Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Pollen and Pollination pp 211–223Cite as

The collection of pollen by bees

  • Chapter

Abstract

Bees require pollen for their reproduction and pollen comprises the basic larval food for bees. Most bees acquire pollen passively during flower visitation, but female bees may also collect pollen actively with the aid of various structural and behavioral adaptations. Most bees have evolved adaptations to concentrate pollen into discrete loads and transport pollen back to their nests. The various structural and behavioral adaptations of female bees for acquiring and transporting pollen are the basis of this review.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Anderson G. J., Symon D. (1988) Insect foragers on Solanum flowers in Australia. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75: 842–852.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barthell J. F., Knops J. M. H. (1997) Visitation of evening primrose by carpenter bees: evidence of a “mixed” pollination syndrome. Southwest. Naturalist. 42: 86–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Batra S. W. T. (1994) Anthophora pilipes villosula Sm. (Hymenoptera: Anthophoridae), a manageable Japanese bee that visits blueberries and apples during cool, rainy, spring weather. Proc. Entomol. Soc. Washington. 96: 98–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernhardt P. (1984) The pollination biology of Hibbertia stricta (Dilleniaceae). Plant Syst. Evol. 147: 267–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernhardt P. (1986) Bee-pollination in Hibbertia fasciculata (Dilleniaceae). Plant Syst. Evol. 152: 231–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernhardt P. (1996) Anther adaptation in animal pollination. In: D’Arcy W. G., Keating R. C. (eds.) The anther form, function and phylogeny. Cambridge, Cambridge Univ. Press, pp. 192–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks R. W. (1988) Systematics and phylogeny of the anthophorine bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophoridae; Anthophorini). Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull. 53: 436–575.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buchmann S. L. (1983) Buzz pollination in angiosperms. In: Jones C. E., Little R. J. (eds.) Handbook of experimental pollination biology. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, pp. 73–113.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buchmann S. L. (1985) Bees use vibration to aid pollen collection from non-poricidal flowers. J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 58: 517–525.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buchmann S. L. (1987) The ecology of oil flowers and their bees. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 18: 343–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buchmann S. L., Cane J. H. (1989) Bees assess pollen returns while sonicating Solanum flowers. Oecologia 81: 289–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cane J. H., Buchmann S. L. (1989) Novel pollenharvesting behavior by the bee Protandrena mexicanorum (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae). J. Insect Behav. 2: 431–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cane J. H., Eickwort G. C., Wesley F. R., Spielholz J. (1983) Foraging, grooming, and mate seeking behaviors of Macropis nuda (Hymenoptera, Melittidae) and use of Lysamachia ciliata (Primulaceae) oils in larval provisions and cell linings. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 110: 257–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cane J. H., Eickwort G. C., Wesley F. R., Spielholz J. (1985) Pollination ecology of Vacinium stamineum (Ericaceae: Vaccinioideae). Amer. J. Bot. 72: 135–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cane J. H., MacKenzie K., Schiffhauer D. (1993) Honey bees harvest pollen from the porose anthers of cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) (Ericaceae). Amer. Bee J. 133: 293–295.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cane J. H., Payne J. A. (1988) Foraging ecology of the bee Habropoda laboriosa (Hymenoptera: Anthophoridae), an oligolege of blueberries (Ericaceae: Vaccinium) in the southeastern United States. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 81: 419–427.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cane J. H., Schiffhauer D., Kervin L. J. (1996) Pollination, foraging, and nesting ecology of the leaf-cutting bee Megachile (Delomegachile) addenda (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) on cranberry beds. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 89: 361–367.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corbet S. A., Chapman H., Saville N. (1988) Vibratory pollen collection and flower form: bumble-bees on Actinidia, Symphytum, Borago and Polygonatum. Funct. Ecol. 2: 147–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cripps C., Rust R. W. (1989) Pollen foraging in a community of Osmia bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Environ. Entomol. 18: 582–589.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doull K. M. (1970) An analysis of bee behaviour as it relates to pollination. In: Warren L. O. (ed.) The indispensable pollinators. Report 9th Pollin. Conf., Hot Springs, Arkansas 12-15 October 1970. Agric. Exper. Sta., Univ. Arkansas, pp. 5–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eickwort G. C., Kukuk P. F., Wesley R. F. (1986) The nesting biology of Dufourea noveangliae (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) and the systematic position of the Dufoureinae based on behavior and development. J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 59: 103–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erickson E. H., Buchmann S. L. (1983) Electrostatics and pollination. In: Jones C. E., Little R. J. (eds.) Handbook of experimental pollination biology. