Effect of Environment and Equipment on Productivity of Alfalfa Leafcutter Bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in Southern Alberta, Canada

Richards, K. W.

doi:10.4039/ent12847-1

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…This suggests that female hole nesting aculeates carefully search their habitat to find holes with favourable qualities. Even though artificial objects with longer contours and more conspicuous patterns attract bees (Wigglesworth, ; Richards, ), this study suggests that high‐quality holes will be found and utilised in a higher degree even when situated in smaller and less conspicuous dead wood objects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Nesting of solitary wasps and bees in natural and artificial holes in dead wood in young boreal forest stands

Westerfelt

Widenfalk²,

Lindelöw

et al. 2015

Insect Conserv Diversity

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1. Life history traits of solitary nest provisioning bees and wasps (Aculeata) are characterised by low fecundity and extensive parental care. Therefore, it can be expected that egg-laying females are demanding in their nest choice.2. Dead wood in young boreal forest stands in mid-Sweden were surveyed for holes made by different insect species and the occupancy of solitary bees or wasps in those holes was analysed. Artificial nests consisting of wooden poles with pre-drilled holes were used for comparison.3. In 1634 wood objects, 5793 potential nesting holes of 16 types were labelled to insect species or genera that had made the hole. Only 1.8% of these were occupied by any bee or wasp species. In contrast to the natural wood objects, artificial nests had high occupancy (c. 30%).4. Hole diameter, rather than tree species, hole type or stand age, was the most important factor explaining occupancy of a certain aculeate species. Holes in standing dead wood (SDW) had higher occupancy than holes in stumps and logs.5. The results are discussed in the context of aculeate life history traits. It is argued that the reason for the low occupancy in the natural dead wood, especially in the stumps, was that most holes were situated in moist and decayed wood, and offered inferior conditions for offspring during the development from egg to adult.6. Retention and creation of SDW objects of different tree species at final felling is recommended.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Nesting of solitary wasps and bees in natural and artificial holes in dead wood in young boreal forest stands

Westerfelt

Widenfalk²,

Lindelöw

et al. 2015

Insect Conserv Diversity

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“…Different studies have addressed the relationship of long-term rearing temperatures to development and survival before (WhitÞeld and Richards 1985, Tepedino and Parker 1986, (Richards et al 1987, Bosch 2001, Pitts-Singer andJames 2009); during; and after (Stephen and Osgood 1965, Rank and Goerzen 1982, Richards and WhitÞeld 1988, Kemp and Bosch 2000 overwintering. Others have examined the effects of short-term exposure to high Stephen 1980a, Barthell et al 2002) and low temperatures (Undurraga and Stephen 1980b); or to conditions that affect survival of immature stages during the summer within Þelds (Peterson et al 1994, Richards 1996, Pitts-Singer and James 2008. The role of temperature in mediating speciÞc factors that affect bee mortality and production have been studied for chalkbrood fungus (Ascosphaera aggregata Skou) (Vandenberg andGoettel 1995, James 2005); parasitoid wasps (Pteromalus venustus Walker) (WhitÞeld and Richards 1985); and "pollen ball" (Pitts-Singer and James 2008).…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

Effect of Temperature on Post-Wintering Development and Total Lipid Content of Alfalfa Leafcutting Bees

et al. 2011

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Temperature plays an important role in effective management of the alfalfa leafcutting bee [Megachile rotundata (F.); Megachilidae], the major commercial pollinator of seed alfalfa [Medicago sativa (L.); Fabaceae] in North America. To improve our understanding of threshold and optimum rearing temperatures of M. rotundata, we examined the effect of temperature on postwintering development by using a greater number of temperature treatments than applied in previous studies (19 versus eight or fewer) and analytical tools formulated to model nonlinear relationships between temperature and insect development rates. We also tested the hypothesis that rearing temperature influences adult body lipid content at emergence, which could affect adult survival, establishment and performance as a pollinator, and reproductive success. We found that the Lactin-2 and Briere-2 models provided the best fits to data and gave reasonable estimates of lower (16-18°C) and upper (36-39°C) developmental thresholds and optimum (33-34°C) rearing temperatures for maximizing development rate. Bees successfully emerged over a broad range of temperatures (22-35°C), but variation in development rate among individuals reared at the same temperature was lowest at 31-33°C. The optimum rearing temperature to maximize the proportion of body lipids in adults was 27-29°C. Our results are discussed in relation to previous findings and speak to the difficulties in designing practical rearing guidelines that simultaneously maximize development rate, survival, and adult condition, while synchronizing adult emergence with alfalfa bloom.

