Polliniferous flora foraged by Melipona bees along the Rio Negro in the Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

Undoubtedly, Melipona bees are the most widely managed native American bee species for the production of honey and related products. These bees have been reared since before the arrival of Europeans on the continent. Despite being considered generalists due to their life histories, each stingless bee species has food preferences easily adapting to the available resources. Seeking to contribute to the understanding of the food ecology of Melipona bees, 17 pollen samples from six species found in natural nests along the Rio Negro were analysed. The pollen material was homogenised and prepared following the standard acetolysis technique. Relative frequency, the similarity between diets and correlation of diets with bee body size were determined. Thirty-two pollen types (17 botanical families) were identified, 13 of which were considered attractive, while six promoted temporary specialisation events. The results reaffirmed the potential generalist pattern of these bees with temporary specialisation events, being strongly influenced by local conditions. The diversity of pollen types per pot was not related to bee body size. Also, the number of pollen types found in each nest did not correlate to the number of pots analysed revealing non-neutral determinants for each species pollen richness. With the results obtained, it was clear that certain plants were more as food sources which could support conservation programmes and help meliponiculture in the Amazon. © 2021 Collegium Palynologicum Scandinavicum.