POLLEN HARVEST BY AFRICANIZED APIS MELLIFERA AND TRIGONA SPINIPES IN SÃO PAULO BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL VIEWS

Abstract

During one year, monthly samples of pollen were taken from one colony of Apis mellifera and one colony of Trigona spinipes. A great number of pollen types was observed in each of the samples (approximately 40), although few sources were intensively visited each month. T. spinipes collected significantly from Eucalyptus spp., Aloe sp. and Archontophoenix sp., and A. mellifera visited mainly Eucalyptus spp., Tipuana speciosa, Caesalpinia peltophoroides, Mikania glomerata and Cecropia sp. The high values obtained for niche size (H’) and the low values found for evenness (J’) point to the fact the bees collected their food in a very heterogeneous manner. The overlap values (PS) were found between 0.1 and 0.5, as a result of intense gathering from abundant resources.