Abstract: 【Aims】 In recent years, with the improvement of traffic conditions, alargenumber of Apis mellifera apiaries migrate from all parts of the country to Yunnan for beekeeping every year. This study aims to clarify the impact of stocking density of A. mellifera as an alien bee species on the species, quantity and species diversity of native pollinating bees in Yunnan, southwestern China. 【Methods】 The native pollinating bees were collected by Malaise traps and the community structure of native pollinating bees was investigated at six test sites including two sites (Lute and Zoumatian) with high stocking density of A. mellifera, two sites (Waina and Xiaalie) with medium stocking density and two sites (Maba and Xiazhuangke) with low stocking density in Luoping County, Yunnan Province. Each site has two habitat types, i.e., wooded mountain habitat and farmland habitat. The differences of species diversity index (H′), evenness index (J′) and richness index (Dm) of native pollinating bees under different stocking densities of A. mellifera and different habitat types were compared and analyzed. 【Results】 In total 1 715 individuals of native pollinating bees belonging to 53 species of 10 families were collected, among which Apidae, Halictidae and Vespidae were the dominant groups, and Apis cerana and Lasioglossum excisum the dominant species. In the range of stocking density (the number of A. mellifera colonies in an area with a radius of about 3 km around each test site) from 723 to 2 750 honeybee colonies, the species number and individual number of native pollinating bees decreased with the increase of stocking density of A.mellifera, and the species diversity index (H′) and richness index (Dm) also decreased correspondingly. However, the evenness indices (J′) of native pollinating bees were not significantly affected by the stocking density of A. mellifera. In addition, the species diversity of native pollinating bees in wooded mountain habitats was significantly higher than that in farmland habitats. 【Conclusion】 The community structure and species diversity of native pollinating bees in Luoping, Yunnan are significantly influenced by the stocking density of A. mellifera. In the range of stocking density from 723 to 2 750 honeybee colonies, the higher the stocking density of A. mellifera, the smaller the number of individuals, the number of species, diversity index and richness index of native pollinating bees. This study provides ideas for further research on the rational control of stocking density of A. mellifera in order to protect the species diversity of native pollinating bees in Yunnan.

Key words: Apis mellifera, native pollinating bees, stocking density, community structure, species diversity, alien bee species