Levantamento da fauna apícola em monocultivo de sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia) em área de Caatinga no Agreste pernambucano

Abstract

Due to the semi-arid climate characteristics, the Caatinga biodiversity presents a rich diversity of plant and animal life. Within this wealth, native bees stand out, which play an important role in the balance of forest ecosystems. Thus, the objective of the present work was to carry out a survey of the apicultural fauna in areas of sable cultivation and native vegetation of Caatinga in the rural region of Pernambuco. The research was carried out at the experimental station of the Instituto Agronomic° de Pernambuco - IPA, municipality of Caruaru, Pernambuco. The study was carried out during the months of December 2020 and January 2021 in two areas of Caatinga equidistant 30 m from each other, one planted with thrush (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia) and the other with native vegetation. In each area, two 10 m x 10 m transects were drawn for the installation of traps. Two models of traps were installed, one with a bottle using scent essences (vanilla and methyl salicylate) and another with yellow Pantraps, in which the attractiveness is based on color. 29 individuals of bees distributed in three genera were catalogued. Of these, two were identified at the genus level (Trigona sp., Bombus sp.) and one at the species level (Apis melifera scutellata). Pantraps did not attract any insect considered to be a bee, regardless of the area or period of collection. A higher frequency of bees was observed in the dry period compared to the rainy period. In the sabia area there was greater visitation by bees (82% of the individuals) and greater preference for visitation after using the methyl salicylate essence (79% of the individuals), however the vanilla essence was efficient in attracting them. It is concluded that the method of collecting bees using scent traps in the Caatinga environment of the Pernambuco agreste proved to be efficient when using vanilla and methyl salicylate essences, the latter being the most effective in attracting these insects. The modifications that occurred in the monoculture of Sabia in the Caatinga environment did not negatively influence the diversity of bees, when compared to the area of native forest in the region, with similar diversity being observed in both areas.