Does pre-sorting by colour using visible and high-energy violet light improve the detection of plant species in honey bee pollen baskets?
Data files
Mar 28, 2023 version files 165.85 KB
Abstract
Premise
Pollen collected by honey bees from different plant species often differs in color, and this has been used as a basis for plant identification. The objective of this study was to develop a new, low-cost protocol to sort pollen pellets by color using high-energy violet light and visible light to determine whether pollen pellet color is associated with variations in plant species identity.
Methods and Results
We identified 35 distinct colors and found that 52% of pollen subsamples (n = 200) were dominated by a single taxon. Among these near-pure pellets, only one color consistently represented a single pollen taxon (Asteraceae: Cichorioideae). Across the spectrum of colors spanning yellows, oranges, and browns, similarly colored pollen pellets contained pollen from multiple plant families ranging from two to 13 families per color.
Conclusions
Sorting pollen pellets illuminated under high-energy violet light lit from four directions within a custom-made light box aided in distinguishing pellet composition, especially in pellets within the same color.
Methods
Apis mellifera pollen pellets were sorted by colour to investigate whether pollen pellet colour correlates to palynological identity. Pollen pellets were collected using hive traps, then dried in a dehydrator. Hive samples were sorted by colour, and three pellets from each colour group were acetolysed and mounted on slides. Palynological identity was assigned after viewing slides through a compound microscope.
Dataset includes sample number, subsample (colour group) number, palynological identity (e.g., family, subfamily, genus), pollen count, pollen volume, and pollen proportion per sample.
Usage notes
Microsoft Excel