Abelhas evitam flores com modelos artificiais de aranhas

Abstract

Bees avoid flowers with artificial models of spiders: Spiders hunting on flowers can change pollinators’ behavior and therefore change the reproductive success of plants. However, it is not still completely known how different groups of pollinators react to the presence of spiders and in what circumstances there is a reduction in the plants’ success. In this study, we evaluated the frequency of floral visits and Apis mellifera L. (Apidae) behavior against the risk of predation simulated by spiders models made of epoxy resin. The models presence has reduced the number of visits to Ludwigia tomentosa (Cambess.) (Onagraceae) flowers and increased the proportion of refusing behavior in which bees suddenly abandoned the flowers without accessing the nectaries. This result suggests that bees perceive morphological traits of predators on flowers, recognizing it as a low value source due to the risk of being predated.