Association between stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) and camu camu( Myrciaria dubia: Myrtaceae), in the Peruvian Amazon

Delgado C.; Rasmussen C.; Mejía K. · Livestock Research for Rural Development (2020)

Resumen

Pollination is an ecosystem service of great importance for forest maintenance and food security in the world. This study was conducted betweenSeptember and November 2018 to evaluate the diversity of stingless bees associated with camu camu ( Myrciaria dubia) and the increase in fruitformation through the presence of pollinators, chiefly stingless bees. Six cultivated plots of camu camu were sampled in two communities of thelower Ucayali River, Requena Province, Loreto Department in Peru. Nine species of stingless bees and the exotic Apis mellifera were recordedassociated with camu camu. The two most abundant species were A. mellifera Linnaeus with 26.5%, Melipona eburnea Friese with 19.2%. Insects,mainly bees, contribute up to 44% increase in the production of camu camu fruits.