Insect Pollinators Research Articles

Wild insects and honey bees are equally important to crop yields in a global analysis

AbstractAimMost of the world's food crops are dependent on pollinators. However, there is a great deal of uncertainty in the strength of this relationship, especially regarding the relative contributions of the honey bee (often a managed species) and wild insects to crop yields on a global scale. Previous data syntheses have likewise reached differing conclusions on whether pollinator species diversity, or only the number of pollinator visits to flowers, is important to crop yield. This study quantifies the current state of these relationships and links to a dynamic version of our analyses that updates automatically as studies become available.LocationGlobal.Time PeriodPresent.Taxa studiedInsect pollinators of global crops.MethodsUsing a newly created database of 93 crop pollination studies across six continents that roughly triples the number of studies previously available, we analysed the relationship between insect visit rates, pollinator diversity, and crop yields in a series of mixed‐effects models.ResultsWe found that honey bees and wild insects contribute roughly equal amounts to crop yields worldwide, having similar average flower visitation rates and producing similar increases in yield per visit. We also found that pollinator species diversity was positively associated with increased crop yields even when total visits from all species are accounted for, though it was less explanatory than the total number of visits itself.Main conclusionsOur analysis suggests a middle ground where honey bees are not responsible for the vast majority of crop pollination as has often been assumed in the agricultural literature, and likewise wild insects are not vastly more important than honey bees, as recent global analyses have reported. We also conclude that while pollinator diversity is less important than the number of pollinator visits, these typically involve many species, underscoring the importance of conserving a diversity of wild pollinators.

A novel O-methyltransferase Cp4MP-OMT catalyses the final step in the biosynthesis of the volatile 1,4-dimethoxybenzene in pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) flowers

BackgroundFloral scents play a crucial role in attracting insect pollinators. Among the compounds attractive to pollinators is 1,4-dimethoxybenzene (1,4-DMB). It is a significant contributor to the scent profile of plants from various genera, including economically important Cucurbita species. Despite its importance, the biosynthetic pathway for the formation of 1,4-DMB was not elucidated so far.ResultsIn this study we showed the catalysis of 1,4-DMB in the presence of 4-methoxyphenol (4-MP) by protein extract from Styrian oil pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) flowers. Based on this finding, we identified a novel O-methyltransferase gene, Cp4MP-OMT, whose expression is highly upregulated in the volatile-producing tissue of pumpkin flowers when compared to vegetative tissues. OMT activity was verified by purified recombinant Cp4MP-OMT, illustrating its ability to catalyse the methylation of 4-MP to 1,4-DMB in the presence of cofactor SAM (S-(5′-adenosyl)-L-methionine).ConclusionsCp4MP-OMT is a novel O-methyltransferase from C. pepo, responsible for the final step in the biosynthesis of the floral scent compound 1,4-DMB. Considering the significance of 1,4-DMB in attracting insects for pollination and in the further course fruit formation, enhanced understanding of its biosynthetic pathways holds great promise for both ecological insights and advancements in plant breeding initiatives.

Biodiversity and Foraging Behaviour of Major Insect Pollinators on Some Fruit Crops

Beekeeping entirely depends on the types of flowering plants available in any given area. The honey bees (Apis species) have a major role and are considered widely as pollinating agents. The present study was conducted at Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar to find out the biodiversity and foraging behaviour of major insect pollinators on some fruit crops. The honey bees (Apis species) have major role and considered widely as pollinating agents. In most of the crops we largely seek for honey bees and depend on them for pollination services.

