Orchid bees on Barro Colorado Island Panama

Wikelski M, Moxley J, Eaton-Mordas A, López-Uribe MM, Holland R, Moskowitz D, Roubik DW, Kays R. 2020. Orchid bees on Barro Colorado Island Panama. Movebank Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5441/001/1.qd2470d6/1

Abstract

Neotropical orchid bees (Euglossini) are often cited as classic examples of trapline-foragers with potentially extensive foraging ranges. If long-distance movements are habitual, rare plants in widely scattered locations may benefit from euglossine pollination services. Here we report the first successful use of micro radio telemetry to track the movement of an insect pollinator in a complex and forested environment. Our results indicate that individual male orchid bees (Exaerete frontalis) habitually use large rainforest areas (at least 42–115 ha) on a daily basis. Aerial telemetry located individuals up to 5 km away from their core areas, and bees were often stationary, for variable periods, between flights to successive localities. These data suggest a higher degree of site fidelity than what may be expected in a free living male bee, and has implications for our understanding of biological activity patterns and the evolution of forest pollinators.

Keywords

animal foraging, animal movement, animal tracking, Barro Colorado Island, Exaerete frontalis, insects, orchid bees, Panama, pollinators, radio telemetry

DOIs of related Publications

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010738

URI

https://datarepository.movebank.org/handle/10255/move.1110

BibTex

@misc{001/1_qd2470d6/1,
  title = {Orchid bees on Barro Colorado Island Panama},
  author = {Wikelski, M and Moxley, J and Eaton-Mordas, A and López-Uribe, MM and Holland, R and Moskowitz, D and Roubik, DW and Kays, R},
  year = {2020},
  URL = {http://dx.doi.org/10.5441/001/1.qd2470d6/1},
  doi = {doi:10.5441/001/1.qd2470d6/1},
  publisher = {Movebank data repository}
}

RIS

TY  - DATA
ID  - doi:10.5441/001/1.qd2470d6/1
T1  - Orchid bees on Barro Colorado Island Panama
AU  - Wikelski, Martin
AU  - Moxley, Jerry
AU  - Eaton-Mordas, Alexander
AU  - López-Uribe, Margarita M.
AU  - Holland, Richard
AU  - Moskowitz, David
AU  - Roubik, David W.
AU  - Kays, Roland
Y1  - 2020/07/03
KW  - animal foraging
KW  - animal movement
KW  - animal tracking
KW  - Barro Colorado Island
KW  - Exaerete frontalis
KW  - insects
KW  - orchid bees
KW  - Panama
KW  - pollinators
KW  - radio telemetry
KW  - Exaerete frontalis
PB  - Movebank data repository
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.5441/001/1.qd2470d6/1
DO  - doi:10.5441/001/1.qd2470d6/1
ER  -

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