The Jamaican flower bat Phyllonycteris aphylla is categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is endemic to Jamaica and formerly known only from Stony Hill Cave, where there are an estimated c. 500 individuals. Previously declared extinct twice, its rediscovery in 2010 at Stony Hill Cave marked new hope for the conservation of this important species. Although little is known about its ecology, the species is presumed to be a cave-obligate rooster and to rely exclusively on so-called hot caves, which are defined by high ambient temperatures and low air quality. In March–April 2023, we surveyed bats at seven caves throughout Jamaica. At two of these, Green Grotto Caves, St. Ann, and Rock Spring Caverns, St. Mary, we captured both male and pregnant female P. aphylla. At Green Grotto Caves, we captured 24 P. aphylla, and 66 at Rock Spring Caverns. We believe Rock Spring Caverns to be one of the largest known roosts of P. aphylla. Neither of these sites are hot caves as both are moderated by flowing water, although warmer chambers may be more important to this bat than to other species. Further monitoring of these populations and continued exploration of other potential roosts are vital for the protection of this species.

The bumblebee gut parasite, Crithidia bombi, is widespread and prevalent in the field. Its interaction with Bombus spp. is a well-established epidemiological model. It is spread faecal-orally between colonies via the shared use of flowers when foraging. Accurately measuring the level of infection in bumblebees is important for assessing its distribution in the field, and also when conducting epidemiological experiments. Studies generally use 1 of 2 methods for measuring infection. One approach measures infection in faeces whereas the other method measures infection in guts. We tested whether the method of measuring infection affected the estimation of infection. Bumblebees were inoculated with a standardized inoculum and infection was measured 1 week later using either the faecal or gut method. We found that when the gut method was used to measure infection intensity estimates were significantly different to and approximately double those from the faecal method. These results have implications for the interpretation of previous study results and for the planning of future studies. Given the importance of bumblebees as pollinators, the impact of C. bombi on bumblebee health, and its use as an epidemiological model, we call on researchers to move towards consistent quantification of infections to enable future comparisons and meta-analyses of studies.

The diversity of species and their interactions have been positively related with environmental complexity. Therefore, highly anthropized environments have their integrity under serious threat. These effects may last for years compromising the dynamics of natural communities, such as antagonistic and mutualistic interactions, including host-natural enemy interactions. To investigate these effects, trap nest methodology was used to assess the diversity of solitary bees, wasps and their natural enemies in three fragmented environments with different degree of anthropic perturbation, composed of a Eucalyptus plantation (considered here as higher perturbation), a Cerrado area (medium perturbation) and a Riparian forest (lesser perturbation). Then, host-natural enemies associations were analysed to verify the size, specialization degree and modularity of interaction network. The gradient from highest to lowest degree of anthropic perturbation was evidenced in the species diversity index, the size of the interaction network and the specialization indexes of the host-natural enemy network. The environment with Eucalyptus plantation showed higher values of diversity of natural enemies, greater number of species in the interaction network, lesser degree of specialization in the interaction and lesser modularity, than Cerrado and Riparian forest environments, respectively. The low degree of nestedness and lack of significance of this index to all sampled areas are indicative of a specialized pattern of networks. The results corroborate the notion that human impact may affect interaction networks, this being an important tool for checking the degree of anthropic alteration.

Staminodes are sterile stamens that produce no pollen, exhibit diverse structures and perform various functions. Flowers of Phanera yunnanensis possess three fertile stamens with large anthers and long filaments, and seven staminodes with tiny anthers and short filaments. To investigate the adaptive significance of staminodes in this species, we studied effects of staminode removal on pollen removal and deposition, flower visitation rate and fruit set in Xishuangbanna, south-western China. Four species of nectar-foraging pollinators visited flowers, mostly Amegilla zonata and Apis cerana (2.80 ± 0.15 and 1.76 ± 0.41 visits h−1 per flower, respectively). Staminode removal did not affect fruit set, but increased visitation by A. cerana by 2.6-fold, reduced visitation by A. zonata by 68% and increased the pollen removal rate for both pollinators (all effects were significant). Staminode removal significantly reduced pollen deposition rate for A. zonata, but not for A. cerana. These results suggest that the staminodes of P. yunnanensis filter which insects act as pollinators and affect pollen removal and deposition rates. By reducing pollen removal rates, staminodes may implement a pollen-dispensing schedule that spreads pollen dispersal from individual flowers over multiple pollinators. By altering pollen deposition rates, staminodes may influence reproductive fitness in other ways.