Dutch landscapes have lost insect‐pollinated plants over the past 87 years

Abstract The interruption of plant‐pollinator interactions may threaten global plant diversity, food security and ecosystem stability. Recent reports of strong declines in both insects and plants point to insect decline as a driver of plant decline. However, it is still unknown whether these trends are related as plants often produce seeds without the need for insect pollinators, and to what extent insect‐pollinated plants have declined in relation to plants not pollinated by insects. In this study, we hypothesise that natural plant communities have shifted away from insect‐pollination. We combined 365,768 vegetation plots from 1930 to 2017 in the Netherlands and plant traits to assess the changes in occurrences of plants pollinated by different modes. Furthermore, we included key drivers in plant decline—specifically nitrogen, moisture and habitat types—as interaction factors to explore the persistence of the observed changes under different environmental conditions. The proportion of insect‐pollinated plants has declined while that of wind‐pollinated plants has increased over the last 87 years. This proportional change reflects an absolute decrease in the number of insect‐pollinated species and an increase in the number of wind‐pollinated species. Synthesis and applications. This study implies that Dutch landscapes are losing insect‐pollinated plant species, which is likely due, at least in part, to the decline in pollination services. Our results of quantifying the decline in insect‐pollinated plants support the necessity and urgency of taking conservation initiatives. Several management strategies and policy recommendations could be applied to alleviate the decline of insect‐pollinated plants and ensure crop safety. For example, conserving natural environments by reducing nitrogen deposition may support local plants and insect pollinators. Additionally, there is a particular need for focused efforts to protect natural grasslands, as these areas harbour many insect‐pollinated plants, which have experienced declines. Finally, monitoring and assessing the state of both pollinators and (insect‐pollinated) plants is needed to assess the progress of conservation measures. While recognising the interdependence of pollinators and pollinated plants, it is crucial to extend efforts beyond pollinator conservation alone to effectively safeguard insect‐pollinated plants and ensure crop safety.

Widespread annual occurrence of pesticides within designated critical habitats for endangered prairie butterflies

Insect declines have become pronounced in prairie ecosystems, particularly in areas of agricultural intensification. Non-target pesticide exposure has been raised as a key concern for prairie remnant health. Over seven years, we screened grass and soil samples for the presence and quantities of hundreds of pesticides from five prairies in Minnesota and South Dakota that are designated as Critical Habitat for two globally endangered butterflies: Poweshiek skipperling and Dakota skipper. We documented dozens of pesticides across all sites and years on their larval host grasses. Interiors of prairies were not less likely to have detectable pesticides than along prairie-agriculture edges. Broad-spectrum organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides were common in late season. Chlorpyrifos quantities were higher at sites where both endangered species have been extirpated. Neonicotinoid insecticides, which have been frequently attributed to declines in insect pollinators, did not present a significant exposure signal in these prairie habitats. Few pesticides were detected in soil or early season grass samples. The prevalence and quantities of pesticides we observed are likely underestimates, and additional research is needed on the landscape of risk at small and large scales. Implications for Conservation: Protected prairies are not immune to the risk of pesticide exposure, which may impact efforts to re-establish lost populations of imperiled prairie insects, including endangered butterflies.

Sensitivity to agricultural inputs and dispersal limitation determine the response of arable plants to time since transition to organic farming

Abstract Transitioning to low‐input agricultural systems such as organic farming has been acknowledged as a way to mitigate negative effects of agriculture on biodiversity. However, the speed, magnitude and context dependence of biodiversity recovery after converting to organic farming remain uncertain. In this study, we explored the response of plant communities to time since transition to organic farming in a variety of production contexts. Using a spatially replicated space‐for‐time substitution design, we surveyed plant communities in small‐grain cereal and ley fields in conventional and organic farms, distributed along independent gradients of time since transition to organic farming and proportion of seminatural grasslands in the landscapes. We selected a set of response traits to explore the mechanism of potential time lag in that response to conversion. These traits were selected to characterize the sensitivity of plant species to agricultural inputs and their ability to respond swiftly to environmental changes. We found an increase in plant species richness and evenness in cereal fields with increasing time since transition to organic farming, and a similar but less pronounced pattern in leys. After 30 years of continuous organic farming, organic cereal fields harboured more than twice the number of plant species than newly converted fields. Importantly, we found that the dependence on insect pollination, sensitivity to herbicides and dispersal capacity of plants modulated the effects of time since transition on plant communities in cereal fields. This suggests that both management and biotic interactions shape plant community structure in response to organic practices over time. Policy implications. Our study highlights that benefits of organic farming for plant diversity are likely to take decades to become substantial after conversion. We found this slow recovery of plant communities to be driven by both the gradual improvement of habitat quality after conversion and species' dispersal limitation. Assessments of biodiversity benefits of organic farming should therefore consider this time delay to avoid underestimating its environmental performance. Farmers should also be supported during this ecological transitional phase during which yield‐enhancing ecosystem services reliant on plant diversity might build up.

