Abstract: The honeybee Apis mellifera ligustica and the bumblebee Bombus hypocrita are the two main pollinators for greenhouse agriculture in China. Their pollination behavior and activity patterns differ on some crops. In order to employ the most appropriate bee species and improve pollination efficiency, we investigated the pollination behavior of the two bee species and the factors that influence it in greenhouses for peaches between 2008 and 2010. The results showed that diurnal activity differed between the species. Compared with A. mellifera ligustica, B. hypocrita started work at a lower temperature and had a longer working day, as well as a longer visiting time per flower, and the number of foraging bees was almost the same at different distances from the nest. In contrast, the number of foraging bees of A. mellifera ligustica declined with their distance from the hive. In greenhouses, the influences of environmental factors on bees were basically the same. Temperature was the most important factor for limiting pollination activity, while the humidity, nectar concentration of a flower, and the illumination intensity, were all less important. The nectar volume per flower was not directly correlated with the level of bee activity. In conclusion, B. hypocrita should be favored for pollination in peach greenhouses. Furthermore, in order to improve the efficiency of bee pollinators, greenhouse conditions may need to be adjusted.

Key words: Apis mellifera ligustica, Bombus hypocrita, insect pollinator, peach greenhouse, pollination behavior, environmental factors, nectar, pollination efficiency