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<p><i>Apis</i><i> cerana</i> and <i>Tetragonula iridipennis</i> are sympatric, widely distributed eusocial bees in the Asian tropics that differ markedly in body and colony size. Body size differences are associated with differences in visual and flight capabilities and may influence interspecific competition and coexistence. We analysed the pollen collected by managed colonies of both species and wild colonies of <i>T. iridipennis</i> in a farmland–forest mosaic in the Eastern Ghats, India. We hypothesised that the smaller <i>T.</i> <i>iridipennis</i> would exhibit more restricted diel foraging activity, collect less diverse pollen, show higher pollen constancy, and have low resource overlap with <i>A.</i> <i>cerana</i>. We further expected flower abundance, richness, and diversity to modulate (a) diel foraging activity and (b) pollen diversity, constancy, and resource overlap. Foraging activity began later in <i>T.</i> <i>iridipennis</i> than in <i>A.</i> <i>cerana.</i> Overall, <i>A.</i> <i>cerana</i> exploited a broader range of pollen resources and exhibited low pollen overlap with both wild and managed <i>T.</i> <i>iridipennis.</i> However<i>,</i> the weekly diversity of pollen morphotypes collected per hive was similar between <i>A.</i> <i>cerana</i> and wild <i>T. iridipennis</i>, and pollen constancy did not differ between species. Furthermore, pollen diet breadth in <i>A.</i> <i>cerana</i> increased with floral richness, while flower diversity did not influence the effective pollen morphotype diversity at the hive-level, constancy, or resource overlap. Overall, the smaller body size of <i>T.</i> <i>iridipennis</i>, along with its associated visual and flight constraints, might limit its foraging potential even though they exhibit similar hive-level resource generalisation relative to <i>A.</i> <i>cerana.</i></p>

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Pollen diet diversity in sympatric honeybees and stingless bees

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月23日

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  • Kavya Mohan Nadumthottiyil,
  • Malavika Jayakrishnan,
  • Hema Somanathan

摘要

Apis cerana and Tetragonula iridipennis are sympatric, widely distributed eusocial bees in the Asian tropics that differ markedly in body and colony size. Body size differences are associated with differences in visual and flight capabilities and may influence interspecific competition and coexistence. We analysed the pollen collected by managed colonies of both species and wild colonies of T. iridipennis in a farmland–forest mosaic in the Eastern Ghats, India. We hypothesised that the smaller T. iridipennis would exhibit more restricted diel foraging activity, collect less diverse pollen, show higher pollen constancy, and have low resource overlap with A. cerana. We further expected flower abundance, richness, and diversity to modulate (a) diel foraging activity and (b) pollen diversity, constancy, and resource overlap. Foraging activity began later in T. iridipennis than in A. cerana. Overall, A. cerana exploited a broader range of pollen resources and exhibited low pollen overlap with both wild and managed T. iridipennis. However, the weekly diversity of pollen morphotypes collected per hive was similar between A. cerana and wild T. iridipennis, and pollen constancy did not differ between species. Furthermore, pollen diet breadth in A. cerana increased with floral richness, while flower diversity did not influence the effective pollen morphotype diversity at the hive-level, constancy, or resource overlap. Overall, the smaller body size of T. iridipennis, along with its associated visual and flight constraints, might limit its foraging potential even though they exhibit similar hive-level resource generalisation relative to A. cerana.