Temporal Variation in the Behavior of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and Lycastrirhyncha nitens (Diptera: Syrphidae) on Pontederia sagittata (Commelinales: Pontederiaceae) Inflorescences in Relation to Nectar Availability
2015
Campos Jiménez, Jaqueline | Golubov, Jordan | García-Franco, José | Álvarez-Aquino, Claudia | Martínez, Armando J.
Insect-pollinated plants offer nectar as the main reward, which influences the preference of flower visitors. We describe the feeding behavior of the exotic bee Apis mellifera (L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and the flower fly Lycastrirhyncha nitens (Bigot) (Diptera: Syrphidae) on tristylous flowers of Pontederia sagittata (C. Presl) (Commelinales: Pontederiaceae) in relation to temporal nectar availability. The production of this resource was similar between floral morphs but there were temporal variations during the anthesis period, in a coincidence with a higher number of visitors and activity of bees and flies. The dynamics of nectar production could be related to the feeding behavior of these insects despite the similarity in daily nectar volume produced in all the 3 types of flowers. The variations of nectar feeding may affect the transportation of pollen among the 3 floral morphs.
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