CC BY
18BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
FLORA SPECiALiZATiON OF BUMBLEBEES (APIDAE, BOMBUS) OF THE GREAT CAUCASUS
OF AZERBAiJAN
Aliyev Kh.
Doctor biological sciences, chief researcher of laboratory Land Invertebrates of Zoologycal Institute
of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Baku
Huseynzade G.
PhD, leading researcher of laboratory Land Invertebrates of Zoologycal Institute
of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Baku
Abstract
Studies were carried out in various landscape zones of the Greater Caucasus within Azerbaijan during 19762016. In the investigated territory, 38 species of bumblebees and 9 species of cuckoo bumblebee were identified. Food chains, ecological classifications and an abundance of species of bumblebees were studied. In the studied region of bumblebees visit 224 species of plants from 27 botanical families. The most visited are plants from the families: Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Ranunculaceae and Caprifoliaceae.
Out of 38 species of bumblebees, 18 species are long-stemmed, 10 - medium proboscis, 10 - short-stemmed. All species of Bombus can be divided into 4 groups according to biotope confinement: steppe (13 species), forest (30 species), meadow (40 species) and eurytite (8 species).
Of the 47 species of bumblebees and cuckoo bumblebees, 8 species are massive (share of 5.01% and more in collection), 10 species are common (share in collections is from 2.01 to 5%), 20 species are rare (share in collection 0.5 - 2%).
18 species (38.3%) of bumblebees found in the Greater Caucasus region of Azerbaijan are subendemic to the Caucasian Isthmus.
Keywords: bumblebees, pollinators, food chans, ecological classification, an abundance of species.
Introduction
Bumblebees (Hymenoptera, Apidae) are active pollinators of entomophilous plants and are found in all plant ecosystems, especially in boreal and mountainous cenoses. Due to their morphological and ecological characteristics, they are the most important pollinators in the above areas. In the Greater Caucasus bumblebees are common in almost all landscape types, except for semi-deserts and their pollinating activities contribute to the maintenance of biodiversity in natural and artificial ecosystems. Bumblebees are polytrophic animals and this allows them to use the resources of ecosystems as much as possible during the development of the family.
The diversity of natural and anthropogenic landscapes in the Greater Caucasus region has predetermined the formation of various ecological adaptations among the bumblebees that live here, allowing them to make optimal use of available food resources of varying degrees of accessibility. To understand the processes of co-evolution of entomophilous plants and pollinators, a very important issue is also the study of food chans of bumblebees.
As a result of economic activities, especially in agriculture, natural and artificial ecosystems have changed dramatically. Therefore, the issues of protecting bumblebees are very topical at the present time.
Azerbaijan occupies the southern part of the Caucasian mountainous country, here there are almost all the natural and climatic zones inherent in the Caucasus as a whole. A comprehensive study of bumblebees in the Greater Caucasus has not been carried out up to the present date.
The purpose of the present studies was to study food chans and certain ecological features of bumblebees in the Greater Caucasus of Azerbaijan.
Material and Methods
The material was collected in 1976-2016 from different natural areas and biocenoses of the Greater Caucasus within Azerbaijan. The collection and processing of materials was carried out according to the generally accepted methodology in entomology. Relative abundance was calculated according to the scheme: 1 point - very rare species (share in the collections is 0.5% or less); 2 points - rare species (share from 0.51 to 2%); 3 points - conventional species (from 2.01 to 5%); 4 points - massive (5.01% and more).
Results and Discussion
As a result of studies conducted over 40 years, 38 species of bumblebees and 9 species of cuckoo bumblebee from various landscapes of the Greater Caucasus of Azerbaijan were identified.
