Recursos polínicos explorados por Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) em área restrita do Recôncavo da Bahia

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the sources polliniferous used by Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 sandboxed Reconcavo of Bahia, providing information about the floral preferences and trophic relationships of this species in the study area. For this 40 rational boxes of Melipona scutellaris were kept in the Estação Experimental de Fruticultura Tropical, located in the municipality of Conceição do Almeida, Bahia, to collect masses of pollen removed from pollen basket of these bees over a collection day. Alongside, was performed the collection of flowering plants within a ray of 1500 meters from meliponary. Sampling was carried out monthly between the months of June 2012 to May 2013. The masses of pollen collected were sent to the Núcleo de Estudo dos Insetos, Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia and treated by acetolysis method for mounting microscope slides. For each slide were counted and identified 1, 000 grains pollen. Exsiccates with parts vegetative and reproductive parts of plants for identification by experts from the Herbarium of the Universidade Federal do Reconcavo da Bahia of Univesidade Estadual de Feira de Santana. 43 pollen types belonging to 18 families were identified, especially the families Myrtaceae, Solanaceae and Fabaceae. The types that are most frequent in the samples were Psdium 1, Solanum 1 and Eugenia uniflora, respectively. The survey of flora recorded 77 species distributed in 30 families, and the families Asteraceae and Fabaceae were the most representative.