Abstract
Bees use floral colour as a major long distance orientation cue. While it is known for bumblebees and honeybees that dominant wavelength (≙ colour hue), colour contrast and spectral purity (≙ saturation) are crucial for flower detection and discrimination, only little is known about colour preferences in stingless bees (Meliponini). In this experiment freely flying workers of two Brazilian species of stingless bees–Partamona helleri and Melipona bicolor–were tested for colour preferences concerning the colour parameters dominant wavelength, spectral purity and intensity (≙ brightness). Each individual bee had to perform 57 tests, in which a definite series of dual choices between colour stimuli varying in intensity, spectral purity or dominant wavelength were presented. The results show that P. helleri chose colours of higher spectral purity and preferred bluish colours, while M. bicolor made generalized colour choices. Intensity did not influence the colour choice of any bee species. The results of P. helleri are consistent with findings for honeybees and bumblebees, while colour preferences in M. bicolor seem to be absent.
Highlights
Stingless bees are considered important pollinators in tropical and subtropical regions
Statistical analysis of colour choice behaviour for Melipona bicolor and Partamona helleri reveals that both species chose colours differently
Workers of P. helleri showed strong differences in their choice behaviour compared to workers of M. bicolor (Fig 2)
Summary
Stingless bees are considered important pollinators in tropical and subtropical regions. The human food consumption worldwide causes the demand for pollination management with native or introduced bees in tropical regions. Introduced bee species like honeybees endanger native species and can lead to extinction of local populations [2,3,4]. Unlike honeybees only few studies investigate stingless bees and their value for crop pollination [5,6]. Honeybees are the preferred bee species for crop pollination many stingless bees show comparable characteristics [7]. Stingless bees do not use a dance language like honeybees to share information concerning food sources, but use trophallaxis, excited movements, sound production, body contact, odour traits, chemical markings or visual tracking of nestmates to share information [8,9].
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