The Widespread Occurrence of Anther Destruction by Trigona Bees in Melastomataceae

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Abstract
A complex behavior pattern of pollen robbing by several species of the large tropical bee genus Trigona (Apidae: Meliponinae, tribe Trigonini) is described. These bees probe pollen from the apical pores of tubular Melastomataceae anthers as far as their tongues reach and then cut off the top of the anther to expose more pollen. This is repeated several times. A summary of observations of this syndrome in 34 spp. of Brazilian Melastomataceae and records from other neotropical countries are presented. The significance of these pollen robbers'' adaptations is examined.

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