European Journal of Biology

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DOI :10.26650/EurJBiol.2018.0014   IUP :10.26650/EurJBiol.2018.0014    Full Text (PDF)

Plant Preferences of Halictus Latreille (Halictidae: Hymenoptera) in the Mediterranean Region of Southern Turkey

Fatih Dikmen, Demet Tore, Ahmet Murat Aytekin

Objective: Lack of information regarding the floral preferences of wild bees is one of the major problems in understanding plant–bee interactions. Therefore, we investigated the plant preferences of Halictus Latreille (Halictidae: Apoidea: Hymenoptera) species that are distributed in the Mediterranean Region of southern Turkey. Materials and Methods: Bees were collected through field studies that were performed during the spring and summer seasons between 2008 and 2009. The flowers visited by bees were also recorded. In total, 516 bee specimens belonging to 19 species were collected, and 54 plant taxa were found to be related to these Halictus species. In addition to field study data, information collected from the literature was included in the study. The most commonly visited plant families, genera, and species are described using diversity indices scores in terms of the plant taxa preferences of the bees. Results: A total of 516 bee and 195 plant specimens were sampled from 76 stations located in 14 provinces. In total, 54 plant taxa were found to be related to 19 Halictus species. Among such large plant taxa preferences, the most commonly visited ones were Onopordum, Centaurea, and Carduus members. Conclusion: This study suggests that members of the genus Halictus primarily prefer to visit plants belonging to the Asteraceae family. However, they may also visit several other types of flowers such as those belonging to Rosaceae and Brassicaceae families.
Keywords: Apoidea, Halictus, plant preference, fauna, flora, Asteraceae, Mediterranean, Turkey

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APA

Dikmen, F., Tore, D., & Aytekin, A.M. (2018). Plant Preferences of Halictus Latreille (Halictidae: Hymenoptera) in the Mediterranean Region of Southern Turkey. European Journal of Biology, 77(2), 65-69. https://doi.org/10.26650/EurJBiol.2018.0014


AMA

Dikmen F, Tore D, Aytekin A M. Plant Preferences of Halictus Latreille (Halictidae: Hymenoptera) in the Mediterranean Region of Southern Turkey. European Journal of Biology. 2018;77(2):65-69. https://doi.org/10.26650/EurJBiol.2018.0014


ABNT

Dikmen, F.; Tore, D.; Aytekin, A.M. Plant Preferences of Halictus Latreille (Halictidae: Hymenoptera) in the Mediterranean Region of Southern Turkey. European Journal of Biology, [Publisher Location], v. 77, n. 2, p. 65-69, 2018.


Chicago: Author-Date Style

Dikmen, Fatih, and Demet Tore and Ahmet Murat Aytekin. 2018. “Plant Preferences of Halictus Latreille (Halictidae: Hymenoptera) in the Mediterranean Region of Southern Turkey.” European Journal of Biology 77, no. 2: 65-69. https://doi.org/10.26650/EurJBiol.2018.0014


Chicago: Humanities Style

Dikmen, Fatih, and Demet Tore and Ahmet Murat Aytekin. “Plant Preferences of Halictus Latreille (Halictidae: Hymenoptera) in the Mediterranean Region of Southern Turkey.” European Journal of Biology 77, no. 2 (Sep. 2025): 65-69. https://doi.org/10.26650/EurJBiol.2018.0014


Harvard: Australian Style

Dikmen, F & Tore, D & Aytekin, AM 2018, 'Plant Preferences of Halictus Latreille (Halictidae: Hymenoptera) in the Mediterranean Region of Southern Turkey', European Journal of Biology, vol. 77, no. 2, pp. 65-69, viewed 20 Sep. 2025, https://doi.org/10.26650/EurJBiol.2018.0014


Harvard: Author-Date Style

Dikmen, F. and Tore, D. and Aytekin, A.M. (2018) ‘Plant Preferences of Halictus Latreille (Halictidae: Hymenoptera) in the Mediterranean Region of Southern Turkey’, European Journal of Biology, 77(2), pp. 65-69. https://doi.org/10.26650/EurJBiol.2018.0014 (20 Sep. 2025).


MLA

Dikmen, Fatih, and Demet Tore and Ahmet Murat Aytekin. “Plant Preferences of Halictus Latreille (Halictidae: Hymenoptera) in the Mediterranean Region of Southern Turkey.” European Journal of Biology, vol. 77, no. 2, 2018, pp. 65-69. [Database Container], https://doi.org/10.26650/EurJBiol.2018.0014


Vancouver

Dikmen F, Tore D, Aytekin AM. Plant Preferences of Halictus Latreille (Halictidae: Hymenoptera) in the Mediterranean Region of Southern Turkey. European Journal of Biology [Internet]. 20 Sep. 2025 [cited 20 Sep. 2025];77(2):65-69. Available from: https://doi.org/10.26650/EurJBiol.2018.0014 doi: 10.26650/EurJBiol.2018.0014


ISNAD

Dikmen, Fatih - Tore, Demet - Aytekin, AhmetMurat. “Plant Preferences of Halictus Latreille (Halictidae: Hymenoptera) in the Mediterranean Region of Southern Turkey”. European Journal of Biology 77/2 (Sep. 2025): 65-69. https://doi.org/10.26650/EurJBiol.2018.0014



TIMELINE


Submitted11.10.2018
Accepted03.12.2018

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