Redes de interacciones y uso de recursos florales por abejas macho de orquídeas (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossini) en un bosque primario de la región del Chocó (Colombia).

Abstract

Orchid bees are important keystone pollinators from the Neotropics. With the aim to study the relationships between orchid bees and their nectar and aromatic host species, we made systematic samplings of males across two conservation areas in the biogeographic Chocó Region of Colombia. We used chemical baits to collect 352 male bees during five months. The pollen attached to their bodies was extracted for palynological identification and to estimate interaction networks. The euglossine community consisted of at least 22 species including Eg. maculilabris, Eg. orellana, Eg. championi and Eg. ignita. The male bees were associated with 84 plants but depended on a small group of them (Peperomia spp. and Anthurium spp, as well as species of Solanaceae, Ericaceae and Malpighiaceae) which were widely distributed across the altitudinal gradient, and were available through the year. The resulting interaction networks revealed a typical nested pattern usually found in plant-pollinator interactions, with several rare bee and plant species interaction with a small group of generalist bees and plant species. Albeit, we found variation within networks related to species composition. Such variation may be a consequence of specific differences in plant flowering phenology. Rev. Biol. Trop. 63 (3): 647-658. Epub 2015 September 01.

Illicit crops and glyphosate: A potential risk to the Euglossini Community and biodiversity in Tumaco - Choco biogeographic ecoregion

“…Araceae, Gesneriaceae, and Fabaceae, enabling the bees to obtain energetic resources such as nectar (Ramirez et al 2002, Bembé 2004, Ospina-Torres et al 2015.…”

Distribution patterns of orchid bees in xeric and mesic habitats on a tropical mountaintop

“…Although there are species that flower throughout the year, most species in the region tend to flower in the wet season (Brito, Maia et al, 2017;Fernandes, Almeida et al, 2016;Le Stradic et al, 2017). Generally, increased plant flowering coincides with seasonal fluctuations in euglossine abundance (Ackerman, 1983;Janzen, 1971;Ospina-Torres et al, 2015;Rebêlo & Gar ofalo, 1991).…”

“…Although there are species that flower throughout the year, most species in the region tend to flower in the wet season (Brito, Maia et al, 2017; Fernandes, Almeida et al, 2016; Le Stradic et al, 2017). Generally, increased plant flowering coincides with seasonal fluctuations in euglossine abundance (Ackerman, 1983; Janzen, 1971; Ospina‐Torres et al, 2015; Rebêlo & Garófalo, 1991). The increased emergence of young adult bees is related to the greater energy supply of nectar and pollen, which enables costly activities such as nesting (Rebêlo & Garófalo, 1991; Torné‐Noguera et al, 2014).…”