Overview of Bees and Pollination
Context:
Study in Journal of Applied Ecology shows semi-natural habitats crucial for pollinator diversity in Yangtze River Valley rice fields, contrasting pesticide impact. Honeybees (Apis mellifera) and mason bees (Osmia excavata) studied across 20 fields.
About The Study:
- Hedgerows and wild grass in field margins are increasingly absorbed into agricultural production.
- Non-crop habitats like hedgerows are crucial for pollinators, providing essential resources and nesting sites.
- Both pesticide use and habitat loss impact pollinators, with their relative effects not clearly understood.
- The study recommends prioritising conservation of semi-natural habitats over reducing pesticide use in rice fields.
- Regions with fewer rice fields and more semi-natural habitats support better food resources for female mason bees and their larvae.
- O. excavata, a native Chinese bee species, was used to assess pesticide levels and food availability in orchard pollination.
- Long-term monitoring of pollinator populations and pesticide exposure is essential for informed conservation efforts.
Bees in India:
Bee (Superfamily Apoidea):
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- Species Diversity: Over 20,000 species within the suborder Apocrita (order Hymenoptera), including:
- Familiar Species: Honey Bees (Apis), bumblebees (Bombus and Psithyrus), and numerous wasp like and fly like bees.
- Size Range: Adults range from about 2 mm to 4 cm (about 0.08–1.6 inches).
- Species Diversity: Over 20,000 species within the suborder Apocrita (order Hymenoptera), including:
- Ecology and Behavior:
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- Relationship with Flowers: Bees are essential pollinators, dependent entirely on flowers for food (pollen and nectar).
- Evolutionary Coexistence: Bees and flowers evolved simultaneously, with bees facilitating cross-pollination.
- Pollen Collection: Females gather pollen using specialised anatomical structures, most bees are polylectic, gathering pollen from a wide variety of flowers.
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- Social Structure and Nesting:
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- Solitary Behaviour: Most bees are solitary, making their own nests (often burrows in the ground) and provisioning them.
- Life Cycle: Solitary bees provide all necessary food for their larvae; some species are active only a few weeks per year.
- Families within Apoidea
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- Africanized Honeybee:
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- Hybrid Bee: Resulted from crossbreeding African subspecies with European honeybees.
- Behaviour: Known for aggressive defence behaviours compared to European honeybees; reacts quickly and pursues threats over longer distances.
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Pollination & Its Benefits:
Importance:
Insect Pollinators: Diverse Species includes bees, beetles, flies, wasps, butterflies, and moths.
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