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Abstract. Suhri AGMI, Soesilohadi RCH, Agus A, Kahono S. 2021. The effects of introduction of the Sulawesi Endemic Stingless Bee Tetragonula cf. biroi from Sulawesi to Java on foraging behavior, natural enemies, and their productivity. Biodiversitas 22: 5624-5632. The existence of species in an environment has gone through a long adaptation process to the natural environment. This study aims to determine the behavior of bees, pollen types, natural enemies, and products of the Sulawesi endemic bee Tetragonula cf. biroi in its natural habitat and after being introduced to Java. This research was conducted in North Luwu and Bone District, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, as the native habitat. Purworejo, Magelang, and Bantul District in Java as an introduction site. The observation of foraging behavior was recorded by scan sampling method; pollen identification using the acetolysis method. Natural enemies were observed directly and through interviews with beekeepers. The results showed significant differences in the number of T. cf. biroi that returned to the nest between native and introduced habitats (p value < 0.05). Pollen collected by T. cf. biroi in Sulawesi were more varied in type. The woody plants and tall trees dominate the types of pollen they collect in Sulawesi. The pollen collected in Java was dominated by ornamental plants, intentionally grown as feed. The attack of Small hive beetle and black soldier flies larvae caused the colony of T. cf. biroi to die and not produce honey optimally. Another problem is the T. cf. biroi nest is taken over by the local bee Tetragonula laeviceps.

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This study aimed to measure the effectiveness of stingless bee Tetragonula cf. biroi pollination on the fruit formation of bitter melon Momordica charantia plants. We used hoods on the observed bitter melon plants. In the first hood, stingless bees are inserted to help pollinate 100 bitter melon plants, while in the other hoods, stingless bees are not inserted so that there is no assistance in pollinating the other 100 bitter melon plants. The method used is the focal sampling method for 25 days of observation. Based on the results of the study, stingless bee pollination assistance increased the percentage of the number of flowers that became fruit by 390%, the weight of seeds/fruit by 64%, number of seeds/fruit by 260%, fruit weight by 163%, fruit diameter by 91%, and fruit length by 86%. In addition to the size of the fruit, the shape of the bitter melon pollinated by bees is standard (long and straight). In contrast, the bitter melon that does not get pollination assistance grows with a bent shape resembling the letter "C." Bitter melon is an agricultural commodity that needs pollinating agents such as stingless bees because of its monoecy.

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