MAIA, A. G.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4803194269000042; MAIA, Adryele Gomes.
Resumo:
The nutritional ecology of bees involves the balance of essential nutrients, with pollen
being a crucial source. Lack of resources can result in nutritional stress and affect colony
health. Supplementary diets have been considered to compensate for pollen shortages,
which are caused by adverse climatic conditions, loss of natural habitats, changes in the
urban landscape, seasonal limitations in the availability of floral resources and low plant
diversity. Among bee species, Scaptotrigona depilis (straw bee), is a stingless, native
species, found in the Brazilian Northeast region, and is considered a key species for the
Caatinga biome. The present work was carried out with the aim of analyzing the
effectiveness of artificial diets in straw bees, regarding the aspects of attractiveness and
toxicity in controlled environments. The research was carried out in the laboratories of
the Ignácio Hernan Salcedo Experimental Station 3 INSA, Campina Grande, Paraíba. For
this, an attractiveness test was carried out, selecting ten samples of vegetables from the
Caatinga. Subsequently, three vegetables were chosen based on the results of the
attractiveness test and nutritional criteria to carry out physical-chemical and
bromatological analyses, in addition to toxicity tests for the native bee S. depilis. At the
same time, the influences of abiotic factors (temperature, radiation and humidity) on
foraging behavior were evaluated, and a test was also conducted to determine the
longevity of the species in question. To evaluate attractiveness, the action spectrum
method was used, with ten repetitions and eating behavior was recorded by observation
and counting of visitors every hour, from 7:00 to 17:00, for statistics ANOVA tests were
used. and Tukey. Regarding physicochemical and bromatological analyses, dry matter,
mineral matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, neutral and acid detergent
fiber, total and non-fibrous carbohydrates, and reducing sugars were tested. For toxicity
assessment, three vegetables were evaluated at concentrations of 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%,
1% and the control fed with candi paste, the results were analyzed using the Log-Rank
test. The most attractive vegetables were the canafístula pod, mesquite, gliricidia seed and
umbu leaf. As for foraging, it is directly positively correlated with temperature and solar
radiation index. Regarding longevity, S. depilis bees had a life expectancy, with a
maximum of 47, a minimum of 12 and an average rate of 24 days. The vegetables selected
were gliricidia seeds, mesquite pods and canafístula. The analysis revealed that the
gliricidia seed had a higher content of dry matter, organic matter and protein. Mesquite
pods demonstrated a good proportion of protein, while canafístula has a higher content of
mineral matter and fiber. Bees fed with mesquite and canafístula pods showed positive
results in the toxicity assessment, however, gliricidia demonstrated toxicity. Artificial
diets based on mesquite and canafístula proved to be effective in guaranteeing the
nutrition and health of straw bees during dry periods.