Life-cycle and foraging patterns of native Bombus terrestris (L.) (Hymenoptera, Apidae) in the Mediterranean region

Abstract

Life-cycle and foraging patterns of native Bombus terrestris populations were investigated at two sites in the Mediterranean region of Turkey, Phassalis (0 -100 m above sea level [a.s.l.]) and Termessos (500 -700 m a.s.l.). Bumble-bee activity was recorded during standard bee walks from November 2003 until the end of October 2004, each site being visited three times every month during the one-year period. The yearly dynamics of flight, the flowering plant species visited, and the visitation frequencies of these plants were recorded during every bee walk at both sites. There were considerable differences between the two populations with regard to the dates when the queens emerged from diapause (the emerging season), the timing of the appearance of sexuals (young queens and males), and the total number of plant species visited. Bombus terrestris queens emerged from diapause in November-December at the Phassalis site (coastal area) and in February-March at the Termessos site. The queens aestivated at the Phassalis site, whereas they hibernated at the Termessos site. Only one generation per year was produced at each site. The duration of the queens diapause lasted 5 -8 months and length of the life cycle 190 -215 days. Native B. terrestris populations were noted to forage on 47 flowering plant species from 20 families (10 at the Phassalis site and 40 at the Termessos site) during the study period. Two of the plant species (Arbutus unedo L. and Vitex agnus-castus L.) have long flowering periods and play a crucial role in the life cycle of native B. terrestris populations. The emergence of queens at the aestivation site was synchronized with the flowering of Arbutus unedo L., while the emergence of sexuals coincided with the flowering of Vitex agnus-castus L. at both sites.

Winter Active Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) Achieve High Foraging Rates in Urban Britain

“…It is possible that other pollinator species will follow suit, which in combination with milder winters might relax selection pressure on native plants to flower in the spring/summer period, precipitating further changes in the phenology of pollination systems. Further studies over the whole winter period are necessary to examine this change in pollinator phenology in more detail and to reveal if this change is a response of native bumblebees to climate change or if a possible hybridisation with commercially imported B. t. dalmatinus , which naturally have an autumn/winter generation [23], [30], [31], also plays a role.…”

Can Winter-Active Bumblebees Survive the Cold? Assessing the Cold Tolerance of Bombus terrestris audax and the Effects of Pollen Feeding

“…In addition, non-diapause characteristics can be artificially selected for, and can persist across multiple generations [16]. Considerable flexibility also exists in the seasonal timing of diapause in B. terrestris , with both a summer aestivation and winter hibernation reported in different regions of Turkey [17]. The issue in the UK, and in other parts of Northern Europe, is that B. terrestris queens appear to be averting diapause, or have a greatly curtailed diapause, under warmer conditions and so are establishing new colonies in late Summer/Autumn [8].…”

Comparative temperature tolerance in stingless bee species from tropical highlands and lowlands of Mexico and implications for their conservation (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini)

“…However, it is important to assess if the increase of metabolic heat is performed in whole colonies of highland stingless bees and if it can be sustained over long periods of time, as the experiments, where this behavior was observed, only lasted 5 h. Worker heat production is known for other species with temperature control mechanisms such as bumblebees (Bombus spp.) and Apis mellifera, which depend on stored resources to generate metabolic heat (Seeley and Heinrich 1981;Velthuis 2002;Schmolz and Lamprecht 2004;Gurel et al 2008). However, such species are capable of maintaining nest temperatures over long periods of time, and in the case of A. mellifera, this enables them to survive winter periods (Seeley 1995;Tautz 2008) which is not the case in any species of stingless bee.…”

“…However, such species are capable of maintaining nest temperatures over long periods of time, and in the case of A. mellifera, this enables them to survive winter periods (Seeley 1995;Tautz 2008) which is not the case in any species of stingless bee. It is also important to consider that body size may have an influence in temperature control as bees with larger body mass could have a potential to produce heat more efficiently (Jones and Oldroyd 2007;Gurel et al 2008); in this respect, it is interesting that M. colimana shows larger body weight (0.067 g) compared with the other two species, M. beecheii (0.057 g) and S. hellwegeri (0.013), which may also be an adaptation for heat production in M. colimana.…”