The food chans of bumblebees of the genus Bom-bus have been studied. It is noted bumblebees in the studied region 224 plant species from 27 botanical families: Ranunculaceae (15), Rosaceae (23), Crossulari-aceae (1), Fabaceae (21), Malvaceae (6), Rhamnaceae (2), Apiaceae (21), Berberidasceae (2), Adoxaceae (3), Caprifoliaceae (12), Boraginaceae (11), Scrophularia-ceae (13), Plantaginaceae (1), Orobanchaceae (1), Lamiaceae (24), Asteraceae (26), Urticaceae (1), Melan-thiacea (1), Amaryllidaceae (1), Zygophyllaceae (1), Asphodelaceae (1), Tiliaceae (5), Brassicaceae (2), Va-lerianaceae (2), Acaciaceae (1), Capparidaceae (1), Liliaceae (13) [1, 2,3]. The most visited are plants from
the families: Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, Faba-ceae, Apiaceae, Ranunculaceae and Caprifoliaceae.
Table 1. Food chans of bumblebees of the Great Caucasus within Azerbaijan
№ Species of bumblebees Plant families
1 Bombus terrestris (Linnaeus, 1758) Ranunculaceae , Rosaceae , Crossulariaceae ,Fabaceae,Malva-ceae, Rhamnaceae,Apiaceae, Berberidasceae,Adoxaceae,Caprifo-liaceae,Boraginaceae,Scrophulariaceae,Plantaginaceae, Oroban-chaceae,Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Urticaceae, Melanthiaceae, Am-aryllidaceae, Zygophyllaceae, Asphodelaceae, Tiliaceae, Brassicaceae, Valerianaceae, Acaciaceae
2 B.lucorum (Linnaeus, 1761) Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Apiaceae,Adox-aceae, Boraginaceae, Plantaginaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Orobanchaceae, Lamiaceae, Crucifera, Aster-aceae, Amaryllaceae
3 B.soroensis (Fabricius, 1776) Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae , AAsteraceae, Amarylliaceae, Caprifoliacea
4 B.hortorum (Linnaeus, 1761) Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, CAprifoliaceae, Boraginaceae, Valerianaceae, Plantaginaceae, Orobanchaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Asphedodelaceae, amaryllidaceae, Tiliaceae
5 B.argillaceus (Scopoli, 1763) Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Adoxaceae, Boraginaceae, Lamiaceae, Plantoginaceae, Orobanchaceae,
6 B.portchinskii Radoszkovski, 1883 Lamiaceae, Asretaceae
7 B.zonatus apicalis Scorikov, 1935 Rosaceae , Fabacaeaae, Malvaceae, Valerianaceae, Caprifoli-aceae, Boraginaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Plantoginaceae, Orobanchaceae, Lamiaceae, Crusifera(Brassica-ceae), Asteraceae, Apiaceae
8 B.silvarum (Linnaeus, 1761) Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae
9 B.daghestanicus Radoszkovski, 1877 Rosaceae, Apiaceae, CAprifoliaceae, Asteraceae, Amaryllidaceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae
10 B.simulatilis Radoszkovski, 1888 Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Plantaginaceae, Urticaceae, Boraginaceae, Asteraceae
11 B.tristis insipidus Skorikov, 1922 Rosaceae, Apiaceae, Lamiacaeae, Asteraceae, Ranunculaceae, Caprifoliaceae
12 B.armeniacus Radoszkovski, 1877 Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Malvaceae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Amaryllidaceae
13 B.alboluteus Pallas, 1771 Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Valerianaceae, Asteraceae
14 B.vorticosus (Gerstaeckhert, 1872) Rosaceae,Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae
15 B.muscorum (Linnaeus, 1758) Berberidaceaae,Plantaginaceae,Caprifoliaceae,Apiaceae
16 B.mloKosiewitzi Radoszkovski, 1877 Rosaceae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae
17 B.rehbinderi Vogt, 1909 Ranunculaceaea, Rosaceae,Fabaceae,Adoxaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Valerianaceae,Boraginaceae, Plantaginaceae, Orobancha-ceae, Lamiaceae, Brasicaceae, Asteraceae, Asohodelaceae, Melanthiaceae, Amaryllidaceae
18 B.persicus Radoszovski, 1881 Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Valerianaceae, Plantaginaceae, Boraginaceae, Lamiaceae, Urticaceae, Asteraceae, Melanthiaceae
19 B.fragrans (Pallas, 1771) Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae
20 B.melanurus Lepeletier, 1836 Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae , Apiaceae, Valerianaceae, Boraginaceae, Plantaginaceae. Orobanchaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae
21 B.eriophorus caucasicus Radoszkovski, 1881 Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Boraginaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Amarylliaceae
