Abstract:
This study aimed to evaluate the influence of
crop type, cropping systems and weather elements on foraging
behaviour of pollinators, which is imperative for
designing pollinator friendly agricultural systems. Generalised
linear models were used to assess foraging time and
visitation frequency of the honey bee Apis mellifera
scutellata and the stingless bee Hypotrigona gribodoi
across monocultures and polyculture systems of butternut,
dry bean and mustard at two garden sites in Zvimba district,
Zimbabwe. A total of 120 bee visitations across the
crops and 103.4 min of foraging bouts were recorded. The
honey bee had longer foraging bouts periods in monoculture
system, but there were no differences in the stingless
bee. Across the two bee species, mustard had the longest
foraging bouts, and least in dry beans. Foraging time
generally decreased with increasing temperatures, but the
decreases in polyculture systems were less severe for the
honey bee. Only the honey bee foraging time was shorter in
the presence of competitors. We therefore conclude that
there are possible negative impacts of projected increases
in temperature due to global warming and agricultural
intensification on foraging behaviour of important pollinators
such as bees.
