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- Title
Busy Bees: Variation in Insect Flower-Visiting Rates across Multiple Plant Species.
- Authors
Couvillon, Margaret J.; Walter, Chandra M.; Blows, Eluned M.; Czaczkes, Tomer J.; Alton, Karin L.; Ratnieks, Francis L. W.
- Abstract
We quantified insect visitation rates by counting how many flowers/inflorescences were probed per unit time for five plant species (four native and one garden: California lilac, bramble, ragwort, wild marjoram, and ivy) growing in Sussex, United Kingdom, by following individual insects (n=2987) from nine functional groups (honey bees (Apis mellifera), bumble bees (Bombus spp.), hoverflies, flies, butterflies, beetles, wasps, non-Apidae bees, and moths). Additionally, we made a census of the insect diversity on the studied plant species. Overall we found that insect groups differed greatly in their rate of flower visits (P<2.2e-16), with bumble bees and honey bees visiting significantly more flowers per time (11.5 and 9.2 flowers/minute, resp.) than the other insect groups. Additionally, we report on a within-group difference in the non-Apidae bees, where the genus Osmia, which is often suggested as an alternative to honey bees as a managed pollinator, was very speedy (13.4 flowers/minute) compared to the other non-Apidae bees (4.3 flowers/minute). Our census showed that the plants attracted a range of insects, with the honey bee as the most abundant visitor (34%). Therefore, rate differences cannot be explained by particular specializations. Lastly, we discuss potential implications of our conclusions for pollination.
- Subjects
PYRETHRUM (Plant); EFFECT of insecticides on plants; POLLINATION by bees; PLANT species; FLOWERS
- Publication
Psyche: A Journal of Entomology, 2015, Vol 2015, p1
- ISSN
0033-2615
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1155/2015/134630