Floral resources used by Scaptotrigona aff. depilis in urbanized area

• Grant number: 10/02659-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2010
• End date: December 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Applied Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Cláudia Inês da Silva
• Grantee: Letícia Biral de Faria
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The floral resources used by stingless bees can be determined by observation in field of the plants visited by them or by the identification of pollen samples found in their bodies, nests and/or their excrement. This kind of analysis gives information about the forage of the species that is used for the elaboration of management and conservation plans. The present work is going to be conducted in order to evaluate the distribution of the floral resources used by Scaptotrigona aff. depilis; evaluate the floral constancy during preferential foraging period and identify the key species used for the maintenance of the nests based on the identification of the pollen collected by the bees.