Pattern of the daily flight activity of Nannotrigona testaceicornis (Lepeletier) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the Brazilian semiarid region

The flight activities of Meliponini (stingless bees) are associated with a series of particular behaviors as collection of pollen, nectar, resin, and clay during the day, which can be influenced by extrinsic (e.g. abiotic factors) or intrinsic factors (e.g. internal conditions of the colony, morphology, physiology of the individuals, and others). This study aims to analyze the pattern of the daily flight activity of Nannotrigona testaceicornis (Lepeletier) and the influence of climatic factors (temperature, relative humidity, and light intensity) on these activities in Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil. The study was conducted every two months between October 2010 and October 2011 during three consecutive days in two colonies (one managed and the other unmanaged). The managed colony was more active than the unmanaged one in all the months. Nevertheless, both colonies showed regularity of times for their first activities and for the preferential time for the most part of the activities analyzed, which occurred generally in the morning, until noon. This daily pattern of activity of both colonies was mainly influenced by light intensity. In this sense, these activities began with the sunrise and become more intense with the increase of the light intensity in the environment.