Author: Robinson, Willard Scott

Source: Journal of Economic Entomology, Volume 74, Number 2, April 1981 , pp. 127-130(4)

Publisher: Entomological Society of America

Abstract:

The morphology of 'Delicious' apple blossoms enables Apis mellifera L. to gather nectar while standing on the petals. These "sideworkers" (vs. topworkers) are ineffective pollinators because they fail to contact the flowers' sexual parts. The interactive effects of the 2 basic floral morphologies (with and without basal gaps) on honey bee foraging behavior was studied in a block of apple trees in which each planting hole held 3 trees of different cultivars. When bees were first introduced, nearby 'Rome' and 'Golden Delicious' blossoms led to more topworking than had been found in solid plantings of Delicious, resulting in improved pollination efficiency. However, over 3 days the proportion of topworkers on Delicious fell steeply. The transience of the intercultivar effect was partially due to specialization of some bees as sideworking nectar gatherers.

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 1981-04-01

More about this publication?

• Journal of Economic Entomology is published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October, and December. The journal publishes articles on the economic significance of insects and is divided into the following sections: apiculture & social insects; arthropods in relation to plant disease; forum; insecticide resistance and resistance management; ecotoxicology; biological and microbial control; ecology and behavior; sampling and biostatistics; household and structural insects; medical entomology; molecular entomology; veterinary entomology; forest entomology; horticultural entomology; field and forage crops, and small grains; stored-product; commodity treatment and quarantine entomology; and plant resistance. In addition to research papers, Journal of Economic Entomology publishes Letters to the Editor, interpretive articles in a Forum section, Short Communications, Rapid Communications, and Book Reviews.
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