Impacts of flight distance on sex ratio and resource allocation to offspring in the leafcutter bee, Megachile rotundata

Peterson, Jason H.; Roitberg, Bernard D.

doi:10.1007/s00265-005-0085-9

Cited by 75 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 53 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The choice of a 100 m radius is somewhat arbitrary, and very likely underestimates resources available to newly emerged insects: typical natal dispersal distances are unknown, but Osmia-sized solitary bees can fly distances of several hundred meters (Gathmann andTscharntke 2002, Greenleaf et al 2007). However, preferred foraging ranges are certainly less than this in several species (see, e.g., Peterson and Roitberg 2006, Greenleaf et al 2007, Zurbuchen et al 2010. In any case, as the purpose of the transects was to estimate phenological progression of the flowering plant community rather than to quantify resource availability, a 100 m radius provides a reasonable index.…”

Section: Field Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An examination of synchrony between insect emergence and flowering in Rocky Mountain meadows

Forrest

Thomson

2011

Ecological Monographs

232

240

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. One possible effect of climate change is the generation of a mismatch in the seasonal timing of interacting organisms, owing to species-specific shifts in phenology. Despite concerns that plants and pollinators might be at risk of such decoupling, there have been few attempts to test this hypothesis using detailed phenological data on insect emergence and flowering at the same localities. In particular, there are few data sets on pollinator flight seasons that are independent of flowering phenology, because pollinators are typically collected at flowers. To address this problem, we established standardized nesting habitat (trap nests) for solitary bees and wasps at sites along an elevational gradient in the Rocky Mountains, and monitored emergence during three growing seasons. We also recorded air temperatures and flowering phenology at each site. Using a reciprocal transplant experiment with nesting bees, we confirmed that local environmental conditions are the primary determinants of emergence phenology. We were then able to develop phenology models to describe timing of pollinator emergence or flowering, across all sites and years, as a function of accumulated degree-days. Although phenology of both plants and insects is well described by thermal models, the best models for insects suggest generally higher threshold temperatures for development or diapause termination than those required for plants. In addition, degreeday requirements for most species, both plants and insects, were lower in locations with longer winters, indicating either a chilling or vernalization requirement that is more completely fulfilled at colder sites, or a critical photoperiod before which degree-day accumulation does not contribute to development. Overall, these results suggest that phenology of plants and trap-nesting bees and wasps is regulated in similar ways by temperature, but that plants are more likely than insects to advance phenology in response to springtime warming. We discuss the implications of these results for plants and pollinators, and suggest that phenological decoupling alone is unlikely to threaten population persistence for most species in our study area.

show abstract

Section: Field Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An examination of synchrony between insect emergence and flowering in Rocky Mountain meadows

Forrest

Thomson

2011

Ecological Monographs

232

240

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This location provides a high diversity and stable richness of food plants. Effects of resource shortage or extensive traveling costs on maternal investment can be excluded (Kim 1999;Ulbrich and Seidelmann 2001;Ivanov 2006;Peterson and Roitberg 2006). Beside the test block, additional nesting tubes of Japanese knotweed (various dimensions) and wooden nest blocks (tube dimensions 8×150 mm, 100-120 tubes per block) were offered in one and the same shelter that protected the nest material from rain and direct sunshine.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of nest tube dimensions on reproduction parameters in a cavity nesting solitary bee, Osmia bicornis (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

-Recent declines of bee populations have led to great interest in preserving bee species and fuel efforts to develop solitary species for pollination purposes. Xylophilous solitary bees can be easily reared in artificial nests tubes for commercial agricultural as well as wild plant pollination. The impact of the dimensions of these artificial nest tubes on reproduction parameters was studied in the red mason bee, Osmia bicornis (L.), in a long-term study. Increasing tube diameter positively affected both progeny sex ratio and body size. Sex ratio, but not progeny body mass, was negatively affected by short tube length. Building costs rose with increasing diameter accompanied by deteriorated efficiency of tube space utilization. Although female bees used a wide spectrum of nest dimensions, artificial nest tubes of 8-10 mm internal diameter and a length of at least 150 mm were optimal.sex ratio / body size / nest cavity dimensions / diameter / length / Osmia

show abstract

“…Conclusions drawn from studies in Þeld enclosures have shown how resource limitation leads to a reduction in reproductive success (Kim 1999, Peterson and Roitberg 2006a, Pitts-Singer and Bosch 2010), but such results may not be applicable to real-life situations. In enclosures, bees cannot escape to areas where more or alternative resources are available.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intended Release and Actual Retention of Alfalfa Leafcutting Bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) for Pollination in Commercial Alfalfa Seed Fields

Pitts‐Singer¹

2013

jnl. econ. entom.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Low, medium, and high stocking densities (15,000; 30,000; and 45,000-50,000 bees per acre, respectively) of Megachile rotundata (F.) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), the alfalfa leafcutting bee, were released over 4 yr in three research plots of Utah alfalfa, Medicago sativa L. (Fabaceae), planted at seed-production rates. A low percentage of bees (46-79% of released) survived the incubation and field-emergence processes; of those bees, the number of females that established at the nesting sites was 25-100%. Of the three field sites, one site consistently retained more females and produced more completed nests than the other sites, all of which usually had poor female establishment and progeny production. In addition, floral resources were depleted over time, but many flowers remained unvisited over the season. Nest production decreased over time, as numbers of flowers and female bees declined. Significant positive relationships were found between the intended stocking densities and 1) the number of females that actually survived incubation and field emergence and 2) the number of females that established nests. The number of females that established nests was positively affected by the number of females that survived to emerge in the field. The percentage of females that established was not significantly affected by the intended number of released bees, countering a prediction that the release of fewer bees would allow more females to establish nests and achieve high reproductive success. For growers, it may be more frugal to use modest numbers of M. rotundata for pollination, because many of the bees at medium and high stocking densities do not nest in grower-provided bee boards.

show abstract

Impacts of flight distance on sex ratio and resource allocation to offspring in the leafcutter bee, Megachile rotundata

Cited by 75 publications

References 53 publications

An examination of synchrony between insect emergence and flowering in Rocky Mountain meadows

An examination of synchrony between insect emergence and flowering in Rocky Mountain meadows

The impact of nest tube dimensions on reproduction parameters in a cavity nesting solitary bee, Osmia bicornis (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Intended Release and Actual Retention of Alfalfa Leafcutting Bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) for Pollination in Commercial Alfalfa Seed Fields

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About