Relationship between carpenter bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and the flora of the Chaco Serrano in Central Argentina

Foz do Iguassu

Congreso; International Congress of Entomology; 2000

Sociedad Brasilera de Entomología

INTRODUCTIONOne of the aspects that has risen the greatest interest, between the interactions insect-flower, responds to the help they give in the fecundating of the plants through the process of pollination.The pollination of the wild flora by the native bees is important; however is has rarely been studied. In Argentina, this particular absence of studies is notorious, especially in that referred to the carpenter bees. Because of this lack of information we proposed to know the identity of the different species of native bees in the natural areas in the centre of Argentina, in order to contribute with data on the biology in itself of the species involved en the interaction with the flora of the area. A detailed study of the native species of pollinators will allow to understand not only their role but also their needs in the natural environment, and therefore to set their possible function in the cultivated areas.This contribution is done within the frame of the project "Relationship of Apoidea (Hymenoptera) with the native flora and horticultural cultivation in Cordoba (Argentina)".