Floral resource use and interactions betweenApis melliferaand native bees in cucurbit crops in Yucatán, México

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Abstract
Despite the importance of native pollinators in agricultural systems, little is known about the potential competitive interactions among them or the way they exploit crops' floral resources. This study determines the temporal use of floral resources by, and interspecific interactions between, native bees andApis melliferaL. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in experimental plots of squash,Cucurbita moschata(DuchesneexLam.) DuchesneexPoir. (Cucurbitaceae), and watermelon,Citrullus lanatus(Thunb.) (Cucurbitaceae). General and specific niche overlap analyses were done to determine whether temporally differential use of floral resources occurred. Direct displacement interactions at the floral level were quantified. The species with the greatest abundances werePeponapis limitarisCockerell (Apidae),Partamona bilineataSay (Apidae), andA. mellifera. Overall, the niche overlap analyses in both crops suggested that floral resources are not used simultaneously by different bee species. Winner events during aggressive encounters suggested a hierarchy among bee species, withA. melliferabeing one of the species with more winner encounters in both crops. It is suggested that those deciding whether or not to introduceA. melliferainto crops should consider whether the abundance of native bee species is sufficient to ensure efficient fruit production.