Flower Constancy in the Generalist Pollinator Ceratina flavipes (Hymenoptera: Apidae): An Evaluation by Pollen Analysis
The food habits of the solitary bee Ceratina flavipes were studied by observation on foraging behavior and identifying the pollen grains that they collected. It appeared that C. flavipes tend to collect pollen from particular species; however, they visit multiple flowering species. We analyzed polle...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2010-01-01
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| Series: | Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/891906 |
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| author | Midori Kobayashi-Kidokoro Seigo Higashi |
| author_facet | Midori Kobayashi-Kidokoro Seigo Higashi |
| author_sort | Midori Kobayashi-Kidokoro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The food habits of the solitary bee Ceratina flavipes were studied by observation on foraging behavior and identifying the pollen grains that they collected. It appeared that C. flavipes tend to collect pollen from particular species; however, they visit multiple flowering species. We analyzed pollen sources from pollen loads of dried specimens from single foraging trips (SFT) and in pollen balls created from a single foraging day (SD). The pollen from all pollen balls in a nest represented the harvest from an entire breeding season (BP). This analysis showed that each bee on average collected pollen from 3.24 (SFTs), 2.02 (SD), and 3.12 (BP) flowering species. Bees collected pollen from a total of 14 flowering plant species. Furthermore, we calculated when pollen balls were created and found no significant interaction between seasonal pollen availability and bee preferences. Moreover, bees had consistent flower preferences, even if the preferred flower was not dominant at all times. These results indicate that C. flavipes exhibits flower constancy, and therefore, the generalist pollinator C. flavipes could function like a specialist pollinator. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e57b45e68a684d84af9a8294298564d9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0033-2615 1687-7438 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2010-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| spelling | doaj-art-e57b45e68a684d84af9a8294298564d92025-08-20T03:26:20ZengWileyPsyche: A Journal of Entomology0033-26151687-74382010-01-01201010.1155/2010/891906891906Flower Constancy in the Generalist Pollinator Ceratina flavipes (Hymenoptera: Apidae): An Evaluation by Pollen AnalysisMidori Kobayashi-Kidokoro0Seigo Higashi1Faculty of Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, JapanGraduate School of Environmental Science, Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, N10W5, Sapporo 060-0810, Hokkaido, JapanThe food habits of the solitary bee Ceratina flavipes were studied by observation on foraging behavior and identifying the pollen grains that they collected. It appeared that C. flavipes tend to collect pollen from particular species; however, they visit multiple flowering species. We analyzed pollen sources from pollen loads of dried specimens from single foraging trips (SFT) and in pollen balls created from a single foraging day (SD). The pollen from all pollen balls in a nest represented the harvest from an entire breeding season (BP). This analysis showed that each bee on average collected pollen from 3.24 (SFTs), 2.02 (SD), and 3.12 (BP) flowering species. Bees collected pollen from a total of 14 flowering plant species. Furthermore, we calculated when pollen balls were created and found no significant interaction between seasonal pollen availability and bee preferences. Moreover, bees had consistent flower preferences, even if the preferred flower was not dominant at all times. These results indicate that C. flavipes exhibits flower constancy, and therefore, the generalist pollinator C. flavipes could function like a specialist pollinator.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/891906 |
| spellingShingle | Midori Kobayashi-Kidokoro Seigo Higashi Flower Constancy in the Generalist Pollinator Ceratina flavipes (Hymenoptera: Apidae): An Evaluation by Pollen Analysis Psyche: A Journal of Entomology |
| title | Flower Constancy in the Generalist Pollinator Ceratina flavipes (Hymenoptera: Apidae): An Evaluation by Pollen Analysis |
| title_full | Flower Constancy in the Generalist Pollinator Ceratina flavipes (Hymenoptera: Apidae): An Evaluation by Pollen Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Flower Constancy in the Generalist Pollinator Ceratina flavipes (Hymenoptera: Apidae): An Evaluation by Pollen Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Flower Constancy in the Generalist Pollinator Ceratina flavipes (Hymenoptera: Apidae): An Evaluation by Pollen Analysis |
| title_short | Flower Constancy in the Generalist Pollinator Ceratina flavipes (Hymenoptera: Apidae): An Evaluation by Pollen Analysis |
| title_sort | flower constancy in the generalist pollinator ceratina flavipes hymenoptera apidae an evaluation by pollen analysis |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/891906 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT midorikobayashikidokoro flowerconstancyinthegeneralistpollinatorceratinaflavipeshymenopteraapidaeanevaluationbypollenanalysis AT seigohigashi flowerconstancyinthegeneralistpollinatorceratinaflavipeshymenopteraapidaeanevaluationbypollenanalysis |