Pollinator Community Composition and Diversity in Callery Pear Stands in South Carolina

Prabina Sharma^1,*, David R. Coyle¹, Deborah Kunkel², James F. Palmer¹, Joshua W. Campbell³, Nilesh Timilsina¹, and Jessica Hartshorn¹

¹Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, SC 29634. ²School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Clemson University, SC 29634. ³USDA–ARS Pest Management Research Unit, Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory, Sidney, MT 59270. *Corresponding author.

Southeastern Naturalist, Volume 24, Issue 2 (2025): 151–167

First published early online: 24 May 2025

Abstract
Pyrus calleryana (Callery Pear) is a non-native tree listed as invasive in 17 US states. Despite Callery Pear’s early and prolific flowering and widespread distribution, as well as the crucial role of pollinators in the reproduction and spread of invasive flora, little research exists examining the pollinator community that uses Callery Pear. We collected and identified pollinators from mature, wild Callery Pear trees in upstate South Carolina using sweep nets and white, blue, and yellow bowl traps. We identified 876 insects representing 18 families from 4 orders (Diptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, and Lepidoptera). The most common genera identified were Toxomerus, Andrena, Apis, Osmia, and Lasioglossum. Our results list the pollinator community visiting Callery Pear flowers and suggest future research to investigate the implications for strategies to manage invasive plants.

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