Nectar volume and floral entomofauna as a tool for the implementation of sustainable apicultural management plans in Quillaja saponaria Mol

摘要

The objective of the present study was to quantify nectar volume and secretion dynamics in Quillaja saponaria Mol. and the entomofauna associated with its flowers, as a tool for the implementation of sustainable apicultural management plans. Nectar was collected daily throughout the flowers' lifetime, three times per day at 4-h intervals. For the identification of insects associated with flowers, 5-min observation periods were carried out for 170 min in total, and a list of registered species was prepared. Within the inflorescence, central hermaphrodite flowers and lateral male flowers lived 12.3 pl 0.26 and 5.8 pl 0.26 days on average, respectively. Nectar production increased from day 1 to day 11, and then decreased until day 15. The average volume of nectar secreted per tree was 5.3 l, which would be equivalent to 4.2 kg of honey. Forty-one species of flower visitors were registered in total.