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THE POLLINATION VALUE OF HONEYBEES TO THE BUMBLEBEE PLANT RHINANTHUS
Author(s) -
Kwak M. M.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
acta botanica neerlandica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.871
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1438-8677
pISSN - 0044-5983
DOI - 10.1111/j.1438-8677.1980.tb01262.x
Subject(s) - pollination , bumblebee , biology , pollen , nectar , pollinator , pollen source , botany
SUMMARY During five seasons of observations on the pollination of Netherlands Rhinanthus species by bumblebees, honeybees were nearly completely absent. In the sixth season (1979) honeybees were observed on Rhinanthus serotinus in a relatively large amount. The pollen and nectar collecting behaviour of these honeybees is described and related with some similar observations in the Alps. The pollination value of both honeybees and bumblebees is determined. If only the number of individuals is taken into account, the role of honeybees in pollination of R. serotinus may be overestimated, since their flower visiting speed was low. Specialization into pollen or nectar collecting individuals also reduced the amount of flowers really pollinated. Honeybees did not play a role in the hybridization of R. serotinus and R. minor , because they did not visit the latter.