Foraging behavior, environmental parameters and nests development of Melipona colimana Ayala (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) in temperate climate of Jalisco, México / Comportamento de forragem, parâmetros ambientais e desenvolvimento de ninhos de Melipona colimana (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) em clima temperado de Jalisco, México

Abstract Melipona colimana Ayala is an endemic species inhabiting temperate forests of pine and oak of south of Jalisco in Mexico. During a year, it was recorded every 15 days foraging activity, environmental parameters and the development of colonies of M. colimana in its wild habitat. For five minutes every hour from 7:00 to 21:00, the bees that entered and left the hive and bringing pollen and resin were registered. Every hour the relative humidity, temperature, wind speed and light intensity was recorded and related to foraging activity. Additionally, the weight of the colonies recently transferred to wooden boxes, the number of brood combs, honey pots and pollen were registered. The time of beginning and ending of the foraging activity differs from the reports of stingless bees of tropical weather and the same happens with the pollen collection. The environmental parameters that affect other tropical stingless bees in the foraging activity also affect M. colimana in temperate climate. It was determined that the major activity season and the presence of more pollen pots in the colony is from November through February, for what it could be the best time of the year for the division and obtainance of new colonies, while the critical period of minor activity and pollen flow was during rainy season. These data may be useful for the future sustainable use of this species in temperate climate.

Resumo Melipona colimana Ayala é uma espécie endémica de clima temperado que habita nas florestas de pinho e de azinheira do sul de Jalisco, no México. Registrou-se durante um ano, todos os quinze dias, a atividade de forragem, os parâmetros ambientais e o desenvolvimento de colônias de M. colimana no seu habitat silvestre. Registrou-se durante cinco minutos, cada hora das 7:00 às 21:00, as abelhas que entraram e saíram da colmeia e as que traziam pólen e resinas. Registrou-se toda hora, a humidade relativa, temperatura, velocidade do vento e intensidade da luz e relacionaram-se à atividade de forragem. Além do mais, registrou-se o peso de colônias recém transferidas a gavetas de madeira e contabilizou-se o número de panais, potes de mel e pólen. A hora de início e de fim da atividade de forragem difere com os reportes das abelhas sem ferrão de clima tropical e o mesmo acontece com a recolecção de pólen. Os parâmetros ambientais que afetam outros meliponinos de clima tropical na forragem também afetam a M. colimana em clima temperado. Determinou-se que a temporada de maior atividade e a presença de mais potes de pólen na colônia é de Novembro a Fevereiro, razão pela qual pode ser a melhor temporada do ano para a divisão e obtenção de novas colônias, enquanto que o período crítico de menor atividade e fluxo de pólen foi durante a temporada de chuvas. Esses dados podem ser úteis para o futuro aproveitamento sustentável de esta espécie em clima temperado.

Foraging behavior, environmental parameters and nests development of Melipona colimana Ayala (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) in temperate climate of Jalisco, México.

Melipona colimana Ayala is an endemic species inhabiting temperate forests of pine and oak of south of Jalisco in Mexico. During a year, it was recorded every 15 days foraging activity, environmental parameters and the development of colonies of M. colimana in its wild habitat. For five minutes every hour from 7:00 to 21:00, the bees that entered and left the hive and bringing pollen and resin were registered. Every hour the relative humidity, temperature, wind speed and light intensity was recorded and related to foraging activity. Additionally, the weight of the colonies recently transferred to wooden boxes, the number of brood combs, honey pots and pollen were registered. The time of beginning and ending of the foraging activity differs from the reports of stingless bees of tropical weather and the same happens with the pollen collection. The environmental parameters that affect other tropical stingless bees in the foraging activity also affect M. colimana in temperate climate. It was determined that the major activity season and the presence of more pollen pots in the colony is from November through February, for what it could be the best time of the year for the division and obtainance of new colonies, while the critical period of minor activity and pollen flow was during rainy season. These data may be useful for the future sustainable use of this species in temperate climate.

Biological characteristics of geographically isolated populations of Meccus mazzottii (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in southern Mexico.

Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, is one of the most epidemiologically important vector-borne zoonoses in Mexico. Among the 32 reported triatomine species from Mexico, Meccus mazzottii (Usinger) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is one of the most important vectors of T. cruzi in the southern part of the country. Variability among populations of triatomines has been recorded for several species (Meccus longipennis (Usinger) and Meccus pallidipennis (Stal)) that are closely related to M. mazzottii, showing an apparent influence of local environmental conditions on the biology of each population, which could modify the impact of vector control measurements. Therefore, this study sought to compare the biological features of populations of M. mazzottii from two geographically far apart areas that have similar environmental characteristics and to compare populations from close geographical areas that have different environmental characteristics. The mean longevity, percentages of mortality of nymphs, the total mean number of bloodmeals to molt (considered instar by instar), the mean number of eggs laid by females, and the percentage of hatched eggs were similar between the two localities that are geographically far apart but have similar environmental characteristics. On the other hand, important differences were noticed when a comparison was carried out on the two localities with similar environmental conditions with respect to that locality with different conditions, independent of geographic distance. Most of the studied parameters led us to conclude that the three studied populations are very highly influenced by local environmental conditions. The results of this study indicate the importance of studying the biological characteristics of local populations of triatomines to carry out specific control measurements, instead of using standard ones that could fail if they are not adapted to the target population.