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“…This week coincided with the aforementioned Ͼ2ЊC higher mean temperatures in domicile 3 than in domicile 2. However, temperature and humidity were within ranges considered suitable for bee development (Tirgari 1963, Undurraga 1978, Stephen 1981, WhitÞeld and Richards 1992, Richards 1996, Kemp and Bosch 2000. Moreover, the ambient temperature in the domiciles does not help to determine if there were microclimatic differences for the individual cavities in various boards and sections in boards.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Temperatures and relative humidity, and the maintenance of those environmental factors for appropriate durations, may explain why outer edges of boards contained higher percentages of viable brood, while northeast-facing boards and inner and middle portions had higher percentages of chalkbrood larvae; northeast-facing boards also had more pollen balls. Several studies in the laboratory and the Þeld have conÞrmed or implicated that temperature and humidity can affect the production of viable, diapausing offspring as well as the production of diseased cells, pollen balls, and second generation bees (Tirgari 1963, Undurraga 1978, Stephen 1981, WhitÞeld and Richards 1992, Richards 1996, Kemp and Bosch 2000, PittsSinger and James 2008. The mean ambient temperatures recorded in this study never reached 40ЊC, although the maximum temperature exceeded 40ЊC on three days in domicile 2 and 1 d in domicile 3 (data not shown).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Variation in Alfalfa Leafcutting Bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) Reproductive Success According to Location of Nests in United States Commercial Domiciles

Pitts‐Singer¹

2013

jnl. econ. entom.

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The alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata F., is used extensively to pollinate alfalfa for seed production in western North America. However, it usually is not possible to sustain bee populations in the United States. In the managed pollination system, variable microenvironments are experienced by developing M. rotundata during the nesting season that may influence bee reproductive success. In this study, bee cells were produced in a small alfalfa field and collected from domiciles according to nesting boards and different portions of boards. Examination of cells showed that the production of live overwintering prepupae, diseased larvae, other dead eggs and larvae, and cells attacked by natural enemies varied according to board orientations and positions, and portions of the boards. Northeast-facing board samples were significantly heavier and had more pollen balls and chalkbrood compared with southwest-facing boards. Lower boards in stacks had significantly more chalkbrood than upper boards. Outer portions of boards had significantly more live prepupae and less chalkbrood than middle and inner portions, and outer and middle portions had less summer-emerging bees. These results suggest that reproductive success could be altered by changing the orientation of boards within domiciles or changing the designs of domiciles. To accurately assess the quality of bee populations managed in the commercial loose cell system, a sample of bees should be taken from a pooled sample from all boards in each domicile. Each domicile sample should then be evaluated according to its proportional contribution to the whole field's progeny production (e.g., by weight or volume).

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Effect of Environment and Equipment on Productivity of Alfalfa Leafcutter Bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in Southern Alberta, Canada

Abstract: The Canadian Entomologist 128: 47-56 (1996) Four indicators of productivity and quality for the alfalfa leafcutter bee, Megachile rotundata (Fab.), were examined over a 3-year period and the influence of different shelter designs, nesting materials,

Cited by 11 publications

References 8 publications

Nesting of solitary wasps and bees in natural and artificial holes in dead wood in young boreal forest stands

Nesting of solitary wasps and bees in natural and artificial holes in dead wood in young boreal forest stands

Effect of Temperature on Post-Wintering Development and Total Lipid Content of Alfalfa Leafcutting Bees

Variation in Alfalfa Leafcutting Bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) Reproductive Success According to Location of Nests in United States Commercial Domiciles

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