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, pp. 173–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Free J. B. (1993) Insect pollination of crops. 2nd edn. Academic Press, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gimenes M. (1991) Some morphological adaptations in bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) for collecting pollen from Ludwigia elegans (Onagraceae). Revista Brasil Entomol. 35: 413–422.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin R. M., Steven D. (1993) Behaviour of honey bees visiting kiwifruit flowers. New Zealand J. Crop Hort. Sci. 21: 17–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon D. M., Barthell J. F., Page R. E. Jr., Fondrk K. M., Thorp R. W. (1995) Colony performance of selected honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) strains used for alfalfa pollination. J. Econ. Entomol. 88: 51–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gottsberger G., Silberbauer-Gottsberger I. (1988) Evolution of flower structures and pollination in Neotropical Cassiinae (Caesalpiniaceae) species. Phyton (Austria) 28: 293–320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harder L. D. (1990) Behavioral responses by bumble bees to variation in pollen availability. Oecologia 85: 41–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harder L. D., Barclay R. M. R. (1994) The functionial significance of poricidal anthers and buzz pollination: controlled pollen removal from Dodecatheon. Funct. Ecol. 8: 509–517.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harder L. D., Barrett S. C. H. (1993) Pollen removal from tristylous Pontederia cordata: Effects of anther position and pollinator specialization. Ecology 74: 1059–1072.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harder L. D., Thomson J. D. (1989) Evolutionary options for maximizing pollen dispersal of animal-pollinated plants. Amer. Naturalist 133: 323–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harder L. D., Wilson W. G. (1997) Theoretical perspectives on pollination. In: Richards K. W. (ed.) Pollination: from theory to practise. Proc. 7th Internatl. Symp Pollin. Acta Hort. 437, pp. 83–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hesse M. (1980) Zur Frage der Anheftung des Pollen an blütenbesuchende Insekten mittels Pollenkitt und Viscinfäden. Plant Syst. Evol. 133: 135–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hesse M. (1981) Pollenkitt and viscin threads: their role in cementing pollen grains. Grana 20: 145–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houston T. F. (1984) Biological observations of bees in the genus Ctenocolletes (Hymenoptera: Stenotritidae). Rec. West. Austral. Mus. 11: 153–172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houston T. F. (1989) Leioproctus bees associated with Western Australian smoke bushes (Consopermum spp.) and their adaptations for foraging and concealment (Hymenoptera: Colletidae: Paracolletini). Rec. West. Austral. Mus. 14: 275–292.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houston T. F. (1990) Descriptions of new paracolletine bees associated with flowers of Eremophila (Hymenoptera: Colletidae). Rec. West. Austral. Mus. 14: 583–621.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houston T. F. (1991a) Two new and unusual species of the bee genus Leioproctus Smith (Hymenoptera: Colletidae), with notes on their behaviour. Rec. West. Austral. Mus. 15: 83–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houston T. F. (1991b) Ecology and behaviour of the bee Amegilla (Asaropoda) dawsoni (Rayment) with notes on related species (Hymenoptera: Anthophoridae). Rec. West. Austral. Mus. 15: 591–609.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houston T. F., Thorp R. W. (1984) Bionomics of the bee Stenotritus greavesi and ethological characteristics of Stenotritidae (Hymenoptera). Rec. West. Austral. Mus. 11: 375–385.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kimsey L. S. (1984) The behavioural and structural aspects of grooming and related activities in euglossine bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae). J. Zool. London 204: 541–550.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King M. (1993) Buzz foraging mechanism of bumble bees. J. Apic. Res. 32: 41–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • King M., Ferguson A. M. (1994) Vibratory collection of Actinidia deliciosa (Kiwifruit) pollen. Ann. Bot. 74: 479–482.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LaBerge W. E. (1970) A new genus with three new species of eucerine bees from Mexico (Hymenoptera: Anthophoridae). J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 43: 321–328.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaBerge W. E. (1987) A revision of the bees of the genus Andrena of the Western Hemisphere. Pt. XII. Subgenera Leucandrena, Ptilandrena, Scoliandrena and Melandrena. Trans. Amer. Entomol. Soc. 112: 191–248.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaBerge W. E. (1989a) A revision of the bees of the genus Andrena of the Western Hemisphere. Pt. XIII. Subgenera Simandrena and Taeniandrena. Trans. Amer. Entomol. Soc. 115: 1–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaBerge W. E. (1989b) A review of the bees of the genus Pectinapis (Hymenoptera: Anthophoridae). J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 62: 524–527.

