Sustainable use of leaf cutting bee hives for alfalfa pollination

Abstract

The pollination of plants is an important ecological service in natural and agricultural ecosystems. The majority of angiosperm plants rely on animals for pollination. The co-evolution of bees and flowers has resulted in special morphological adaptations for both insects and plants and the need of some plants for pollination by bees was absolute. One of the major forage crops in Egypt and in other parts of the world is alfalfa. The leafcutting bees, Megachile rotunda, are very important pollinators of alfalfa. Different natural nests have been found in the Eastern part of Egypt, but these nests are found under a high risk, due to the construction of new houses instead of old mud wall houses. Foam nests have been created from 2003 as hives for the conservation of bees, which were used for alfalfa pollination. Using leafcutting hives has resulted in a high alfalfa seed production. Easy to handle by farmers, hives are very easy for preservation, storage and reuse.