FORAGING ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF THE ALFALFA POLLINATING BEE SPECIES MEGACHILE-NANA (HYMENOPTERA, MEGACHILIDAE)

The flight activity of Megachile nana Bingh 1802 foraging on alfalfa M edicago saliva L was related to some weather factors. The flight activ ity correlated positively with temperature, light intensity, solar rad iation, nectar-sugar concentration and negatively with relative humidi ty. Bees were generally most active between 12oo-14ooh. Path coefficie nt analysis revealed whether the relationship expressed by simple corr elation was direct or indirect. Of the five factors studied, only rela tive humidity and solar radiation were found to influence flight activ ity directly.