Insect visitors to flowering buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum (Polygonales: Polygonaceae), in north–central Florida

Authors

  • Joshua W. Campbell University of Florida, Entomology and Nematology Department, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
  • Allyn Irvin University of Florida, Entomology and Nematology Department, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
  • Hennelly Irvin University of Florida, Entomology and Nematology Department, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
  • Cory Stanley-Stahr University of Florida, Entomology and Nematology Department, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
  • James D. Ellis University of Florida, Entomology and Nematology Department, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA

Keywords:

Scoliidae, Tiphiidae, parasitoid, pollination

Abstract

We provide the first extensive documentation of insect visitors to buckwheat (Fagropyrum esculentum Moench; Polygonales: Polygonaceae) in Florida. We visually surveyed eight 2 ha fields of buckwheat in north-central Florida and documented 5,300 visits by Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)—the western honey bee—and 3,422 non-Apis insect visits, with the majority of non-Apis visitors being wasps native to Florida or the southeastern United States (81.3%), followed by Diptera (12.5%) and non-Apis bees (5.8%). Sixteen families of insects composed of at least 62 species of flower visitors were observed within the buckwheat fields, with the most common species being the wasp Scolia nobilitata F. (Hymenoptera: Scoliidae). Most of the insect species were parasitoid wasps of various arthropod pests, and many parasitoids may also act as pollinators. Our data suggest that buckwheat attracts a great diversity of beneficial parasitoids, predators, and pollinators; thus, buckwheat possibly could be used as a cover crop to enhance biological control of various pest arthropods within cropping systems or augment local pollinator populations.

 

Resumen

Proveemos la primera extensa documentación de los insectos que visitan el alforfón (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench; Polygonales: Polygonaceae) en la Florida. Inspeccionamos visualmente ocho campos de alforfón cada uno de 2 hectáreas de en el centro-norte de Florida y documentamos 5.300 visitas de Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) — la abeja del oeste y 3.422 visitas de insectos no-Apis, con la mayoría de los visitantes que no son Apis siendo avispas nativas de la Florida o del sureste de los Estados Unidos (81,3%), seguido de Diptera (12,5%), y las abejas nativas (?) (5,8%). Se observaron dieciséis familias de insectos, compuestos por al menos 62 especies de visitantes florales dentro de los campos de alforfón con la especie más comun la avispa Scolia nobilitata F. (Hymenoptera: scoliidae). La mayoría de las especies de insectos fueron avispas parasitoides de diversas plagas de artrópodos o pueden actuar como polinizadores potenciales. Nuestros datos sugieren que el alforfón atrae a una gran diversidad de parasitoides, depredadores beneficiosos y polinizadores; por lo tanto, el alforfón, posiblemente, podría ser utilizado como un cultivo de cobertura para mejorar el control biológico de diversos artrópodos plaga dentro de los sistemas de cultivo o aumentar las poblaciones de polinizadores locales.

 

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Author Biography

Joshua W. Campbell, University of Florida, Entomology and Nematology Department, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA

Entomology and Nematology Dept.

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Additional Files

Published

2016-03-29

Issue

Vol. 99, No. 2 (June 2016)

Section

Research Papers

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