the “faithfulness” of honey bees as pollinators of red clover
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The “Faithfulness” Of Honey Bees as Pollinators Of Red Clover. Sarah Maxfield-Taylor Oregon State University Summer REU Program For Pollination Biology. Presentation Outline. Are honey bees ( Apis mellifera L.) “faithful” pollinators of red clover? • Red clover crop production - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The “Faithfulness” Of Honey Bees as Pollinators Of Red Clover
Sarah Maxfield-TaylorOregon State University
Summer REU Program For Pollination Biology
Are honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) “faithful” pollinators of red clover?
• Red clover crop production
• Pollen sampling
• Pollen identification
• Future research topics
Presentation Outline
Oregon Clover Seed Production
32,000 Acres Of Clover (2,000 Acres of red clover)• Forage crop grown for livestock• Rotation crop
Pollination as a limiting factor
Bumble bees are not a commercial option in Oregon.
What is the cost of using honey bees to pollinate red clover?.....
• $55/hive rental fee• Minimum of 1 hive/2 acres (2/acre avg.)• Mixed pollination results
Are the services they provide worththe cost?
MethodsPollen Collection• Red clover field sites in the Willamette Valley• Samples were taken with a Sundance pollen trap
Pollen analysis• Samples separated out by color • Scanning Electron Microscope analysis• Reference plant collection
Results
• Change in pollen color throughout season
• Plant families identified
7-13-09 7-21-09 7-28-09 8-03-09 8-11-09
HAMILTON
KENNEL
7-13-09 7-21-09 7-28-09 8-03-09 8-11-09
7-13-09 7-21-09 7-28-09 8-03-09 8-11-09
7-13-09 7-21-09 7-28-09 8-03-09 8-11-09
SIMPSON
Early Bloom Bloom Peak Late Bloom Bloom End
Honey bee pollen loads collected from
all three sites
Bull ThistleCirsium vulgare
Canada ThistleCirsium arvense
False DandelionHypochoeris radicata
Prickly LettuceLactuca sernola
Common MallowMalva neglecta
Stinking MayweedAnthemis cotula
Queen Anne’s LaceDaucus carota
Morning GloryConvulvulus arvensis
TeaselDipsacus fullonum
Field MustardBrassica campestris
Wind FlowerEpilobium ciliatum
Sharp point fluvellinKickxia elatine
Saint Johns WartHypericum perforatum
Sweat PeaLathyrus latifolia
Tansy RagwortSenecio jacobaea
Red CloverTrifolium pratense
Arrowleaf CloverTrifolium vesiulosum savi
False DandelionHypochoeris radicata
A single pollen load collected 7-13-09 from the Hamilton site
Red CloverTrifolium pratense
?
A second pollen load collected 7-13-09 from the Hamilton site
False DandelionHypochoeris radicata
?Unknown
Asteraceae
Saint Johns Wart Hypericum perforatum
Red Clover Trifolium pratense
Arrowleaf Clover Trifolium vesiulosum
A third pollen load collected 7-21-09 from the Hamilton site
Dandelion
?
Red CloverTrifolium pratense
False DandelionHypochoeris radicata
A single pollen load collected 7-21-09 from the Kennel site
Red CloverTrifolium pratense
Conclusion
• Foraging behavior changes throughout the season
• Honey bees are visiting red clover
• Honey bees are visiting non-crop species
• Additional pollen identification needed
Future Reseach
• Continuation of pollen analysis
• Acetolyosis
• Reference collection
Acknowledgements• My fellow REU student researchers
• Sujaya Rao, Andy Moldenke, Sandy DeBano, Bill Steven, Jeff Miller, and all those involved with O.S.U.’s Pollination Biology REU
• Terresa Sawyer at O.S.U’s S.E.M. laboratory
• Lynn Royce-Mite Bee Farms
• Chiho Kimoto, Kimberly Skyrm, Julie Kirby, and Toni Taylor
• The NSF
• HHMI
Thank you all