Foraging behaviour of wild bees at hot pepper flowers (Capsicum annuum) and its possible influence on cross pollination

Native bees are effective pollinators of hot pepper plants, Capsicum annuum. In four gardens in south-central Brazil (Patos de Minas and Brasilia) flowers of three cultivars received visits from 16 species of bees in eight genera: Hylaeus (Colletidae), Dialictus, Halictus, Augochlora, Augochloropsis and Ceratalictus (Halictidae), Exomalopsis and Bombus (Apidae). No other insects were observed to visit the flowers. Some species of bee occurred in more than one garden. Individual bees gathered a full pollen load from 18 to 47 flowers and visited one to eight plants on a single foraging trip. In 76 shifts between plants, the bees made nine switches between cultivars. It is suggested that small native species of bees pollinate the flowers effectively and that their small foraging areas are important in keeping the cultivars of both hot and sweet peppers genetically distinct where several cultivars are grown close together.