The flowering pattern and the visiting bee species on Sida spp. and Malvastrum coromandelianum (L.) Garcke were studied in a restricted area at the campus of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. There were differences among plant species but not among individuals in relation to the flowering time along the day and the time at which the flowers were visited by bees. Melissoptila cnecomala (Moure, 1944) and Cephalurgus anomalus Moure & Oliveira, 1962 were the most frequent visitors. Both species foraged on flowers for nectar and pollen. C. anomalus visited mainly plants with anthesis in the morning and M. cnecomala plants with anthesis in the afternoon. This fact sugests that those species of bees may be showing contrasting foraging strategies and can share the floral resources of Sida and Malvastrum. The males of C. anomalus mate on flowers of Sida and exhibit a behavior known as rendevouz pollination.
Malvaceae; Sida; Malvastrum; bees; resource partitioning