- C D Eardley & M W Mansell
- Biosystematics Division, Plant Protection Research Institute, Private Bag X134, Pretoria 0001
- 1994
A survey was undertaken in two litchi orchards to determine which insects might be playing a role in pollination. The survey revealed that many different insects (± 20 spp) other than honeybees, visited the litchi blossoms. Most of these, however, were present in such low numbers that, even if they were to pollinate the flowers, their influence as pollinators of the litchi flowers can be assumed to be negligible.
It was also apparent that the aggressive behaviour of the honeybees influenced the visitation of other insects at the litchi flowers. The attractiveness of the litchi flower to honeybees, and the behaviour of the honeybees on these flowers, therefore. rule out any chance of alternative pollinators having a significant effect on the pollination of litchi in the presece of honeybees.