The aim of this study was to evaluate various criteria of sub-sampling used in melissopalynological analysis of pollen loads collected by the africanized Apismellifera (L.) honeybees. The experiment included four different sub-sample weights (0,5; 1,0; 2,0; 5,0 g), taken from 60 g, 100 g and 200 g samples of heterofloral pollen loads. The richness of pollen types was higher in the heavier sub-samples (p = 0,006), however, the additional pollen types occurred with low representativity. The weight of the sub-sample did not influence the change of frequency class in the predominant pollen types (p = 0,263). There was a bigger shift of classification positions of the predominant pollen types with a reduction of the size of the pollen grain (p = 0,001). The results pointed to the use of sub-sample of 5 g for evaluation of the richness of the pollen types in heterofloral samples, however, sub-sample of 0,5 g did not limited the evaluation of the predominant pollen types.
Apis mellifera; bee pollen loads; sub-sampling criteria; botanical source