    Google Scholar 

  • Macior L. W. (1982) Plant community and pollinator dynamics in the evolution of pollination mechanisms in Pedicularis (Scrophulariaceae). In: Armstrong J. A., Powell J. M., Richards A. J. (eds.) Pollination and evolution. Roy. Bot. Gard., Sydney, pp. 29–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Macior L. W. (1995) Pedicularis, a valuable information resource for plant conservation. In: Sihag R. C. (ed.) Pollination biology. Environmental factors and pollination. Rajendra Sci. Publ., Hisar, pp. 8–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacKenzie K. E. (1994) The foraging behaviour of honey bees (Apis mellifera L). and bumble bees (Bombus spp.) on cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait). Apidologie 25: 375–383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacSwain J. W., Raven P. H., Thorp R. W. (1973) Comparative behavior of bees and Onagraceae. IV. Clarkia bees of the western United States. Univ. California Publ. Entomol. 70: 1–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michener C. D. (1979) Biogeography of bees. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 66: 277–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michener C. D. (1999) The corbiculae of bees. Apidologie 30: 67–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michener C. D., McGinley R. J., Danforth B. N. (1994) The bee genera of North and Central America (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). Smithsonian Inst. Press, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michener C. D., Winston M. L., Jander R. (1978) Pollen manipulation and related activities and structures in bees of the family Apidae. Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull. 51: 575–601.

    Google Scholar 

  • Minckley R. L., Wicslo W. T., Yenega D., Buchmann S. L. (1994) Behavior and phenology of a specialist bee (Dieunomia) and sunflower (Helianthus) pollen availability. Ecology 75: 1406–1419.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Müller A. (1995) Morphological specializations in centeral European bees for the uptake of pollen from flowers with anthers hidden in narrow corolla tubes (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). Entomolgia Generalis 20: 43–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller A. (1996a) Convergent evolution of morphological specializations in centeral European bee and honey wasp species as an adaptation to the uptake of pollen from notobribic flowers (Hymenoptera, Apoidea and Masaridae). Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 57: 235–252.

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller A. (1996b) Host-plant specialization in western Palearctic anthidiine bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Megachilidae). Ecol. Monogr. 66: 235–257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Müller A., Krebs A., Amiet F. (1997) Bienen. Mitteleuropäische Gattung, Lebensweise, Beobachtung. Naturbuch Verlag, Augsburg.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neff J. L. (1984) Observations on the biology of Eremapis parvula Oglobin, an anthophorid bee with a metasomal scopa (Hymenoptera: Anthophoridae). Pan-Pac. Entomol. 60: 155–162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neff J. L., Rozen J. G. Jr. (1995) Foraging and nesting biology of the bee Anthemurgus passiflorae (Hymenoptera: Apoidea), descriptions of its immature stages, and observations on its floral host (Passifloraceae). Amer. Mus. Novitates No. 3138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neff J. L., Simpson B. B. (1981) Oil-collecting structures in the Anthophoridae (Hymenoptera): morphology, function and use in systematics. J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 54: 95–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neff J. L., Simpson B. B. (1988) Vibratile pollenharvesting by Megachile mendica Cresson (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 61: 242–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neff J. L., Simpson B. B. (1997) Nesting and foraging behavior of Andrena (Callandrend) rudbeckiae Robertson (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Andrenidae) in Texas. J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 70: 100–113.

