意大利蜜蜂和中华蜜蜂为蓝莓授粉的行为比较研究

The comparative studies of pollination behaviors between Apis cerana and Apis mellifera in blueberry

应用意大利蜜蜂和中华蜜蜂为蓝莓授粉,对其授粉行为和活动方式进行了比较研究。结果表明:(1)采集过程中意蜂和中蜂的行为存在差异,意蜂头部探进铃铛花,将喙伸入花管中吸食花蜜,头部粘附花粉,花粉一部分被收集到花粉框,另一部分被带到其他花上;中蜂采集行为不同,一部分采集蜂探入铃铛花采食,采集时间短暂,另一部分采集蜂停靠在花托部位,采食花瓣掉落的花朵,不易粘附花粉和携带花粉。(2)授粉活动方式不同,意大利蜜蜂每分钟平均访花数为5.05±0.14次,中华蜜蜂为4.77±0.13次,两者差异不显著;而意蜂单次访花时间为9.16±0.43 s极显著长于中蜂的4.89±0.22 s,意蜂较中蜂在花朵的采集时间长,采集间隔时间短,而中蜂较意蜂寻找花朵的时间长,采集间隔时间长。单位面积意蜂采集蜂数量为平均12.00±0.90头,中蜂采集蜂数量平均为1.73±0.42头,两者差异极显著。同时意蜂蓝莓花粉携粉率27.51%,中蜂采集蓝莓花粉携粉率为11.38%,意蜂的授粉蜂数量及授粉专一性优于中蜂。本研究阐明了蓝莓花期不同蜂种的授粉行为及活动方式,据此得出意蜂为蓝莓授粉的行为和活动特性优越于中蜂,两者相比意蜂具有更高的授粉效率。

Apis cerana and Apis mellifera were used to pollinate for blueberry and their pollination behaviors and activity patterns were compared. The results indicated that A. mellifera acted differently from A. mellifera in pollination behavior. A. cerana probed their head into bell flowers, stretched their beaks into the flower tube to take nectar, attached pollen to the head, collected some of the pollen grains in one part and carried them to the other flowers;However, A. cerana was different, part of the acquisition bees went into the bell flowers to eat, and acquisition time was short. The other part of the collection bee docked in the torpedo parts, feeded petals falling flowers that was hard to adhere to pollen and carry pollen. Besides, the activity patterns were also distinct between them. The frequency of visiting flowers was not obviously different, i.e. A. cerana s was 5.05±0.14 times per minute and A. mellifera s 4.77± 0.13 times per minute. However, the duration of visiting each flower was significantly different, i.e. A. cerana s was 9.16±0.43 s and A. mellifera s 4.89±0.22 s. In addition, the difference of numbers in each area unit between them was also dramatically. Among all the A. mellifera in unit area, there were 12.00±0.90 working on gathering honey on average. However, among all the A. cerana in unit area, there were 1.73±0.42 working on gathering honey on average. The difference between A. mellifera and A. cerana in this ascept was significant. Moreover, A. cerana gathered the pollen rate of pollen was 11.38%, while A. mellifera was 27.51%, which indicated that A. mellifera was superior to A. cerana at the respects of the number of pollinators and the specificity of pollination. This study indicated the pollination behaviors and activity patterns from different bees. In conclusion, A. cerana was better than A. mellifera , i.e. A. cerana worked more efficiently in pollination.