimpunctata), hoverflies (Meangyna viridiceps), drone flies (Eristalis sp.), blowflies (Calliphoridae), cabbage white butterflies (Pieris rapae), small bush flies and native bees. The activity of honeybees and other insects increased seed production from 91.5 g/plot (plots closed to insects) to 180.4 g/plot (plots open to insects).

Honeybee pollination of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) cv. Haifa

1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 1121 ◽  
Author(s):  
RD Goodman ◽  
AE Williams
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Seed Yield ◽  
White Clover ◽  
Trifolium Repens ◽  
Native Bees ◽  
Flowering Period ◽  
Trifolium Repens L ◽  
Seed Yields ◽  
Insect Visitors

The role of honeybees (Apis mellifera) in the pollination of white clover cv. Haifa was studied in a commercial planting at Mount Mercer, Victoria. Honeybees comprised 88% of all insect visitors to this crop. The activity of honeybees and native bees (Lasioglossum sp.) increased seed yield from 1.3 g/plot (plots closed to bees) to 40.3 g/plot (plots open to bees). The caging of plots for part of the flowering period to simulate the non-availability of bees for pollination resulted in lower seed yields than those from uncaged plots.

Honeybee pollination of strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne)

1988 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 435 ◽  
Author(s):  
RD Goodman ◽  
BP Oldroyd
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Fragaria X Ananassa ◽  
Fresh Weight ◽  
Pollinating Insects ◽  
Insect Visitors

The pollination requirements of strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne cv. Tioga) were examined in a planting in southern Victoria. Plots that were accessible to honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) had 20.8% marketable berries (well shaped, > 10 g fresh weight), whereas plots that were not accessible had only 4.5% marketable berries. The total numbers of fruit (marketable and unmarketable) were not affected by the presence of pollinating insects. Honeybees were considered to be the main pollinators of this crop. They comprised 58.9% of insect visitors to the flowers. The behaviour patterns of other insects were such that they would effect little or no pollination. We conclude that the presence of an adequate population of honeybees increases the proportion of well shaped (marketable) berries.

Pollination and breeding system of a neotropical palm Astrocaryum vulgare in Guyana: a test of the predictability of syndromes

2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 577-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
TRISHA K. CONSIGLIO ◽  
GODFREY R. BOURNE
Keyword(s):  
Breeding System ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Experimental Testing ◽  
Pollination Syndrome ◽  
Wind Pollination ◽  
System Study ◽  
Pollination Syndromes ◽  
Insect Pollinators ◽  
Insect Visitors ◽  
Oviposition Sites

A pollination and breeding system study was conducted on a neotropical palm, Astrocaryum vulgare, in Guyana, South America, to better understand its reproductive character evolution, and test the predictability of pollination syndromes. The pollination syndrome approach was used because it integrates characteristics of flowers and their pollinators into an evolutionary framework that allowed experimental testing of predictions. The flowers of A. vulgare displayed traits that were typical of both beetle and wind pollination syndromes. The protogynous inflorescences produced heat and odour during nocturnal anthesis, had numerous stamens with copious, light pollen, and were visited by hordes of beetles that used the inflorescences as feeding, mating and oviposition sites. In contrast, some of these features, such as numerous stamens with copious, light pollen, a high pollen to ovule ratio, and no obvious production of visitor rewards, were also typical of the wind pollination syndrome. However, floral rewards appeared to be tissues of the fleshy staminate petals and pollen that were readily devoured by the beetles. In addition to the Coleoptera, insect visitors to A. vulgare inflorescences included several species of Hymenoptera, Diptera and Orthoptera. However, only Nitidulidae and Curculionidae beetles were effective insect pollinators. Pollination treatments showed that wind pollination was possible, but fruit set was significantly higher for female flowers visited by beetles. Although a pollen/ovule ratio of 50 000:1 and outcrossing index confirmed an outcrossing breeding system, pollination experiments suggested that A. vulgare had the potential for self pollination. Therefore, the breeding system might be best classified as facultatively xenogamous (cross fertilizing). The predictive value of potential pollinator agents for A. vulgare was inadequate because its floral traits were indicative of both cantharophilous and anemophilous pollination syndromes.

scholarly journals Declínio populacional das abelhas polinizadoras de culturas agrícolas

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 01 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. O. Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
North America ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Native Bees ◽  
Agricultural Crops ◽  
Crop Pollination ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
The World ◽  
Large Decline

