Foraging Behavior of the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) upon the Male and Female Flowers of Squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) (Cucurbitaceae) in the Region of Tizi-Ouzou (Algeria)

Abstract

Cucurbitaceae species depend on pollination by bees for fruit production. The objective of this present work was to identify the insect visitors of squash and to study the foraging behavior of the most abundant species in the field. Identification of foraging insects of Cucurbita pepo L. (Cucurbitaceae) were performed during 2016 and 2017 flowering periods in the region of Tizi Ouzou (Algeria). Observations showed that the majority of the insects visiting squash flowers were Apoides Hymenoptera belonging to two families: Apidae and Halictidae. Six species of bees were recorded upon the plant, of which the honey bee Apis mellifera L. was the most frequent species. The study of the foraging activity of these insects showed that their visits to squash flowers were more intense at 8am and 9am and were essentially devoted to nectar harvesting. Bee visits proportions were higher on staminate flowers than on pistillate flowers. The duration of visits to flowers was significantly longer in staminate flowers.