Flower Preferences of the Wrocław Botanical Garden Bumblebees (Bombus spp.)

Aneta Sikora,M Kelm

doi:10.2478/v10289-012-0021-y

Abstract

Abstract Bumblebees (Bombus spp.) are morphologically different from each other as determined by the length of their tongue. Seven species of bumblebees were identified in the Wrocław Botanical Garden: the long-tongued Bombus hortorum, and the medium-tongued B. pascuorum, and the 5 short-tongued species, Bombus hypnorum, Bombus lapidarius, Bombus terrestris, Bombus lucorum, and Bombus pratorum. Bumblebees were observed so that their choice of food within the botanical family could be determined. The shape and colour choice of the flower was particularly noted. Bumblebees showed the highest degree of preference for the Lamiaceae family. The Boraginaceae family was also used by all of the recorded species. Bumblebees found pink and purple, lipped, capitular/ globular, and saucer-shaped flowers to be most attractive. The individual species of bumblebees showed different preferences, which may be explained by the differences in their morphology. However, bumblebee flower preference and selection seems to be more complex and requires further, detailed research.

Highlights

The attractiveness of flowers for pollinators, in particular for bees, has been in an evolutionary formation process for over 100 million years
That particular species may vary in their flower preferences
For the entire observation period, the dominating bumblebees, B. terrestris/ lucorum, foraged on 133 flowering plant species belonging to 32 botanical families

Summary

Introduction

The attractiveness of flowers for pollinators, in particular for bees, has been in an evolutionary formation process for over 100 million years. A flower lures bumblebees with its shape, colour and odour. Like every bee in its developing process, the bumblebee is entirely dependent on flower food. During foraging, each of these species focuses its efforts on acquiring food from flowers. The shape and length of the flower tube is correlated with the length of the tongue (Inouye, 1980). It means, that particular species may vary in their flower preferences. That particular species may vary in their flower preferences Such variation may be linked to the morphology, and method of foraging flowers (Brodie, 1996) as well as flower colour (Gumbert, 2000)

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