Novel indices reveal that pollinator exposure to pesticides varies across biological compartments and crop surroundings

Declines in insect pollinators have been linked to a range of causative factors such as disease, loss of habitats, the quality and availability of food, and exposure to pesticides. Here, we analysed an extensive dataset generated from pesticide screening of foraging insects, pollen-nectar stores/beebread, pollen and ingested nectar across three species of bees collected at 128 European sites set in two types of crop. In this paper, we aimed to (i) derive a new index to summarise key aspects of complex pesticide exposure data and (ii) understand the links between pesticide exposures depicted by the different matrices, bee species and apple orchards versus oilseed rape crops. We found that summary indices were highly correlated with the number of pesticides detected in the related matrix but not with which pesticides were present. Matrices collected from apple orchards generally contained a higher number of pesticides (7.6 pesticides per site) than matrices from sites collected from oilseed rape crops (3.5 pesticides), with fungicides being highly represented in apple crops. A greater number of pesticides were found in pollen-nectar stores/beebread and pollen matrices compared with nectar and bee body matrices. Our results show that for a complete assessment of pollinator pesticide exposure, it is necessary to consider several different exposure routes and multiple species of bees across different agricultural systems.

We know very little about pollination in the Platanthera Rich (Orchidaceae: Orchidoideae).

The Platanthera Rich. (Orchidoideae) comprise a speciose genus of orchids primarily in the northern hemisphere, with up to 200 known species worldwide. Individual species are known to self-pollinate, but many rely on insect pollinators with characteristics such as floral color, timing of floral odor emissions, nectar rewards, and spur length associated with particular pollination syndromes. As with many orchids, some orchid-pollinator associations are likely highly co-evolved, but we also know that some Platanthera spp. are the result of hybridization events, which implies a lack of pollinator fidelity in some cases. Some Platanthera spp. occur in large numbers which, coupled with the numerous Platanthera-pollinator systems, make them accessible as study species and useful for co-evolutionary studies. Due to the likely effects of climate change and ongoing development on Platanthera spp. habitats, these orchids and their associated pollinators should be a focus of conservation attention and management. However, while there is a fairly substantial literature coverage of Platanthera-pollinator occurrence and interactions, there are still wide gaps in our understanding of the species involved in these systems. In this systematic review, we outline what is current knowledge and provide guidance on further research that will increase our understanding of orchid-insect co-evolutionary relationships. Our review covers 157 orchid species and about 233 pollinator species interacting with 30 Platanthera spp. We provide analyses on aspects of these interactions such as flower morphology, known insect partners of Platanthera species, insect-Platanthera specificity, pollination visitor timing (diurnal vs. nocturnal), floral rewards, and insect behavior affecting pollination outcomes (e.g., pollinia placement). A substantial number of Platanthera spp. and at least a few of their known pollinators are of official (IUCN) conservation concern - and many of their pollinators remain unassessed or even currently unknown - which adds to the urgency of further research on these co-evolved relationships.

Beekeeping improves shea pollination and fruit set in West African agroforestry parklands

Abstract Shea (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn) is a fruit tree of domestic and industrial importance in arid and semi‐arid regions of Sub‐Saharan Africa. Fruit set is largely dependent on insect pollination but recent studies have revealed a pollen deficit. The introduction of managed bees into orchards is an effective approach for enhanced pollination services in temperate climates. However, there is limited information to guide the adoption of this practice in agroforestry parklands. This study investigated the effect of managed honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera) on fruit yield of shea in six parklands across three regions of Ghana. Tree proximity to the apiary had a detectable effect on fruit set within a 500 m range of the apiary. Proximity of shea trees to apiary was significantly related to number of immature fruit set but not number of mature fruits. Fruit weight and size were not significantly related to distance from apiary or pollination treatment. This implies that the introduction of beekeeping has the potential to address shea pollination deficit at least within a 500 m range of the apiary. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal hive density per acreage of shea parkland to maximise pollination services.

Pollinators diversity and pollination effects on yield attributes of sunflower (Helianthus annuus Linnaeus) in Odisha, India

In the study on the diversity of pollinators and their pollination efficiency in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) under field condition of Odisha during 2021-22, recorded 18 species of pollinators. Indian honeybee, Apis cerana indica F. (Hymenoptera, Apidae) was found to be the major one among the insect pollinators. The experiment conducted for two years with three different treatments viz., open pollination (OP), managed A. cerana indica pollination (HB) and pollinator exclusion (PE) for better yield and quality revealed that both quantitative and qualitative parameters were significantly higher in OP sunflower crops followed by crops pollinated by A. cerana indica. Significantly higher seed yield, 1000 seed weight, percentage of seed filling and number of seed per capitulum were recorded in these treatments. These findings indicate OP and HB increase 33 per cent more yield in sunflower.

Diversity and relative abundance of insect visitors to litchi inflorescence with special reference to the foraging behaviour of honeybee (Apis mellifera L.)

