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Two-year study of male orchid bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossini) attraction to chemical baits in lowland south-eastern Perú

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

David L. Pearson  and
Robert L Dressler
David L. Pearson
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, 208 Mueller Lab., The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
Robert L Dressler
Affiliation:
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 2072, Balboa, Panamaâ
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Abstract

Chemical baits corresponding to natural orchid fragrance chemicals were used to attract and sample male orchid bees in terra firme and flood plain forest sites on the Tambo-pata Reserve in south-eastern Perú. The study was conducted monthly for two years. A total of 38 species of bees was collected at these chemical baits, and although most species were collected from both habitats, 11 species were significantly more common in one habitat than the other. There was considerable variation in the number and types of chemicals to which each of the orchid bee species was attracted.

Two cycles of seasonal abundance occurred annually in the number of orchid bee individuals and species collected at the chemical baits. A major peak occurred a month following onset of the wet season, and a minor peak occurred during the dry season. Species body size was related to seasonal activity, but additional factors such as flowering phenology and nest parasites were also probably involved.

The number of orchid bee species found on the Tambopata Reserve was similar to the number found in forest sites of eastern and central Brazil, Costa Rica, and Panamá. This homogeneity in species richness is in marked contrast to other insect groups such as Odonata, Lepi-doptera, Asilidae (Diptera), Tabanidae (Diptera), and Cicindelidae (Coleoptera), for which the species numbers recorded on the Tambopata Reserve are the highest for any similar sized area in the world.

Resumen

Machos de abejas de orquídeas fueron atraídos y capturados usando atrayentes químicos parecidos a la fragancia natural de orquídeas en sitios de bosque inundable y de tierra firme de la Zona Reservada de Tambopata del sureste del Peru. En total se colectaron 38 especies de abejas atraídas a los atrayentes químicos en ambos sitios, de las cuales 11 especies fueron significativamente mas comunes en uno de los habitats que en el otro. Se encontró una gran variación en el número y tipos de atrayentes químicos que atrayeron a las abejas.

Dos ciclos estacionales en la abundacia de individuos y de especies de abejas fueron detectados usando los atrayentes químicos. El mayor pico ocurrio al cabo del primer mes de la estación lluviosa, y el menor durante la estaci´on seca. El tamano individual por especies estuvo asociado con la actividad estacional, aunque otros factores como la fenología floral y los parasitoides también pudieron haber estado involucrados.

El número de especies de abejas encontrado en la Zona Reservada de Tambopata fue similar al encontrado en otras zonas boscosas de centro y este de Brasil, en Costa Rica y Panamá. Esta homogeneidad en la riqueza de especies contrasta notablemente con otros grupos de insectos, tales como Odonata, Lepidoptera, Asilidae (Diptera), Tabanidae (Diptera) y Cicindelidae (Coleoptera), en cuanto a que los números de especies encontrados en la Zona Reservada de Tambopata son los mayores del mundo, cuando se comparan áreas de tamaño similar.

Keywords

ApidaebeesolfactionorchidsPerúpollination
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 1 , Issue 1 , February 1985 , pp. 37 - 54
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

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