Comparison of bee composition in sunn hemp and other cover crops

Authors

  • Robert L Meagher, Jr. USDA-ARS, 1700 SW 23rd Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32608-1067, USA http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2769-1043
  • Kristal M Watrous University of California, Riverside, Department of Entomology, 165 Entomology Building, Citrus Drive, Riverside, California 92521, USA
  • Shelby J Fleischer Pennsylvania State University, Department of Entomology, 518 Ag Sciences & Industries Building, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
  • Rodney N Nagoshi USDA-ARS, 1700 SW 23rd Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32608-1067, USA
  • James T Brown University of Florida, Entomology and Nematology Department, P.O. Box 110620, Gainesville, Florida 32611-0620
  • John K Westbrook USDA-ARS, 2881 F and B Road, College Station, Texas 77845-4966, USA

Abstract

Cover crops can be planted in rotation with cash crops to improve soils, assist in weed growth prevention, and help suppress plant pathogenic nematode populations. Experiments were conducted in northern and north-central Florida to evaluate bee populations within cover crop plants, including sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench × S. bicolor var. sudanense [Piper] Stapf.), and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.). Almost 150 bees in 10 species and over 700 bees in 15 species were collected in pan (bee bowls) and blue vane traps, respectively. Both sets of traps captured bees from within all cover crop plots, indicating that these bees forage in disturbed habitats. The dominant bees collected, Melissodes spp., are ground-nesting solitary bees which may have been utilizing the ground below the plants and the border plot areas as a nesting site. Only a subset of the species composition associated with the cover crops was relevant to the pollination of sunn hemp, which requires large-bodied bees such as species of Xylocopa and Megachile.

Resumo

Los cultivos de cobertura se pueden plantar en rotación con cultivos comerciales para mejorar los suelos, ayudar en la prevención del crecimiento de malezas y ayudar a suprimir las poblaciones de nematodos patógenos de plantas. Se realizaron experimentos en el norte y centro-norte de la Florida para evaluar las poblaciones de abejas dentro de las plantas de cultivos de cobertura, incluidos cáñamo sunn (Crotalaria juncea L.), sorgo-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench × S. bicolor var. sudanense [Piper] Stapf.), y caupí (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.). Se recolectaron casi 150 abejas de 10 especies y más de 700 abejas de 15 especies en bandejas (tazones para abejas) y trampas de paleta azul, respectivamente. Ambos juegos de trampas capturaron abejas de todas las parcelas de cultivos de cobertura, lo que indica que estas abejas se alimentan en hábitats perturbados. Las abejas dominantes recolectadas, Melissodes spp., son abejas solitarias que anidan en el suelo y que pueden haber estado utilizando el suelo debajo de las plantas y las áreas de la parcela fronteriza como sitio de anidación. Solo un subconjunto de la composición de especies asociadas con los cultivos de cobertura fue relevante para la polinización del cáñamo solar, que requiere abejas de gran tamaño, como las especies de Xylocopa y Megachile.

Key Words: pollinators; Crotalaria; Xylocopa; Megachile

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Published

2021-01-17

Issue

Vol. 103, No. 4 (December 2020)

Section

Research Papers

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