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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Poplarville, Mississippi » Southern Horticultural Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #252445
Title: Cage-Fighting Bees: Can Aggressive Competition Increase Pollination Efficacy for an Oligolectic Native Bee?

Author
item Werle, Christopher
item Sampson, Blair

Submitted to: Ecological Society of America (ESA)
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2010
Publication Date: 3/7/2010
Citation: Werle, C.T., Sampson, B.J. 2010. Cage-Fighting Bees: Can aggressive competition increase pollination efficacy for an oligolectic native bee ?. Ecological Society of America (ESA) pg. 57.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Pollination efficacy of the oligolectic bee Ptilothrix bombiformis was measured as the number of pollen grains delivered to virgin Hibiscus stigmas. Such specialized bee foragers are often assumed to be highly efficient pollinators. Intriguingly, however, we discovered females fight over host blooms, increasing stigmatic loads, and thus host pollination success.