The study on insect pollinators of litchi, revealed 227 specimens of insect fauna belonging to 24 species of six different orders and 15 families. Hymenoptera, (belonging to Apidae, Andrenidae, Megachilidae, Vespidae and Sphecidae) was the most dominant (72.68%), followed by Diptera (19.38%), Coleoptera (3.08%), Lepidoptera (2.2%), Hemipter (1.76%) and the lowest, Odonata (0.88%). Among Hymenopterans, Honeybees were the pre-dominant insect pollinators (72.68%), viz-Apis florea (37%), A. cerana (15.41%), A. mellifera (7.04%) and A. dorsata (3.08%) on litchi bloom. Foraging activity of A. mellifera began early in the morning (mean 5 53h) and cessation of flight took place at evening (mean 18 01h). While the mean foraging speed of A. mellifera was maximum at 9 00h, the minimum foraging speed was at 17 00 h. Maximum foraging rate was observed at 17 00 and minimum at 1100h.

Landscape-wide floral resource deficit enhances the importance of diverse wildflower plantings for pollinators in farmlands

Pollinators are declining rapidly, largely due to land conversion and intensification of agriculture. To mitigate their crisis, low-disturbance habitats, such as sown wildflower plantings, could promote pollinators by restoration of their resources. However, comprehensive knowledge is lacking on how landscape context, spatial configuration and age of wildflower plantings, seasonality and flower composition affect pollinator communities, especially from East-Central Europe. To understand these effects, we established diverse native wildflower plantings within heterogeneous and homogeneous agricultural landscapes, by two spatial configurations: one large field or three smaller strips, in Hungary. We sampled floral resources and wild pollinator insects (wild bees, hoverflies, butterflies), in early and mid-summer, for two years after establishment. Flower resources of the sown plant species increased continuously, and were complemented at high rate by flowering plant species from the soil seed bank, especially in the first year. Both flower abundance and diversity increased the abundance of pollinators, highlighting the important role of using diverse seed mixtures. Wild bee abundance and species richness increased year by year and season by season, while butterfly abundance also demonstrated a yearly increase after establishment. Hoverfly abundance and species richness, however, showed an opposite trend, possibly due to the inter-annual variation. Wild bee and butterfly abundance was higher in the heterogeneous than in the homogeneous landscapes. We did not observe any significant local effects of spatial configuration itself on pollinator populations. Wildflower plantings were particularly attractive for wild bees in flower-poor (homogeneous) landscapes during the flower-poor (mid-summer) period of the year. This can be explained by the increased contrast in flower resources between the wildflower plantings and the surrounding landscape, and highlights the importance of wildflower plantings in such conditions. Our results emphasise that to support pollinators effectively, future wildflower plantings should be maintained for multiple years, aim to maximise floral diversity and ensure continuously available flower resources throughout the entire season. They can be facilitated by i) using diverse seed mixtures of native flowering plants, ii) particularly focusing on plants that bloom during the crucial mid-summer period, iii) allowing the plant species to grow and bloom from the soil seed bank, and iv) using management techniques, which help to extend the flowering season. Further results from the upcoming years and similar long-term and landscape-scale experimental studies are needed to understand all the benefits and ecological processes of diverse native wildflower plantings especially in understudied European regions.

Exploring the effects of habitat management on grassland biodiversity: A case study from northern Serbia.

Grasslands represent a biodiversity hotspot in the European agricultural landscape, their restoration is necessary and offers a great opportunity to mitigate or halt harmful processes. These measures require a comprehensive knowledge of historical landscape changes, but also adequate management strategies. The required data was gathered from the sand grasslands of northern Serbia, as this habitat is of high conservation priority. This area also has a long history of different habitat management approaches (grazing and mowing versus unmanaged), which has been documented over of the last two decades. This dataset enabled us to quantify the effects of different measures across multiple taxa (plants, insect pollinators, and birds). We linked the gathered data on plants, pollinators, and birds with habitat management measures. Our results show that, at the taxon level, the adopted management strategies were beneficial for species richness, abundance, and composition, as the highest diversity of plant, insect pollinator, and bird species was found in managed areas. Thus, an innovative modelling approach was adopted in this work to identify and explain the effects of management practices on changes in habitat communities. The findings yielded can be used in the decision making as well as development of new management programmes. We thus posit that, when restoring and establishing particular communities, priority needs to be given to species with a broad ecological response. We recommend using the decision tree as a suitable machine learning model for this purpose.

