Bees forage on bahiagrass spikelets
Abstract
Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flüggé; Poaceae) is primarily a pasture grass in the southern US. It is also lawn grass found in residential settings, public parks, and planted in golf courses. Bahiagrass is principally wind-pollinated, but the pollination contribution of insect pollinators is not documented. A survey was conducted on bahiagrass patches in central Georgia, USA, to determine the visitation of foraging pollinators. The results showed that European honey bees, bumblebees, and sweat bees forage on bahiagrass spikelets. Of the total bees observed, 10.6% (n = 94) were foraging on bahiagrass, compared to 46.8% on white clover, 27.7% on dandelion, and 14.8% on buckhorn plantain. This is the first report showing bee foraging on bahiagrass. The results suggest that bahiagrass spikelets may be a supplemental resource for bees and essential for bee conservation programs in rural and suburban areas. More research is warranted to determine how bahiagrass spikelets play a role in meeting the nutritional needs of bees to help sustain their colony and provide pollination service.
Sumario
El pasto Bahía (Paspalum notatum Flüggé; Poaceae) es principalmente de zacate de pasturas en el sur de los Estados Unidos. También, es un césped que se encuentra en entornos residenciales, parques públicos y en campos de golf. El pasto Bahía se poliniza principalmente por el viento, pero no se ha documentado la contribución de los insectos polinizadores a la polinización. Se realizó un sondeo en parches de pasto Bahía en el centro de Georgia, EE. UU., para determinar las visitas de polinizadores forrajeros. Los resultados mostraron que las abejas melíferas, los abejorros y las abejas sudoríparas europeas se alimentan de espiguillas del pasto Bahía. Del total de abejas observadas, el 10,6% (n = 94) se alimentaba del pasto Bahía, en comparación con el 46,8% de trébol blanco, el 27,7% de diente de león y el 14,8% del llantén menor (o siete venas, Plantago lanceolata). Este es el primer informe que muestra la búsqueda de alimento por las abejas sobre el pasto Bahía. Los resultados sugieren que las espiguillas del pasto Bahía pueden ser un recurso complementario para las abejas y esencial para los programas de conservación de abejas en áreas rurales y suburbanas. Se necesitan más investigaciones para determinar el papel que juegan las espiguillas del pasto en las necesidades nutricionales de las abejas para ayudar a mantener su colonia y brindar el servicio de polinización.
Key Words: pollinators; Paspalum notatum; turfgrass; European honey bee; bumblebees; sweat bees
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