Author : Mappatoba Sila

Summary : The role of some insectivorous vertebrates in apiculture in agroforestry was studied by observing their feeding habits. Non-vertebrate bee enemies have been observed while some bee plants were identified thru pollen analysis. Crop and stomach content analyses revealed that four of the 16 dissected vertebrates were bee predators. These were Bufo marinus L., Chaetura gigantea gigantea (Temminck), Monticola solitarius philippinensis (P.L.S. Muller), and Artamus leucorhynchus leucorhynchus Linnaeus, having the following percentages of bee fragments examined in their crops and stomach: 0.26%, 66.46%, 5.56%, and 10.71%, respectively. In the later part of the study, Merops philippinus philippinus L. was seen feeding on bees during the study. Among eight bird populations studied, only Lanius cristatus lucionensis Linnaeus was significantly correlated with population density of foraging honey bees. Population fluctuations between C. g. gigantae and foraging honey bees demonstrated the "predator-prey" interaction that was described by the Lotka-Volterra models.