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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Genetics and Breeding Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #410516
Research Project: Genetic Improvement and Cropping Systems of Warm-season Grasses for Forage, Feedstocks, Syrup, and Turf

Location: Crop Genetics and Breeding Research

Title: Insects foraging on pearl millet, Cenchrus americanus, pollen

Author
item Harris-Shultz, Karen
item O'Hearn, Jonathan
item Knoll, Joseph - Joe
item CLEM, CARL - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Journal of Entomological Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/6/2024
Publication Date: 4/19/2024
Citation: Harris-Shultz, K.R., O'Hearn, J.S., Knoll, J.E., Clem, C.S. 2024. Insects foraging on pearl millet, Cenchrus americanus, pollen. Journal of Entomological Science. 59(4):1-9. https://doi.org/10.18474/JES23-91.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18474/JES23-91

Interpretive Summary: Bees provide the most pollinator services and are in decline due to loss of floral abundance and diversity, loss in suitable habitat, long-term exposure to pesticides, species introductions, and infection by parasites and pathogens. Human efforts to aide bees focus on the planting of nectar rich plants but rarely promote wind pollinated crops that mainly provide only pollen. Yet bees and hoverflies are frequently seen collecting or consuming pollen from grasses. Many growers of pearl millet note the large number of bees that are attracted to this crop during flowering. To document this, we identified insects that collect or consume pearl millet pollen and determined if plant traits impact insect number. We found honeybees were the most abundant insect followed by lined earwigs, maize calligraphers, two-spotted longhorn bees, banded cucumber beetles, exotic stripetails, common eastern bumblebees, American bumblebees (threatened species), sweat bees, and a eastern band-winged hoverfly. More maize calligraphers were seen on shorter plants as compared to taller plants. Thus, pearl millet is serving as a multi-week food source for native and non-native pollinators.

Technical Abstract: Bees provide the most pollinator services but are in decline due to loss of floral abundance and diversity, loss in suitable habitat, long-term exposure to pesticides, species introductions, and infection by parasites and pathogens. Human efforts to aide bees focus on the planting of nectar rich plants but rarely promote wind pollinated crops that mainly provide only pollen. Despite frequent statements that grasses have no value to bees and other pollinators, bees and syrphid flies are commonly seen collecting or consuming pollen from grasses. In this study we sought to identify insects that collect or consume pearl millet pollen and determine if plant traits impact insect number. Insects found collecting/consuming Tift Long-headed bulk pearl millet pollen were Apis mellifera followed by Doru taeniatum, Toxomerus politus, Melissodes bimaculatus, Diabrotica balteata, Allograpta exotica, Bombus impatiens, Bombus pensylvanicus, Lasioglossum sp., and Ocyptamus fascipennis. Pollen was released for five weeks. More T. politus were seen at shorter plant heights than at taller plant heights.