Santos, Karen C B S

Davis, Abby E

Rocchetti, Maurizio

Hocking, Brad

Shermeister, Bar

Rader, Romina

2023-05-25

<p>We observed the brown honeyeater, <i>Lichmera indistincta</i>, visiting blueberry orchards in eastern Australia. <i>L. indistincta</i> is considered to be a nectarivorous bird, feeding almost entirely on nectar. However, we report observations of this species as both a nectarivore and insectivore in blue-berry crops and as an insectivore in raspberry crops. Brown honeyeaters may be acting as biological control agents when feeding on leaf-roller caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in blueberry orchards and on brown blow-flies (<i>Calliphora stygia</i>) in raspberry orchards. Although most blueberry growing regions use managed honey bees as the main pollinator, more studies on the complex tritrophic interactions occurring in these crops are needed to better understand the costs and benefits of different farm management practices upon alternative pollinators.</p>

Ecosphere, 14(5), p. 1-6

2150-8925

https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/55065

en

Ecological Society of America

Attribution 4.0 International

Observations of nectarivorous birds and potential biological control agents in berry orchards

Journal Article

Publication