The Hidden World of Insect-Plant Interactions: a review

This review examines the hidden world of plant-insect interactions by emphasizing on the sensory perception and behavior of phytophagous insects, nutritional influence on insect reproduction, host plant resistance, Insects, weed and crop interaction, Insect pollinator plant interaction, tri-trophic interaction, and insect biotechnology. It explores how insects use sensory cues to forage for food, find mates, perceive dangers, and navigate their environment. It also examines the influence of host plants on insect behavior and the use of chemical cues for communication. The potential use of semio-chemicals in pest management for sustainable agriculture is highlighted. Nutritional factors and their impact on insect reproductive success are also discussed, emphasizing the need for balanced diets. The different categories of host plant resistance and their effects on insects are examined. The interdependent relationships between insects, plants, and weeds in agricultural ecosystems are explored, with a focus on the role of insect pollinators. The decline of insect pollinators and the importance of studying them are emphasized. The importance of tri-trophic interactions in maintaining ecological balance and biodiversity is discussed. Moreover, the role of biotechnological techniques like genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, and epigenetics in understanding insect plant interactions as well as developing insect pest control strategies is discussed. The potential use of natural products produced by plants in environmentally friendly pest control methods is also examined. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive exploration of insect-plant interactions and the potential for sustainable pest control methods.

Heat and desiccation tolerances predict bee abundance under climate change.

Climate change could pose an urgent threat to pollinators, with critical ecological and economic consequences. However, for most insect pollinator species, we lack the long-term data and mechanistic evidence that are necessary to identify climate-driven declines and predict future trends. Here we document 16 years of abundance patterns for a hyper-diverse bee assemblage1 in a warming and drying region2, link bee declines with experimentally determined heat and desiccation tolerances, and use climate sensitivity models to project bee communities into the future. Aridity strongly predicted bee abundance for 71% of 665 bee populations (species × ecosystem combinations). Bee taxa that best tolerated heat and desiccation increased the most over time. Models forecasted declines for 46% of species and predicted more homogeneous communities dominated by drought-tolerant taxa, even while total bee abundance may remain unchanged. Such community reordering could reduce pollination services, because diverse bee assemblages typically maximize pollination for plant communities3. Larger-bodied bees also dominated under intermediate to high aridity, identifying body size as a valuable trait for understanding how climate-driven shifts in bee communities influence pollination4. We provide evidence that climate change directly threatens bee diversity, indicating that bee conservation efforts should account for the stress of aridity on bee physiology.

Pollination of thermogenic inflorescence of Pandanus odorifer by a specialist Amystrops sap beetle that reproduces on the male inflorescence

Abstract Pandanus is a morphologically unique plant group of the Paleotropical flora, with approximately 450 known species occupying diverse habitats. Because the male inflorescences of this genus are pendent and nectarless, they are commonly assumed to be wind-pollinated; however, their floral scent coupled with the observation that female inflorescences mature while still covered by bracts suggest the possibility of an alternative pollination mechanism. We studied the pollination system of Pandanus odorifer in subtropical Japan. A peroxidase assay was conducted to determine the timing of stigma receptivity, which showed that the stigmas were sensitive to peroxidase while the female inflorescences were covered by bracts. We found numerous pollen-bearing adult beetles of the genus Amystrops on both male and female inflorescences. Nitidulid larvae were also found on male inflorescences, and the larvae became adults of the same Amystrops species as found on the inflorescences by feeding only on Pandanus pollen. Last, floral temperature was monitored to test for floral thermogenesis. Both male and female inflorescences were thermogenic at night when insect visitation occurred. This study provides the first examples of insect pollination and floral thermogenesis in Pandanaceae. Most known Amystrops species are associated with Pandanus inflorescences, suggesting a widespread, specialized Pandanus–Amystrops association.

From petals to seeds: Understanding the role of hymenopteran and dipteran pollinators in the reproductive success of onion (Allium cepa L.)

An experiment was conducted to assess the pollinator community of onion (Allium cepa L.) as well to find the pollinators contributing to a higher onion seed production. Fifteen insect pollinator species belonging to two orders and two families were found to be visiting onion flowers. The dwarf honeybee, Apis florea F. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) was most frequent pollinator among bees. The maximum visitation rate was recorded in the case of Eristalinus aeneus S. (Diptera: Syrphidae), while the maximum stay time was recorded for A. florea. For observing the pollination effectiveness, we used pollinator exclusive approach, and four pollination trials were maintained i.e., 100%, 50%, 25% and 0% pollination. Pollinator effectiveness was accessed in terms of yield parameters such as umbel weight, number of seed and seed weight. Compared to 0% pollination, plants with 100% and 50% pollination levels showed 44- and 19-times higher seed production in onion, respectively. Six major pollinators were tested for their pollination efficiency. The single visit efficiency in terms of the number of seeds showed that plants with A. florea pollination showed higher seed yield. There was an increase in the number of seeds and seed weight per umbel, proving that A. florea is an effective pollinator in onion production. Moreover, syrphid flies also contributed to the onion seed production, though they were less efficient pollinators.

