Abstract
The flight activities of Meliponini (stingless bees) are associated with a series of behaviors in particular in the collection of pollen, nectar, resin and clay during the day, which can be influenced by factors that are extrinsic (abiotic) or intrinsic (internal conditions of the colony, morphology and physiology of the individuals). This study has as a goal to analyze the pattern of the daily flight activity of Nannotrigona testaceicornis and the influence of climatic factors (temperature, relative humidity and light intensity) upon these activities in the Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil. The study was conducted every two months between October 2010 and October 2011 during three consecutive days in two colonies (one managed and the other unmanaged). The managed colony was more active than the unmanaged one in all the months. Nevertheless, both colonies showed regularity as to the correlation of times of their first activities and also as to the preferential time for the most part of the activities that were analyzed, which occurred generally in the morning. This daily pattern of activity of both colonies was probably influenced by the temperature and light intensity; that is, these activities should happen when these two factors are optimal for the flight.
Highlights
The daily activity patterns of eusocial stingless bees are mainly associated with activities as collection of pollen, nectar, resin, and clay
The relative humidity varied from 41% to 90% with the average varying from 55% (August) to 83% (December) (Table 1)
Based on the first and last activities and on the acrophases observed in N. testaceicornis, it can be suggested that the two colonies showed a daily biological rhythm for most of the activities that were observed in the study
Summary
The daily activity patterns of eusocial stingless bees are mainly associated with activities as collection of pollen, nectar, resin, and clay. These activities occur during the day, but in higher intensity at specific moments, influenced by climatic factors (Hilário et al, 2001; Souza et al, 2006; Rodrigues et al, 2007; Ferreira-Junior et al, 2010). Heard and Hendrikz (1993) studying Tetragonula carbonaria (Smith) verified a diurnal pattern of activity with the influence of temperature and radiation For these authors, there was no good correlation between activity and temperature, but it is not conclusive
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