Abstract The study investigated native solitary bee species that nest in pre-existing cavities in the Baturité Massif, State of Ceará, Brazil, their preference for nest substrates and aspects of these bee communities. Samples were taken in four distinct areas of the Baturité Massif using three types of trap-nests: dried bamboo internodes, cardboard tubes and rational boxes. Out of the 185 nests offered, 34 were colonized and 24 of them produced 131 bees, belonging to two families (Apidae and Megachilidae) and five genera (Centris, Mesocheira, Euglossa, Megachile and Coelioxys) from six species, including parasitic ones. Nesting preference was observed to certain types of substrates (χ²=17.89, p<0.001), with bamboo internodes being preferred by bee to build their nests, while monthly variation in temperature and humidity did not affect bee emergency. Spite of few nests foundations and the few species sampled, this work contributed to an unprecedented knowledge about the species that use pre-existing cavities in the Baturité Massif that may contribute to assist in the maintenance and conservation of this mountainous area and can be useful for pollination services of native and agricultural plants.

Tecoma stans (L.) Kunth é uma espécie vegetal introduzida no Brasil, comumente encontrada em áreas urbanas e considerada invasora de ambientes cultivados e áreas de pastagem. Neste trabalho foram estudados aspectos da biologia foral, diversidade e comportamento de coleta das abelhas em flores de T. stans em três áreas urbanas no Sudeste do Brasil. Nas três áreas, T. stans mostrou-se importante fonte de recursos alimentares utilizados 48 espécies de abelhas. Centris tarsata Smith e Exomalopsis fulvofasciata Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae) foram os polinizadores efetivos mais abundantes e Scaptotrigona depilis Moure (Hymenoptera: Apidae) a espécie pilhadora mais freqüente. A grande maioria (87,5%) dos visitantes de T. stans coletou exclusivamente néctar, recurso que variou em concentração durante o dia e nas diferentes fases da flor. Em todos os estágios florais, as maiores concentrações médias de néctar ocorreram entre 10:00h e 14:00h. Detectou-se a presença de osmóforos nas pétalas e protandria. Em duas áreas estudadas o número de visitantes variou significativamente durante o dia. A maior abundância de polinizadores ocorreu nos períodos de maior disponibilidade de pólen e estigmas receptivos, fato esse que pode ser determinante para o sucesso reprodutivo de T. stans. Os resultados indicam ainda maior produção de frutos em plantas que receberam o número maior de polinizadores efetivos.

Tecoma stans (L.) Kunth is an exotic plant in Brazil, commonly distributed in urban areas, which is considered an invasive species in crop and pasture areas. In this study, the floral biology and the behavior of bees in flowers of T. stans from three urban areas in southeastern Brazil were investigated. In all study sites, T. stans was an important food resource to the Apoidea to 48 species of bees. Centris tarsata Smith and Exomalopsis fulvofasciata Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae) were the effective pollinators more abundant, while Scaptotrigona depilis Moure (Hymenoptera: Apidae) was the more frequent robber species. The most part of T. stans visitors (87.5%) exploited exclusively nectar, which varied in sugar concentration depending on the day period and flower phase. In all flower stages, higher averages of nectar concentration (26.4% to 32.7%) occurred from 10 am to 2 pm. The presence of osmophore in the petals and protandry were detected. In two urban areas the number of visitors varied significantly during the day. The greatest abundance of pollinators occurred when pollen availability was higher and flowers showed receptive stigma, which could be contributing to the reproductive success of T. stans. The results indicate that the production of fruits increased in plants that received a higher number of effective pollinators.