Effects of climate change on Lepidoptera pollen loads and their pollination services in space and time.

Shifts in flowering time among plant communities as a result of climate change, including extreme weather events, are a growing concern. These plant phenological changes may affect the quantity and quality of food sources for specialized insect pollinators. Plant-pollinator interactions are threatened by habitat alterations and biodiversity loss, and changes in these interactions may lead to declines in flower visitors and pollination services. Most prior research has focused on short-term plant-pollinator interactions, which do not accurately capture changes in pollination services. Here, we characterized long-term plant-pollinator interactions and identified potential risks to specialized butterfly species due to habitat loss, fragmented landscapes, and changes in plant assemblages. We used 21years of historical data from museum specimens to track the potential effects of direct and indirect changes in precipitation, temperature, monsoons, and wildfires on plant-pollinator mutualism in the Great Basin and Sierra Nevada. We found decreased pollen richness associated with butterflies within sites, as well as an increase in pollen grain abundance of drought-tolerant plants, particularly in the past 10years. Moreover, increased global temperatures and the intensity and frequency of precipitation and wildfires were negatively correlated with pollen diversity. Our findings have important implications for understanding plant-pollinator interactions and the pollination services affected by global warming.

Population Abundance and Frequency of Visits Forcipomyia spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) on Cocoa Plantations in Lima Puluh Kota District, Indonesia

Forcipomyia spp. is a pollinator insect on cacao plants that belongs to the Ceratopogonidae Family, Diptera Order. The objectives of this research were to determine the abundance of the insect population of Forcipomyia spp. in Lima Puluh Kota District and to determine the frequency of visits of those insects to cacao flowers. This research was conducted on a small smallholder plantation in Sungai Talang Village, Lima Puluh Kota District. Then, the samples obtained were identified at the Andalas University Laboratory. This research was conducted using a survey method and purposive sampling technique. Five cacao plants were selected in each plot of land, and then three flower beds per plant were selected to bloom. Sampling was carried out by installing yellow sticky traps. The insects obtained were put into a collection bottle filled with 96% alcohol to preserve those insects, and then the abundance of Forcipomyia spp. Insects were calculated. The research results showed that the highest insect abundance was in Jorong Guguak Nunang: 1.260 individuals, then in Jorong Bukik Apik: 1.061 individuals and the lowest was in Jorong Boncah: 1.045 individuals. The highest frequency of visits was in the morning, with an average of 648 individuals/60 minutes. The insect diversity index based on the Shannon-Wienner Diversity Index in Jorong Guguak Nunang was 1,97; in Jorong Boncah, it was 2,21; in Jorong Bukik Apik was 1,88, and all of it is in the medium diversity level category.

Heatwave-like events affect drone production and brood-care behaviour in bumblebees.

Climate change is currently considered one of the major threats to biodiversity and is associated with an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. Heatwaves create acutely stressful conditions that may lead to disruption in the performance and survival of ecologically and economically important organisms, such as insect pollinators. In this study, we investigated the impact of simulated heatwaves on the performance of queenless microcolonies of Bombus terrestris audax under laboratory conditions. Our results indicate that heatwaves can have significant impacts on bumblebee performance. However, contrary to our expectations, exposure to heatwaves did not affect survival. Exposure to a mild 5-day heatwave (30-32 °C) resulted in increased offspring production compared to those exposed to an extreme heatwave (34-36 °C) and to the control group (24 °C). We also found that brood-care behaviours were impacted by the magnitude of the heatwave. Wing fanning occurred occasionally at temperatures of 30-32 °C, whereas at 34-36 °C the proportion of workers engaged in this thermoregulatory behaviour increased significantly. Our results provide insights into the effects of heatwaves on bumblebee colony performance and underscore the use of microcolonies as a valuable tool for studying the effects of extreme weather events. Future research, especially field-based studies replicating natural foraging conditions, is crucial to complement laboratory-based studies to comprehend how heatwaves compromise the performance of pollinators. Such studies may potentially help to identify those species more resilient to climate change, as well as those that are most vulnerable.