Mermithid nematodes (Nematoda: Mermithida: Mermithidae) parasitize a wide range of both terrestrial and aquatic invertebrate hosts, yet are recorded in bumble bees (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) only six times historically. Little is known about the specific identity of these parasites. In a single-season nationwide survey of internal parasites of 3646 bumble bees, we encountered six additional instances of mermithid parasitism in four bumble bee species and genetically characterized them using two regions of 18S to identify the specific host–parasite relationships. Three samples from the northeastern USA are morphologically and genetically identified as Mermis nigrescens, whereas three specimens collected from a single agricultural locality in the southeast USA fell into a clade with currently undescribed species. Nucleotide sequences of the V2–V6 region of 18S from the southeastern specimens were 2.6–3.0% divergent from one another, and 2.2–4.0% dissimilar to the nearest matches to available data. The dearth of available data prohibits positive identification of this parasite and its affinity for specific bumble bee hosts. By doubling the records of mermithid parasitism of bumble bee hosts and providing genetic data, this work will inform future investigations of this rare phenomenon.

Many pollinators are currently suffering from declines, diminishing their gene pool and increasing their vulnerability to parasites. Recently, an increasing diversity of parasites has been recorded in bumblebees, yet for many, knowledge of their virulence and hence the risk their presence poses, is lacking. The deformed wing virus (DWV), known to be ubiquitous in honey bees, has now been detected in bumblebees. In addition, the neogregarine Apicystis bombi has been discovered to be more prevalent than previously thought. Here, we assess for the first time the lethal and sublethal effects of these parasites during single and mixed infections of worker bumblebees (Bombus terrestris). Fifteen days after experimental exposure, 22% of bees exposed to A. bombi, 50% of bees exposed to DWV and 86% of bees exposed to both parasites had died. Bumblebees that had ingested A. bombi had increased sucrose sensitivity (SS) and a lower lipid:body size ratio than control bees. While dual infected bumblebees showed no increase in SS. Overall, we find that A. bombi exhibits both lethal and sublethal effects. DWV causes lethal effect and may reduce the sub lethal effects imposed by A. bombi. The results show that both parasites have significant, negative effects on bumblebee health, making them potentially of conservation concern.

Pollinators are important natural agents for fruit and seed formation in most tree crops and the use of appropriate sampling methods is fundamental in studying their population. A study to develop surveying and monitoring protocols for cocoa pollinators was undertaken in Ghana. Yellow, white and blue UV-bright painted pan traps (UVPPT), McPhail traps and motorized aspirators were used to sample pollinators of cocoa for 13 successive months, after 6 days assessment of the effectiveness of the traps and diurnal active period of the pollinators. The peak pollinating period of cocoa by ceratopogonid midges was between 07.00 and 12.00 h, as previously reported. All three methods were effective in sampling ceratopogonid midges with the UVPPT being the most efficient in terms of sampling effort. The number of ceratopogonid midges caught by the yellow-UVPPT was significantly higher than that by blue- and white-UVPPT. The diversity of midges caught could not be determined due to taxonomic difficulties, and thus all the three colours of UVPPT should be used until efficiency in terms of diversity is determined. It is reported here that the meliponine bee Liotrigona parvula Darchen visits cocoa flowers and thus their effectiveness in cocoa pollination should be investigated.

Stingless bees are little-known organisms but important plant pollinators in Bwindi Forest. They risk disappearance, as with other pollinators and seed dispersers, as a result of pesticide and herbicide poisoning, habitat alteration, invasion by alien species (plant and animal) and insularization of habitats. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park forest has five species of stingless bees in two genera (Meliponula and Hypotrigona). The conservation of pollinators in Bwindi needs to be urgently addressed, and among the required measures are studies on plant–pollinator relationships. The study also demonstrated the accuracy of Abayanda indigenous systematic knowledge.

The main effects of gall midges in tropical agriculture are as primary pests of cultivated plants; as predators on pests, especially mealybugs, scale insects and mites; as potential biocontrol agents of weeds and as pollinators of cocoa. Published information is briefly reviewed under these main headings, with particular emphasis on the sorghum midge, Contarinia sorghicola (Coquillett), on the Asian and African rice gall midges, Orseolia oryzae (Wood-Mason) and O. oryzivora Harris & Gagné and on cecidomyiid predators on mealybugs and scale insects.