People have struggled to determine the distances that bees travel by following individuals marked with paint between baits, or using radar, which does not work well when trees are in the way. "Carrying the transmitter may reduce the distance that the bees travel," said Roland Kays, curator of mammals at the New York State Museum and research associate at STRI. But even if the flight distances we record are the minimum distances that these orchid bees can fly, they are impressive, long-distance movements. "These data help to explain how orchids these bees pollinate can be so rare."
Martin Wikelski releases an orchid bee carrying a radio transmitter.
(Photo Credit: Wikelski lab)
Orchid bees, like Exaerete frontalis, may fly great distances to pollinate specific orchid species. Now scientists can track their flight paths using radio telemetry.
(Photo Credit: STRI)Source: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute