Pollen Preferences of Three Osmia Species (Hymenoptera)

Raw, Anthony

doi:10.2307/3543545

Cited by 49 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…None of the varieties were superior to the others with respect to the two parameters combined. Several species of mason bees seem to allocate foraging between different species of plants, depending on whether it is primarily nectar or pollen being collected, and to mix pollen from various species to optimize the quality of larval food (Raw, ; Williams & Tepedino, ; Eckhardt et al, ). Our results may reflect such a strategy in red mason bees.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forage quality and quantity affect red mason bees and honeybees differently in flowers of strawberry varieties

Ahrenfeldt

Sigsgaard

Hansted

et al. 2019

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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Nectar is a vital source of energy for bees and other pollinators and pollen represents the only source of protein in the diet of bees. Nectar and pollen quality and quantity can therefore affect foraging choices. Strawberry, Fragaria × ananassa (Rosaceae), is a flowering crop that requires insect pollination for the berries to develop optimally. The solitary red mason bee, Osmia bicornis L. (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), occurs naturally but like the eusocial western honeybee, Apis mellifera mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), it is also a commercially reared pollinator used in strawberry production. We hypothesized that strawberry nectar and pollen quality would affect the foraging choice of these two types of bees. In this study nectar and pollen quality is represented by various levels of sugar and protein content, respectively, as well as the number of open strawberry flowers in the experimental field, would affect the foraging choice of these two types of bees. Consistent with previous studies, we found significant and major differences between strawberry varieties in proportions of sucrose in the nectar sugar and in pollen viability – a proxy for pollen protein content. All measured parameters had a significant effect on red mason bee visitation frequency. Contrary to expectations, honeybee foraging behavior was only affected by the number of open flowers and not by any of the quality parameters measured. Our findings indicate that red mason bees were capable of assessing nectar and pollen quality and prioritize accordingly. The pattern observed indicates that individual red mason bees changed foraging focus between strawberry varieties depending on whether nectar or pollen was collected. Our results suggest that targeted breeding of varieties toward high levels of nectar sugar and sucrose concentrations and high pollen protein content may increase pollination success from red mason bees and possibly other solitary bees.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forage quality and quantity affect red mason bees and honeybees differently in flowers of strawberry varieties

Ahrenfeldt

Sigsgaard

Hansted

et al. 2019

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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show abstract

“…Fidelity to a Bower species on a single foraging trip, or "Bower con stancy," is typical of many polyphagous bees (42,49,57,64,65,123,162,189). The degree of Bower constancy varies among bee taxa.…”

Section: Foraging Specificitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Foraging and Mating Behavior in Apoidea

Eickwort¹,

Ginsberg²

1980

Annu. Rev. Entomol.

278

186

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“…Osmia rufa is a polylectic species, which accepts a wide range of plants as its source Giejdasz et AL. 222 Developmental temperature effects in Osmia rufa of food (Raw, 1974;Wilkaniec & Warakomska, 1992). However, in the nesting period, females tend to collect pollen from several species of plants and frequently store only one species in a cell (Tasei, 1973;Free & Williams, 1970).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Temperature Treatment during Development ofOsmia rufaL., on Mortality, Emergence and Longevity of Adults

Giejdasz

Fliszkiewicz

2016

Journal of Apicultural Science

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A b s t r a c t The red mason bee (Osmia rufa L.) is a univoltine solitary species of the Osmia genus. This bee is reared on a commercial scale and used as a managed alternative pollinator. We intended that the results of our study would improve the management of this bee so as to synchronise their flying period with the blooming of crops. In the spring, we moved newly occupied nests of the red mason bee to a laboratory and placed them in incubators. Immature development was examined at three constant temperatures, 20˚C, 25˚C, and 30˚C. Selected nests were opened to monitor the subsequent developmental stages. The remaining bees were wintered in nests stored at cool temperature (4˚C). In April, we removed the insects from the nests and began incubation at 25˚C to establish the emergence time of adult individuals. To determine the survival rate of adult bees, we moved the emerged specimens to cages, where they were fed and kept until death. Temperature increase generally reduced immature development time. But this tendency was not observed in the prepupal stage. During ontogeny the highest mortality rate was observed in wintering adult insects at developmental temperatures of 25˚C and 30˚C. Bees developing at constant temperatures emerged faster during spring incubation in comparison to those developing in natural conditions. Constant developmental temperatures decreased the survival rate of females as post-emergence adult insects. The survival rate of males was lower at the developmental temperature of 30˚C.

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Pollen Preferences of Three Osmia Species (Hymenoptera)

Cited by 49 publications

References 13 publications

Forage quality and quantity affect red mason bees and honeybees differently in flowers of strawberry varieties

Forage quality and quantity affect red mason bees and honeybees differently in flowers of strawberry varieties

Foraging and Mating Behavior in Apoidea

Effect of Temperature Treatment during Development ofOsmia rufaL., on Mortality, Emergence and Longevity of Adults

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