It is proposed a seasonal analysis of the external activities of Melipona marginata obscurior Moure, 1971, in different times of the year. The flight activities of the bees of colonies were studied in the Centro de Pesquisas e Conservação da Natureza Pró-Mata, at São Francisco de Paula, Rio Grande do Sul. In the spring-summer period, the diary amplitude of the flight activity was about 9 and 13 hours to the colonies A and B, respectively, with more flight intensity between 9 and 11 o'clock. The flight minimum temperature was about 14,3°C and from this one they became more intense. The most flight intensity has occurred about 81-90% of relative humidity and 300 W/m² of solar radiation. For the A colony, the bees flight activity was significantly influenced only by the temperature, while for the B colony it was influenced only by the solar radiation. In autumn-winter period, the diary amplitude of the flight activities was about 10 hours, and between 10 and 15 o'clock these activities were more intense. The flight minimum temperature was about 13,7°C, and from this temperature the activities became more intense. As in the spring-summer period, the most flight intensity in this period had occurred in about 300 W/m² of solar radiation. The temperature and the solar radiation had exertised a significant influence in the external activities of the bees on both colonies in the autumn-winter period. The collect pollen activities by the bees, in the spring-summer period, occurred in the first hours of the morning, while in the autumn-winter period the foraging was delayed.
Manduri; meteorological factors; pollen; stingless bees
