Leaf fertilizers affect survival and behavior of the Neotropical stingless bee Friesella schrottkyi (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini)

• Ano de defesa: 2016
• Autor(a) principal: Rodrigues, Cleiton Guedes
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal de Viçosa
• Palavras-chave em Português: Abelha - Comportamento; Abelha - Fisiologia; Friesella schrottkyi; Abelha sem ferrão; Abelha - Polinizadores; Adubos e fertilizantes; Agroquímicos; Ciências Agrárias; Agronomia; Fitossanidade; Entomologia Agrícola
• Link de acesso: http://www.locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/11823

Scientists all over the world have been concerned about the mortality of bees, which represent a great deal in agricultural economy. More knowledge is necessary regarding the factors involved. Heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Mn) are part of several agricultural products market for aiming yield increase. However, their potential effects on pollinators are seldom considered. The native stingless bees are pollinator species ecologically and economically relevant in the Neotropical region. We aimed to study whether foliar fertilizers containing heavy metals would affect the survival, behavior and physiology of Friesella schrottkyi foraging bees. Thus, we tested two leaf fertilizers: copper sulfate (Cu=24%) and micronutrient mix (Cu=0.6%, Mn=3%, Zn=5%). We also used unexposed bees as negative control and the biopesticide spinosad as positive control. Therefore, bees were exposed by ingestion (contaminated sugar solution) or contact during 72h. We have found that copper sulfate under oral exposure caused 100% mortality of bees in less than 72h. Spinosad followed the same trend with only 6% of survival. Those surviving insects were then investigated for effects on their behavior (walking and flight activity) and physiology (respiration rate). Copper sulfate enhanced flight take-off on stingless bee workers, unlike workers exposed to the micronutrient mix. There was no significant effect of leaf fertilizers on the overall activity and walking behavior of worker bees. No significant effect was observed for the respiration rate of worker bees under contact exposure, but workers orally exposed to the micronutrient mix exhibited a reduced respiration rate. Therefore, leaf fertilizers do affect F. schrottkyi, what may also occur with other stingless bees, potentially compromising their pollination activity deserving attention.