Abstract
Flower localization in darkness is a challenging task for nocturnal pollinators. Floral scents often play a crucial role in guiding them towards their hosts. Using common volatile compounds of floral scents, we trapped female nocturnal Megalopta-bees (Halictidae), thus uncovering olfactory cues involved in their search for floral resources. Applying a new sampling method hereby described, we offer novel perspectives on the investigation of nocturnal bees.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Stefan Dötterl and the two anonymous referees for suggestions and critical comments which improved the manuscript, Leandro Santos for the identification of part of the Megalopta bees, Ricardo Camargo for help during fieldwork, and the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA) for the collection permits. This study was supported by grants from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).
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Carvalho, A.T., Maia, A.C.D., Ojima, P.Y. et al. Nocturnal Bees are Attracted by Widespread Floral Scents. J Chem Ecol 38, 315–318 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-012-0084-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-012-0084-z