Specialized pollination by carpenter bees inCalanthe striata(Orchidaceae), with a review of carpenter bee pollination in orchids

Pollination of Blueberry (vaccinium Ashei) by Honey Bees (apis Mellifera) and Nectar-thieving Carpenter Bees (xylocopa Virginica)

In a 2000 field study in which mature plants, potted pollenizers, and 0-12800 honey bees were tented together, honey bees were shown to effectively pollinate rabbiteye blueberry, variety “Climax.” There was a consistent and significant increase in fruit-set and number of seeds as bee numbers increased within the range of 0-6400 bees. In conference, the authors will present results of a 2001 fie...

Pollination efficiency and the evolution of specialized deceptive pollination systems.

The ultimate causes of evolution of highly specialized pollination systems are little understood. We investigated the relationship between specialization and pollination efficiency, defined as the proportion of pollinated flowers relative to those that experienced pollen removal, using orchids with different pollination strategies as a model system. Rewarding orchids showed the highest pollinat...

Anther development in tribe Epidendreae: orchids with contrasting pollination syndromes

Background Epidendreae is one of the most diverse tribes among the orchids with remarkable variation in life form, floral morphology and pollination syndromes. Its circumscription was recently revised and subtribes Agrostophyllinae and Calypsoinae were transferred into this tribe. One of the principal floral characters utilized in classification of orchids is the incumbency or bending of the co...

Role of Native Bees in Apple Pollination

to be eff ective vectors of apple pollen.” Pollination is an essential step in production of fruits and many vegetables. Th e most widely used insect for fruit pollination is the European honey bee, Apis mellifera. Honey bees are ideal pollinators in many crop systems: each colony produces thousands of foraging workers and colonies can be moved into orchards and fields during the flowering peri...

Helping Agricultural Pollination & Bees in Farmland