First Record of Brazil nut Pollinators Outside Amazon Biome

Abstract

We present the first records of insect visitors and pollinators of Bertholletia excelsa (Lecythidaceae) in a 25 years plantation outside the Amazon biome, flowering and producing Brazil nuts. We installed a platform to observe and photograph the insects. The collected insects were stored, mounted, and identified by specialists. Six species were observed, three of them classified as potential pollinators (Centris lutea, Eulaema nigrita, Eulaema cingulata). The species E. nigrita and E. cingulata were already reported as a pollinators of Brazil nut in Amazon. This is the first record of C. lutea as potential pollinators for B. excelsa.

Keywords:
bees; Bertholletia excelsa; Centris; Eulaema; nuez boliviana