[PCA] Radio tracking euglossine bees (!) - pollinators of rare tropical orchids

[Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov]

FYI!

Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
US Fish & Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276

Promoting sustainable use and conservation of our native medicinal plants.
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>

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Tiny radio transmitters track flight of tropical orchid bees
Scientific American 
May 27, 2010
By Katherine Harmon

Rare tropical orchids can be few and far between in the wild, often 
separated by spotty landscape and human-made obstacles. But powerful 
tropical orchid bees do the leg?or wing?work, flying great distances to 
pollinate isolated flowers and keep the flora gene pool fresh.

Just how far and where exactly these bees fly, however, has remained 
relatively obscure to researchers. Some studies had tracked bees by 
marking them and using bait flowers to lure them in for counting or by 
scouting out specific flowers that bees appeared to return to. But these 
results have created only a rough sketch of the range and routes of these 
bees. 

Full story: 
http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=tiny-radio-transmitters-track-fligh-2010-05-27
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