DOI: 10.11648/j.ajset.20261104.17 ISSN: 2578-8353

Behavioral Ecology and Pollination Efficiency of the Solitary Buzz Pollinator (Amegilla Cingulata)

Debakanta Sahoo, Aparna Yerra, Pallavi Mishra
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Pollination is a fundamental ecological process that supports plant reproduction and contributes to ecosystem stability. While social bees have been extensively studied, solitary buzz-pollinating species remain comparatively under-researched. Amegilla cingulata , commonly known as the blue-banded bee, is an effective sonicator of poricidal anthers and plays a significant role in the pollination of economically important crops. However, there is limited in-depth, field-based research examining the relationship between its behavioural ecology and quantitative pollination outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the nesting ecology, foraging behaviour and pollination efficiency of Amegilla cingulata , though in this specific case, to identify which of the factors was the most significant determinant of reproductive success as indicated by fruit mass. A field-based observational design was employed (N = 230). Ecological variables were categorized into nesting structure, foraging activity, and pollination performance indicators. Behavioural patterns were summarized using descriptive statistics. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to assess the relationships between pollen transfer variables and reproductive output. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify predictors of fruit mass. Additionally, independent samples t-tests were performed to examine differences in pollen deposition across nest orientations. Nesting architecture was structurally homogenous with the major types of nests being branched and vertical ones. Total pollen deposition and mass of the fruit were found to have good positive relations (r =.951, p <. 001). The regression analysis also supported that total pollen was the most significant parameter (= .950, p < .001), which was adopted to predict the fruit mass because it explained over 90 percent of the variability in fruit reproductive output. There were insignificant predictive effects of behavioural variables such as foraging time and frequency of visitation. The angularity of the nest did not have much effect on the deposition of pollen. The findings indicate that, within this ecological system, pollen transfer efficiency is the primary determinant of reproductive success, rather than the intensity of foraging behaviour. In particular, effective pollen deposition was the strongest predictor of fruit mass, underscoring its central role in fruit development. These results highlight the ecological importance of solitary buzz-pollinators such as Amegilla cingulata in regulating plant productivity. Overall, the study emphasizes that the quality of pollinationmeasured through efficient pollen delivery, matters more than behavioural intensity in determining reproductive outcomes.

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