The pollination ecology of the blackberry (Rubus sp.) was studied by means of determining its reproductive system, the analysis of flower's nectar production. Sampling the insects that visit the flower of blackberry in a cultivated area and analysis of pollination behavior. The experiments were carried out in an area of blackberry crop, in December of 2005 in the city of Timbó (SC), Southern Brazil. The highest fruit set (48.3% ± 3,2) occurred in the free pollination (natural) treatment where insects were not excluded. The occurrence of selfing was verified, however with o lower fruit set (12.2% ± 4,9). Anemophily was not observed in the species. The nectar evaluation in Rubus sp. resulted in values compatible with the melit tophily syndrome. Bees (Hymenoptera) were the main floral visitors collected and observed on the flowers of Rubus sp., representing 97% of the individuals. They initiate the foraging activity at 8 a.m., with a peak activity at 12 a.m. and declining until 4 p.m. in the survey were sampled 1.360 bees, belonging to four families and 13 species. Halictidae was the family with highest amount of species (N = 7) and Apidae most abundant (1.288 individuals) in the survey. Apidae was mainly represented by Apis mellifera, which is a exotic species, whose sample was of 1.246 individuals. The data of the abundance and the observation of its behavior, pointed A. mellifera as the main pollinator of Rubus sp, in the studied area, but also confirms that the other native species of bees, participate in the pollination process of Rubus sp.
reproductive system; blackberry; floral visitors; nectar