22 B.alagesianus Skorikov, 1922 Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae
23 B.apollineus Scorikov, 1910 Ranunculaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Caprifoliaceae.
24 B.haematurus Kriechbaumer, 1870 Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Boraginaceae, Plantaginaceaey-gophyllaceae
25 B.subterraneus latreillellus Kirby, 1802 Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Boraginaceae
26 B.incertus Morawitz, 1881 Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Boraginaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Plantaginaceae, Orobancaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae
27 B.velox Scorikov, 1914 Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Orobanchaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae
28 B.alpigenus Morawitz, 1874 Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae
29 B.brodmannicus Vogt, 1909 Rosaceae
30 B.canus Radoszkovski, 1878 Apiacaeae
30 B.georgicus Vogt, 1909 KX
31 B.handlirschanus Vogt, 1909 Ranunculaceae
32 B.hypnorum Linnaeus, 1758 Apiacaeae
33 B.jonellus Kirby, 1802 Ranunculaceae
34 B.laesus Morawitz, 1875 Lamiaceae
35 B.niveatus Kriechbaumer, 1870 Lamiaceae
37 B.confusus Schenck,1859 -
38 B.distinquendus Morawitz,1869 -
40 Psithyrus bogemicus Seidl, 1838 -
41 Ps.campestris Panzer, 1801 -
42 Ps.quadricolor Lepeletier, 1832 -
Ps.barbutellus (Kirby, 1802) -
44 Ps.globusus rossicus Popov, 1936
45 Ps.maxillasus Klug, 1817 -
46 Ps.rupestris (Fabricius, 1793) -
47 Ps.sylvestris Lepeletier, 1832 -
48 Ps.vestalis (Geoffroy, 1785) -
Table 2. Environmental groups and extensive bumblebee (Bombus) and cuckoo-bumblebees (Psithyrus) in key biotopes Greater Caucasus within Azerbaijan._
№ Species of bumblebees Plant families
1 Bombus terrestris (Linnaeus, 1758) Ranunculaceae , Rosaceae , Crossulariaceae ,Fabaceae,Malva-ceae, Rhamnaceae,Apiaceae, Berberidasceae,Adoxaceae,Capri-foliaceae, Boraginaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Plantaginaceae, Oro-banchaceae,Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Urticaceae, Melanthiaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Zygophyllaceae, Asphodelaceae, Tiliaceae, Brassicaceae, Valerianaceae, Acaciaceae
2 B.lucorum (Linnaeus, 1761) Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Apiaceae,Adoxaceae, Boraginaceae, Plantaginaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Orobanchaceae, Lamiaceae, Crucifera, Asteraceae, Amaryllaceae
3 B.soroensis (Fabricius, 1776) Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae , AAsteraceae, Amarylliaceae, Caprifoliacea
4 B.hortorum (Linnaeus, 1761) Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, CAprifoli-aceae, Boraginaceae, Valerianaceae, Plantaginaceae, Oroban-chaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Asphedodelaceae, amaryllida-ceae, Tiliaceae
5 B.argillaceus (Scopoli, 1763) Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Adoxaceae, Boraginaceae, Lamiaceae, Plantoginaceae, Orobanchaceae,
6 B.portchinskii Radoszkovski, 1883 Lamiaceae, Asretaceae
7 B.zonatus apicalis Scorikov, 1935 Rosaceae , Fabacaeaae, Malvaceae, Valerianaceae, Caprifoli-aceae, Boraginaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Plantoginaceae, Orobanchaceae, Lamiaceae, Crusifera(Brassi-caceae), Asteraceae, Apiaceae
