FLOWERS AND THEIR INSECT VISITORS IN THE ARID WINTER RAINFALL REGION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA - OBSERVATIONS ON PERMANENT PLOTS - INSECT VISITATION BEHAVIOR

Aspects of the relationships between the plants and the flower-visiting insects of the north-western Cape, South Africa, based upon a 3-year study on permanent plots, are examined. The vast majority of plant species of the study area show entomophilous pollination syndromes. Particularly noteworthy is the preponderance of large open brightly coloured blossoms, especially of Asteraceae and Mesembryanthemaceae, most of which show allophilous to melittophilous pollination syndromes. Flower-visiting records are given for more than 300 day-active insect species belonging to four orders and 41 families. From the flower-visiting records and the analysis of pollen loads of selected bee specimens it is concluded that the anthophilous insect fauna is dominated by generalist foragers. Most flower/insect associations are not exclusive and frequently overlap.