Observations of Successful Bombus terrestris (L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies in Southern Tasmania

Abstract

Early attempts to acclimatise Bombus spp. to Australia were not successful but a pre‐1992 introduction of the bumble bee B. terrestris has succeeded and the species is slowly spreading in southern Tasmania. It is likely that the genetic base of the Tasmanian population is limited if, as is thought, only a few queens were brought from New Zealand. This may affect the rate of dispersal through the island, which presently averages 12.5 km/year. In 1995–96 18 feral colonies found in and around Hobart were transferred to nest boxes, where colony development could be monitored. All of the colonies produced queens, and the ratio of queens to workers (1:4.71) compares favourably with the upper end of colony performance scale in New Zealand (1:5.19). At least two generations are produced during warmer months and there is no indication of genetic impediments to further dispersal in Tasmania or possibly even mainland Australia. External influences such as predatory habits of birds, availability of food, competition from other insects and deliberate introduction by people into new areas make the rate of spread unpredictable.

Bombus terrestris, pollinator, invasive and pest: An assessment of problems associated with its widespread introductions for commercial purposes

“…B. terrestris can spread rapidly; 90 km/year in New Zealand (Hopkins, 1914), 25 km/year (Hingston et al, 2002) in Tasmania. Buttermore (1997) warned, in reference to Tasmania, that "of course, external influences such as predatory habits by birds, availability of food, competition from other insects, and deliberate introduction by people into these areas, make the rate of spread unpredictable". Hingston et al (2002) showed that in the nine years since its introduction, the range of B. terrestris now includes all of Tasmania's major vegetation types and an area of c. 30,000 km 2 .…”

“…In areas outside its natural range, B. terrestris has few or perhaps no natural enemies to check population growth (Buttermore, 1997;Hingston and McQuillan, 1998a;Goka, 2010).…”

A century of advances in bumblebee domestication and the economic and environmental aspects of its commercialization for pollination

“…This occurred either accidentally or intentionally (Semmens et al, 1993;Buttermore, 1997). Since then it has expanded its distribution in Tasmania by about 10 km per year and the number of colonies has increased rapidly.…”

Competition for flower resources and nest sites between Bombus terrestris (L.) and Japanese native bumblebees

“…Bombus terrestris nests are generally constructed in existing cavities below ground, often using abandoned rodent holes in both its natural range (Sladen, 1912;Alford, 1975;Prys-Jones and Corbet, 1991) and in introduced areas (Donovan and Wier, 1978;Buttermore, 1997;Matsumura et al, 2004a, b). Donovan (1980) considered it unlikely that bumblebees compete with native bee species for nest sites in New Zealand because their requirements for nest sites differ so markedly; however, there are no native bumblebees in New Zealand.…”