Projects
Flower longhorn beetles (Zorion spp.)
Teacher Fellowship
Project: Pollination in Permaculture Gardens
Questions:
- Which flower visitors are present?
- What is the insect visitor profile for each study plant?
- What is effect of surrounding environment on insect visitor communities?
Methods:
2 research gardens were set up:
LCR: Landcare Research Garden, Lincoln site - native plant surrounds
BHU: Biological Husbandry Unit at Lincoln University - exotic plant surrounds
The same layout and plants were used - 9 plots of 3m x 3m in each garden.
The following plants were studied: coriander, dill, sunflower, marigold, zucchini, tomato, borage, pumpkin, mustard, nasturtium, bean, capsicum, pea, and broccoli.
Data was collected by observing the study plants 4 times per day for floral visitors (9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm).
The number of floral visitors for each plant was recorded in broad insect categories (honey bee, bumble bee, native bee, wasp, fly, beetle/bug, butterfly, moth). A separate special category was used for drone flies (Eristalis tenax), since they were common in both gardens.
Weather data (temp, wind speed, humidity) were recorded at the beginning and end of each observation period.
Results:
A range of native / exotic insects were present in both gardens, with honey bees being the most common visitors. Other common visitors to some plants included native bees, hoverflies and drone flies.
The LCR and BHU visitor assemblages were very similar, although 4 distinct flower visitor profiles were seen:
- Exotic bee dominated – eg. sunflower
- Native bee and fly dominated – eg coriander
- Visited by a range of insects – eg. broccoli
- Visited by few insects – eg. tomatoes
Conclusions:
- A range of native and exotic insects made up the visitor assemblages, and although exotic honeybees were the most common insect visitor overall, some plants had native bees and hoverflies as their most common visitor.
- Four distinct visitor profiles were seen, and these were plant species specific, with similar profiles for each plant species in both gardens.
- The surrounding vegetation had little influence on the overall visitor assemblages in the two gardens.
New Zealand Sciences, Mathematics and Technology Teacher Fellowships.
Remco Baars. 2006 New Zealand Sciences, Mathematics and Technology Teacher Fellowship.
Funded by the New Zealand Government and administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand.
For more information, visit The Royal Society of New Zealand Teacher Fellowships
International Students - Landcare Research Garden Studies
With University of Applied Sciences – Weihenstephan
Sascha Koch. 2006/07.
Studies in Community Pollination 2006/07: Landcare Research Gardens, Lincoln, Aotearoa.
Ben Zwickenpflug. 2005/06.
Studies in Community Pollination 2005/06: Landcare Research Gardens, Lincoln, Aotearoa.
Robert Uschold. 2004.
Winter Pollination in New Zealand.
Jana Lammerding. 2004.
Pollination in Landcare Research Garden, Lincoln, New Zealand.