8 B.silvarum (Linnaeus, 1761) Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae
9 B.daghestanicus Radoszkovski, 1877 Rosaceae, Apiaceae, CAprifoliaceae, Asteraceae, Amaryllidaceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae
10 B.simulatilis Radoszkovski, 1888 Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Plantaginaceae, Urticaceae, Boraginaceae, Asteraceae
11 B.tristis insipidus Skorikov, 1922 Rosaceae, Apiaceae, Lamiacaeae, Asteraceae, Ranunculaceae, Caprifoliaceae
12 B.armeniacus Radoszkovski, 1877 Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Malvaceae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Amaryllidaceae
13 B.alboluteus Pallas, 1771 Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Valerianaceae, Asteraceae
14 B.vorticosus (Gerstaeckhert, 1872) Rosaceae,Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae
15 B.muscorum (Linnaeus, 1758) Berberidaceaae,Plantaginaceae,Caprifoliaceae,Apiaceae
16 B.mloKosiewitzi Radoszkovski, 1877 Rosaceae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae
Ranunculaceaea, Rosaceae,Fabaceae,Adoxaceae, Caprifoli-
17 B.rehbinderi Vogt, 1909 aceae, Valerianaceae,Boraginaceae, Plantaginaceae, Oroban-chaceae, Lamiaceae, Brasicaceae, Asteraceae, Asohodelaceae, Melanthiaceae, Amaryllidaceae
Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Valerianaceae, Plantaginaceae,
18 B.persicus Radoszovski, 1881 Boraginaceae, Lamiaceae, Urticaceae, Asteraceae, Melanthiaceae
19 B.fragrans (Pallas, 1771) Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae
Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae , Apiaceae, Valerianaceae,
20 B.melanurus Lepeletier, 1836 Boraginaceae, Plantaginaceae. Orobanchaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae
21 B.eriophorus caucasicus Radoszkovski, 1881 Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Boraginaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Amarylliaceae
22 B.alagesianus Skorikov, 1922 Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae
23 B.apollineus Scorikov, 1910 Ranunculaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Caprifoliaceae.
24 B.haematurus Kriechbaumer, 1870 Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Boraginaceae, Plantagina-ceaeygophyllaceae
25 B.subterraneus latreillellus Kirby, 1802 Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Boraginaceae
Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Caprifoliaceae,
26 B.incertus Morawitz, 1881 Boraginaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Plantaginaceae, Orobancaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae
27 B.velox Scorikov, 1914 Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Orobanchaceae, Lami-
aceae, Asteraceae
28 B.alpigenus Morawitz, 1874 Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae
29 B.brodmannicus Vogt, 1909 Rosaceae
30 B.canus Radoszkovski, 1878 Apiacaeae
30 B.georgicus Vogt, 1909 КХ
31 B.handlirschanus Vogt, 1909 Ranunculaceae
32 B.hypnorum Linnaeus, 1758 Apiacaeae
33 B.jonellus Kirby, 1802 Ranunculaceae
34 B.laesus Morawitz, 1875 Lamiaceae
35 B.niveatus Kriechbaumer, 1870 Lamiaceae
