1
|
Graham KK, Milbrath MO, Killewald M, Soehnlen A, Zhang Y, Isaacs R. Identity and diversity of pollens collected by two managed bee species while in blueberry fields for pollination. Environ Entomol 2023; 52:907-917. [PMID: 37498984 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvad072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The nutritional needs and foraging behavior of managed bees often lead to pollen collection from flowers other than the focal crop during crop pollination. To understand the pollen needs and preferences of managed bees during blueberry pollination, we identified pollen collected by Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and Bombus impatiens Cresson, 1863 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies across two years. Bumble bees collected a wider diversity of pollens compared to honey bees, whereas honey bees were more focused on abundant resources. Despite blueberries being the most abundant resource in the landscape, it was not the most collected pollen by either bee species in 2018. However, it was the most collected pollen by bumble bees in 2019 and they collected substantially more blueberry pollen than honey bees in both years. In 2018, buckthorn, Rhamnus L. (Rosales: Rhamnaceae) or Frangula Mill. (Rosales: Rhamnaceae), and willow, Salix L. (Malpighiales: Salicaceae), pollens were abundantly collected by both bee species. In 2019, cherry, Prunus L. (Rosales: Rosaceae), and willow (Salix) pollens were collected at high proportions by both species. Brambles, Rubus L. (Rosales: Rosaceae), and white clover, Trifolium repens L. (Fabales: Fabaceae), were also common pollen sources for honey bees, whereas oak, Quercus L. (Fagales: Fagaceae), was collected by bumble bees. Landscape analyses also revealed that certain land cover types were positively correlated with the collection of preferred pollen types. Herbaceous wetlands were associated with collection of buckthorn (Rhamnus/Frangula), willow (Salix), and cherry (Prunus) pollen, which were primary pollen resources for both bee species. There was no correlation between landscape diversity and pollen diversity, suggesting that colonies forage based on nutritional requirements rather than resource availability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey K Graham
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 202 CIPS, 578 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Present Affiliation: U.S. Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service, Pollinating Insect - Biology, Management, Systematics Research Unit, 1410 N. 800 E., Logan, UT 84341, USA
| | - Meghan O Milbrath
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 202 CIPS, 578 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Michael Killewald
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 202 CIPS, 578 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Manitoba, 12 Dafoe Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Annuet Soehnlen
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 202 CIPS, 578 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Yajun Zhang
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 202 CIPS, 578 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Rufus Isaacs
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 202 CIPS, 578 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| |
Collapse
|