<p>As abelhas são os principais polinizadores na natureza, sendo de fundamental importância na condução de muitas culturas agrícolas ao redor do mundo, promovendo várias melhorias na cadeia produtiva da agricultura. A polinização realizada por abelhas contribui para a melhoria da qualidade e/ou a quantidade de frutos e sementes produzidos. Entretanto, apesar de toda importância, as abelhas encontram-se em processo de desaparecimento em várias partes do mundo, principalmente na Europa e em alguns países da América do Norte. Pesquisas recentes estão mostrando um grande declínio das abelhas nativas e abelhas melíferas (<em>Apis mellifera</em>), principalmente como consequência das alterações ambientais, que provocam severos efeitos negativos na disponibilidade de alimentos disponíveis para as abelhas. Assim essa revisão tem como objetivo, reforçar a importância das abelhas da polinização agrícola e alertar sobre a atual situação e o declínio populacional de diferentes grupos desses importantes polinizadores.</p><p align="center"><strong>Population decline of crop bee pollinators</strong><strong></strong></p><p>Bees are the main pollinators in nature, being of fundamental importance of many agricultural crops around the world, causing improvements in the productivity of these crops. The pollination by bees contributes to improving the quality and / or quantity of produced fruits and seeds. However, despite all importance, the bees are in the process of disappearing in several parts of the world, mainly in Europe and in some countries in North America. Recent surveys are showing a large decline in native bees and honeybees (<em>Apis mellifera</em>), mainly as a result of environmental changes, that cause severe negative effects on the availability of food for the bees. So, this review aims to reinforce the importance of bees in crop pollination, and warn about the current situation and the population decline of different groups of these important pollinators.</p>

scholarly journals Broad Geographic and Host Distribution of Apis mellifera Filamentous Virus in South American Native Bees

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 327-332
Author(s):  
Silvina Quintana ◽  
Gregorio Fernandez de Landa ◽  
Pablo Revainera ◽  
Facundo Meroi ◽  
Leonardo Porrini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
N Gene ◽  
South American ◽  
Native Bees ◽  
Double Stranded Dna ◽  
Native Bee ◽  
Bee Health ◽  
First Time

AbstractApis mellifera filamentous virus (AmFV) is a large double stranded DNA virus of honey bees and its prevalence and relationship with other parasites is poorly known. Samples consisted of fifty-one adult bees belonging to eight native species collected using entomological nets in six provinces of Argentina, from 2009 to 2018. Total genomic DNA was extracted from individual bees and a 551 bp fragment of the Bro-N gene of AmFV was amplified by qPCR. In the present work we have reported for the first time both the presence and the wide geographic distribution of AmFV in Argentinian species of native bees. This is the first report of the presence of this virus associated with Xylocopa atamisquensis, X. augusti, X. frontalis, X. spendidula, Bombus pauloensis and Peponapis fervens. Detecting pathogens that could threaten native bee health is of outmost importance to generate both conservation and management strategies.

scholarly journals Bee Visitation on Flowers in Maine, United States, Reveals the Relative Attractiveness of Plants Through Space and Time: Part I

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 726-737
Author(s):  
Alison C Dibble ◽  
Francis A Drummond ◽  
Lois Berg Stack
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Habitat Restoration ◽  
Native Bees ◽  
Borago Officinalis ◽  
Melilotus Officinalis ◽  
Species Analysis ◽  
The Family ◽  
Relative Attractiveness ◽  
Plant Taxon ◽  
Time Part

Abstract Bee reservoirs can be effective in agricultural and habitat restoration projects, but the relative attractiveness of plants is not fully understood. To improve plant selection with better knowledge of spatial, temporal, and competition aspects, we tested up to 90 plant subjects from 2012 to 2015 at four sites in Maine. We recognized Apis mellifera L., Bombus ternarius Say, 1837, ‘Most Bombus’ (except B. ternarius), ‘Halictidae’ and ‘Other Bees’ (collectively the so-called ‘bee groups’) on open flowers in three 1-min periods per site and day, with numerous repeated observations per plant taxon. In 14,311 observations, we recorded 17,792 bees in 61 species. Most-visited plants included Asclepias tuberosa, Borago officinalis, Clethra alnifolia cv. Hummingbird (especially by A. mellifera), Melilotus officinalis, Origanum vulgare, Rosa palustris (especially before 1400 hours), Spiraea alba var. latifolia, and taxa in the family Asteraceae. Early-flowering shrubs were visited, especially by ‘Other Bees’. Bee groups each ranked plants uniquely, with some overlap, and differed in most-visited of six plant taxa that we had included in all 4 yr and sites. For ‘All Bees’ among 84 plant taxa, the most-visited plants were M. officinalis (June), A. tuberosa (July), and C. alnifolia (August). Indicator Species Analysis revealed low bee fidelity to host plants for all but a few plant taxa. Apis mellifera differed from native bees in plants it visited intensively, with some overlap (e.g., A. tuberosa), and was associated with increased visitation on seven plant taxa by ‘Most Bombus’ and B. ternarius.

Honeybee pollination of loganberries (Rubus loganobaccus L.H. Bailey)

1985 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 224
Author(s):  
DF Langridge ◽  
RD Goodman
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Airborne Pollen ◽  
Insect Visitors

The role of honeybees (Apis mellifera) in the pollination of loganberries was studied in an experimental planting at Knoxfield, Victoria. When plants were enclosed in cages to exclude bees and larger insects, there was no difference in the total numbers and weight of fruit harvested. Quality rather than quantity of fruit benefited from honeybee activity. The number of reject fruit on enclosed plants was 49.9% of the total as compared with 7.8% on open plants, corresponding respectively to 35 5% and 3- 3% by weight. The farm gate value of fruit harvested per plant was $A2.39 on open plants and $A1.28 on enclosed plants. After deducting cost of hiring bees this was computed to nett an extra return to the grower of $A1876 per hectare. Honeybees comprised 98.6% of all insect visitors to the flowers. Concentrations of airborne pollen 'were greater inside the cages than outside.

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