37 B.confusus Schenck,1859 -
38 B.distinquendus Morawitz,1869 -
40 Psithyrus bogemicus Seidl, 1838 -
41 Ps.campestris Panzer, 1801 -
42 Ps.quadricolor Lepeletier, 1832 -
Ps.barbutellus (Kirby, 1802) -
44 Ps.globusus rossicus Popov, 1936
45 Ps.maxillasus Klug, 1817 -
46 Ps.rupestris (Fabricius, 1793) -
47 Ps.sylvestris Lepeletier, 1832 -
48 Ps.vestalis (Geoffroy, 1785) -
№ Species of bumblebees Ecological classification Distribution by landscape zones Abundance of species (%)
Mountain steppes Горные степи mountain Mountain steppes mountain steppes mountain Mountain forests Low-lying forests subapical Alpine
1 Bombus terrestris (Linnaeus, 1758) SB S * * O/ 3,3
2 B.lucorum (Linnaeus, 1761) SB E * * * * M/6,5
3 B.soroensis (Fabricius, 1776) SB M, F * M/3,7
4 B.hortorum (Linnaeus, 1761) LB F, M * * M/3,7
5 B.argillaceus (Scopoli, 1763) LB M, S * * O /2,1
6 B.portchinskii Radoszkovski, 1883 SB M,F * * * O /2,1
7 B.sylvarum (Linnaeus, 1761) MB Е * * * М/6,5
8 B.daghestanicus Radoszkovski, 1877 MB Е * * * M/ 12,8
9 B.simulatilis Radoszkovski, 1888 SB E * * * * P /0,5
10 B.tristis insipidus Skorikov, 1922 MB M,F * M/ 2
11 B.armeniacus Radoszkovski, 1877 LB M,S * * P /1,2
12 B.alboluteus Pallas, 1771 SB E * * * * * O /4,7
13 B.vorticosus (Gerstaeckhert, 1872) LB M * * P/ 0,5
14 B.muscorum (Linnaeus, 1758) LB S, M * * P /0,9
15 B.mloKosiewitzi Radoszovski, 1877 LB E * * * * M/5,6
16 B.rehbinderi Vogt, 1909 LB F,M * M /21,2
17 B.persicus Radoszovski, 1881 MB M * * * Р /0,7
18 B.fragrans (Pallas, 1771) MB M,S * * P/ 0,2
19 B.melanurus Lepeletier, 1836 MB M, S * * * O/ 2,4
20 B.eriophorus caucasicus Radoszkovski, 1881 LB M,F * O /2,5
21 B.alagesianus Skorikov, 1922 LB M, S * * * О /2,4
22 B.apollineus Scorikov, 1910 LB M, F * Р/ 0,5
23 B.haematurus Kriechbaumer, 1870 LB Е * * * О/ 3
24 B.subterraneus latreillellus Kirby,1802 LB M, F * O /2,3
25 B.incertus Morawitz, 1881 LB M * Р/ 0,5
26 B.velox Scorikov, 1914 MB M * * P/ 0,2
27 B.alpigenus Morawitz, 1874 SB M,F * Р /0,2
28 B.brodmannicus Vogt, 1909 LB S, M * * * Р /0,7
29 B.canus Radoszkovski, 1878 MB M * P/ 0,7
30 B.georgicus Vogt, 1909 SB M, F * Р /0,2
31 B.handlirschanus Vogt, 1909 SB M * * O /2,4
32 B.hypnorum Linnaeus, 1758 MB F * P /1,2
33 B.jonellus Kirby, 1802 SB F * P /0,2
34 B.laesus Morawitz, 1875 LB S, F * * Р/ 0,5
35 B.niveatus Kriechbaumer, 1870 LB F, M * * P/ 0,9
36 B.confusus Schenck,1859 MB M * P/ 0,2
37 B.distinquendus Morawitz,1869 LB M * Р/ 0,2
38 B.zonatus apicalis Smith, 1854 LB F * Р/ 0,5
39 Psithyrus bohemicus Seidl, 1838 M, F * * Р /0,5
40 Ps.campestris Panzer, 1801 M, F * * P /0,2
41 Ps.quadricolor Lepeletier, 1832 M, F * P /1,4
42 Ps.barbutellus (Kirby, 1802) M, F * * P /0,9
43 Ps.globusus rossicus Popov, 1936 M, F P /0,5
44 Ps.maxillasus Klug, 1817 M P /0,4
45 Ps.rupestris (Fabricius, 1793) M, F P /0,2
46 Ps.sylvestris Lepeletier, 1892 F * P/ 0,2
47 Ps. vestalis (Geoffroy), 1785 S, F * P /0,2
Всего: 16 26 10 25 8 100
Conventional designations: SB - short-proboscidians; MB - mid-proboscidians; LB - long-proboscidians S -steppe; E - eurytopic; M- medow, F- forest U - usual (10 species), M - massive (8 species), R - rare (29 species). Subendemics of the Caucasian Isthmus are highlighted in red.
