The coconut tree, Cocos nucifera L. (Arecaceae), is an important crop in northeast of Brazil. It is essentially an anemophilous plant, but numerous insects visit its inflorescences, at different flowering and fructification stages, and they can interfere in the pollination process. There are few studies to verify and determine the efficiency of these arthropods as pollinators. On coconut trees, which are cultivated near Bahia shore, a study has been carried out to evaluate the capacity of several hymenopterous species (ants and bees) to carry pollen on their body, in order to examine their contribution on pollination. Both groups of insects transported a meaningful amount of pollen, and the bees were considered totally able to pollinate the plant. Bees from the Trigona and Plebeia genera could carry more quantity of coconut pollen than Apis mellifera L., although the last was more frequent. The ants carried a lower amount of pollen and they contributed only casually to pollination. The Ectatomma, Monomorium, Camponotus and Pseudomyrmex genera showed a better ability to transport pollen. It was concluded that, due to their apterism, some ants can only act as casual pollinators on certain varieties of auto-pollinating coconut trees, while bees may be considered good pollinators of the tree. Native bees should be favored to contribute to pollination, at least in areas where the coconut anemophily is compromised, as in the case of isolated plants or as those set at intervals and in areas isolated from wind.
Insect; pollination; flowering
