FLORA OF POLINIC IMPORTANCE USED BY Melipona (Melikerria) fasciculata Smith, 1854 (HYMENOPTERA: APIDAE: MELIPONINI) IN AN AMAZON RAINFOREST AREA IN THE REGION OF MARANHENSE BAIXADA, BRAZIL

Abstract

© 2016, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). All rights reserved. This study aimed to obtain information about the polinic resources used by M. fasciculate from polinic analysis of workers corbicular loads. The study area was the municipality of Anajatuba, an Amazon vegetation area with natural wetlands. Monthly pollen loads transported by two workers of each colony were collected between 6 am and 5:30 pm. To recognize the bee flora surrounding the area, samples of flowering plants and their buds in pre-anthesis were also collected. In the floristic survey, 205 plant species were collected. Fifty-five pollen types were used by “tiúba”, among them five were not listed in the surroundings. The most representative families were: Fabaceae (23.74%), Melastomataceae (19.19%), Solanaceae (16.82%) Arecaceae (15.94%), Lecythidaceae (8.38%), Myrtaceae (4.85%) and Pontederiaceae (3.33%). The pollen resource used by “tiúba” was mainly determined by the flowering of species with poricidal anthers, which was used by them continuously for eight months (Janu-Aug): primarily species from Cassia, Ouratea, Senna, Solanum genera and five species of Melastomataceae family. In the absence of those species blooming, during three months (Sep-Oct-Nov), the “tiuba” used mainly the pollen of Arecaceae, Anacardiaceae, Lecythidaceae and Myrtaceae.