    Google Scholar 

  • Page R. E. Jr., Fondrk K. M. (1995) The effects of colony-level selection on the social organization of honey bee (Apis mellifera L). colonies: colonylevel components of pollen hoarding. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 36: 135–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pankiw T., Page R. W. Jr., Fondrk M. K. (1998) Brood pheromone stimulates pollen foraging in honey bees (Apis mellifera). Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 44: 193–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker F. D. (1981) How efficient are bees in pollinating sunflowers? J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 54: 61–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker F. D., Tepedino V. J. (1982) A nest and pollen collection records of Osmia scullenii Sandhouse, a bee with hooked hairs on the mouthparts (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 55: 329–334.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pasteeis J. J., Pasteeis J. M. (1979) Étude au microscope électronique à balayage des scopas collectrices de pollen chez les Andrenidae (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Andrenidae). Arch. Biol. 90: 113–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Proença C. E. B. (1992) Buzz pollination — older and more widespread than we think? J. Trop. Ecol. 8: 115–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raven P. H. (1979) A survey of reproductive biology in Onagraceae. New Zealand J. Bot. 17: 575–593.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renner S. (1983) The widespread occurrence of anther destruction by Trigona bees in Melastomaceae. Biotropica 15: 251–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renner S. S. (1989) A survey of reproductive biology in Neotropical Melastomataceae and Memecylaceae. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 76: 496–518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts R. B., Vallespir S. R. (1978) Specialization of hairs bearing pollen and oil on the legs of bees (Apoidea: Hymenoptera). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 71: 619–627.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruijter A. D. (1997) Commercial bumblebee rearing and its implications. In: Richards K. W. (ed.) Pollination: from theory to practise. Proc. 7th Internatl. Symp. Pollin., Acta Hort. 437, pp. 261–269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shinn A. F. (1967) A revision of the bee genus Calliopsis and the biology and ecology of C. andreniformis (Hymenoptera, Andrenidae). Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull. 46: 753–936.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snelling R. R., Stage G. I. (1995) Systematics and biology of the bee genus Xeralictus (Hymenoptera: Halictidae, Rophitinae). Contrib. Sci. Natur. Hist. Mus. Los Angeles County 451: 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thorp R. W. (1979a) Honey bee foraging behavior in California almond orchards. In: Caron D. M. (ed.) Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposium on Pollination. Maryland Agric. Exp. Sta. Special Misc. Publ. No. 1, pp. 148–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thorp R. W. (1979b) Structural, behavioral, and physiological adaptations of bees (Apoidea) for collecting pollen. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 66: 788–812.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thorp R. W. (1990) Vernal pool flowers and host-specific bees. In: Ikeda D. H., Schlising R. A. (eds.) Vernal pool plants-their habitat and biology. Studies from the Herbarium No. 8. California State Univ., Chico, pp. 109–122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thorp R. W., Briggs D. L. (1980) Bees collecting pollen from other bees. J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 53: 166–170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thorp R. W., Brooks R. W. (1994) A revision of the New World Trachusa, subgenera Ulanthidium and Trachusomimus (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull. 55: 271–297.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torchio P. F. (1990) Osmia ribifloris, a native bee species developed as a commercially managed pollinator of highbush blueberry. J. Kansas Entomol. Soc. 63: 427–436.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torchio P. F. (1991) Bees as crop pollinators and the role of solitary bees in changing environments. In: Heemert C. van, Ruijter A. de (eds.) Proceedings of the 6th International Symposium on Pollination. Acta Hort. 288, pp. 49–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaknin Y., Gan-Mor S., Bechar A., Ronen B., Eisikowitch D. (2000) The role of electrostatic forces in pollination. (In press, this volume).

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaissière B. E., Vinson S. B. (1994) Pollen morphology and its effect on pollen collection by honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), with special reference to upland coton, Gossypium hirsutum L. (Malvaceae). Grana 33: 128–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waha M. (1984) Zur Ultrastruktur und Funktion pollenverbindender Fäden bei Ericaceae und anderen Angiospermenfamilien. Plant Syst. Evol. 147: 189–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wcislo W. T., Cane J. H. (1996) Floral resource utilization by solitary bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) and exploitation of their stored foods by natural enemies. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 41: 257–286.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Westerkamp C. (1991) Honeybees are poor pollinators — why? Plant Syst. Evol. 177: 71–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westerkamp C. (1996) Pollen in bee-flower relations. Some considerations on melittophily. Bot. Acta 109: 325–332.

    Google Scholar 

  • Westerkamp C. (1997a) Flowers and bees are competitors — not partners. Towards a new understanding of complexity in specialized bee flowers. In: Richards K. W. (ed.) Pollination: from theory to practise. Proc. 7th Internatl. Symp. Pollin. Acta Hort. 437, pp. 71–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Westerkamp C. (1997b) Keel blossoms: Bee flowers with adaptations against bees. Flora 192: 125–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead V. B. (1984) Distribution, biology and flower relationships of fideliid bees of southern Africa (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Fideliidae). S. Afr. Tydskr. Dierk. 19: 87–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winston M. L. (1979) The proboscis of the longtongued bees: A comparative study. Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull. 51: 631–667.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zavortink T. J. (1972) A new subgenus and species of Megandrena from Nevada, with notes on its foraging and mating behavior. Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 74: 61–75.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entomology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Robin W. Thorp

Authors
  1. Robin W. Thorp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Pollination Ecology, Institute of Evolution, Haifa University, Haifa, Israel

    Amots Dafni

  2. Institut für Botanik und Botanischer Garten, Universität Wien, Wien, Austria

    Michael Hesse

  3. Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, Università degli Studi di Siena, Siena, Italy

    Ettore Pacini

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2000 Springer-Verlag Wien

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Thorp, R.W. (2000). The collection of pollen by bees. In: Dafni, A., Hesse, M., Pacini, E. (eds) Pollen and Pollination. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-6306-1_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-6306-1_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-7091-7248-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-7091-6306-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation