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Pan Traps for Tracking Honey Bee Activity-Density: A Case Study in Soybeans.
Ashley L St Clair1, Adam G Dolezal2, Matthew E O'Neal3
1Department of Ecology, Iowa State University, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, 251 Bessey Hall Ames, IA 50011, USA.
Insects
|June 18, 2020
Summary
Colored pan traps effectively monitor honey bee (Apis mellifera) activity, especially when managed colonies are present. This cost-effective method can identify forage scarcity and assess colony presence in agricultural fields.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Entomology
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Traditional methods for studying honey bee forage utilization and pollination management are often time-consuming, expensive, and require specialized expertise.
- Colored pan traps offer a potentially simpler, more cost-effective alternative for monitoring pollinator activity.
- The efficacy of pan traps specifically for monitoring honey bees (Apis mellifera) in agricultural settings requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of colored pan traps for estimating honey bee activity-density in soybean fields.
- To determine how trap color, placement within a field, and the proximity of managed honey bee colonies influence activity-density estimates.
- To assess the utility of pan traps for understanding honey bee foraging behavior and identifying periods of resource scarcity.
Main Methods:
- Field experiments were conducted in soybean fields to assess honey bee activity-density using colored pan traps.
- Trap color (e.g., blue), location within the field, and distance from managed honey bee colonies were varied.
- Data on honey bee activity-density were collected throughout the soybean blooming season and correlated with colony presence and soybean phenology.
Main Results:
- Blue pan traps captured significantly more honey bees when managed colonies were present in the vicinity.
- Trap placement within the field and distance from colonies did not significantly affect honey bee activity-density estimates.
- Honey bee activity-density remained relatively constant during soybean bloom but increased substantially after flowering ceased, indicating potential forage scarcity.
Conclusions:
- Colored pan traps, particularly blue ones, are a valuable tool for assessing honey bee activity and presence, especially when managed colonies are nearby.
- Pan trap data can effectively indicate periods of forage scarcity for honey bees in agricultural landscapes.
- This method provides a cost-effective and efficient approach to support pollination management strategies.
