Pollination ecology of mango (Mangifera indica L.) (Anacardiaceae) in the Neotropical Region.
Jirón L. F., Hedström I.
Author Affiliation: Museo de Insectos, Fac. Agronomía, Univ. Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
Turrialba 35 : 269-277
Abstract : Observations were made of pollinating and other flower-visiting insects on mangoes in Costa Rica and in Panama. The most common visitors to the flowers were Diptera such as Syrphidae, Calliphoridae and Sciaridae (51.6% of all visits made on 29 December 1984 at a site in Costa Rica), Lepidoptera such as Nymphalidae and Lycaenidae (33.0%), Coleoptera such as Cantharidae (11.6%) and Hymenoptera such as Apidae (3.6%). Some of these insects fed on pollen or nectar, while others preyed on other visitors. Syrphids, calliphorids and tachinids had greater amounts of pollen attached to their bodies than did other visiting insects. Mangoes with bagged flowers did not set fruit, indicating that they probably did not have the capacity for autogamy.