Bumblebees live in all climatic zones and are broad polytrophs, they successfully adapt to both cultural and ornamental plants. Important are the plants blossoming in early spring, when after wintering the females - founders of the new families most need food (pollen - protein food for brood and nectar - carbohydrates for the uterus) to build a nest, lay cells, feed brood [3]. At the beginning of flight activity in the study region, the main forage plants of primary importance are the following: different species of Juniperus, Cerasus, fruiting (prunus divaricata, P. Domestica, Pyrus communis, Juglans regia), etc. The bumblebee family reaches the maximum number by the end of June, when the future generation of females and males begins to be laid. At this time, the number of flowering plants reaches a maximum, and at the same time the maximum number of workers is observed. The main fodder plants in the middle of summer are representatives of the families Asteracea, Dipsacaceae, Lami-aceae, Fabaceae, Scrophulariaceae.
For different species of bumblebees, a relationship is observed between the length of the proboscis and the length of the corolla of the flowers. Out of 38 species of bumblebees, 18 species are long proboscis, 10 - medium proboscis, 10 - short proboscis. As the height increases, the proportion of long proboscis bumblebees increases. This is due to the predominance of their food objects. In low-lying biocoenoses, where as a result of the development of agriculture, the depletion of ento-mophilous vegetation is observed, short-chain ento-mophilous plants from the families Asteracea and Rosaceae are most characteristic. And in mountain ce-noses, on the contrary, the diversity of the flora increases, reaching a maximum in the subalpine zonet, and the main representatives of long-wank plants.
In the mountain-steppe biocenoses 16, in forest (low-mountain and mountain forests), 36, in subalpine 25 and in alpine 8 species were found. Apparently, the number of species of bumblebees and bumblebee cuckoos along the high-altitude zones grows, but decreases in the alpine zone, which is associated with the harsh conditions of the highlands, where the flowering time is short. All species of Bombus can be divided into 4 groups according to biotope confinement: steppe (13 species), forest (30 species), meadow (40 species) and eurytite (8 species). Eurytropic species predominate in
almost all ecosystems, except for Alpine ones, which indicate the least untransformation of the latter [3]. Of the 47 species of bumblebees and bumblebee cuckoos, 8 species are massive (share in collections is 5.01% or more), 10 are ordinary (share in collections is from 2.01 to 5%), 20 are rare (share in fees 0.5 - 2%).
18 species (38.3%) of bumblebees found in the Greater Caucasus region of Azerbaijan are subendemic to the Caucasian Isthmus.
Conclusion
According to the results of 40 summer studies of bees, 38 species of Bumus and 9 species of cuckoo bumblebee (Psithyrus) were found in the Greater Caucasus of Azerbajan. Their food chans, ecological classifications and abundance of species in collections were studied. It is established that in the investigated region bumblebees visit 224 species of plants belonging to 24 families. Of the 47 species of bumblebees and bumblebee cuckoos, 8 species are massive (share in collections is 5.01% or more), 10 are ordinary (share in collections is from 2.01 to 5%), 20 are rare (share in fees 0.5 - 2%). There is a strong reduction in the abundance and species diversity of bumblebees, the main reason being the anthropogenic impact on various biocenoses.
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2. Kh.A.Aliyev, V.V. Kamarli. Bee pollinators of nectariferous in Azerbaijan. Proceedings of the Society of Zoologists of Azerbaijan, Volume 1, 2008, pp. 198-203.
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