The importance of plant diversity in maintaining the pollinator bee, Eulaema nigrita (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in sweet passion fruit fields.

Science.gov (United States)

da Silva, Cláudia Inês; Bordon, Natali Gomes; da Rocha Filho, Léo Correia; Garófalo, Carlos Alberto

2012-12-01

The euglossine bee Eulaema nigrita plays an important role for the pollination of native and economically important plants, such as the sweet passion-fruit Passiflora alata. E. nigrita uniquely collects the nectar from the flowers of P. alata, nevertheless, it needs to visit other plants to collect pollen, nectar and other resources for its survival. There are two methods to identify the species of plants used by bees in their diet: by direct observation of the bees in the flowers, and through identification of pollen grains present in brood cells, feces, or in the bees' body. In order to identify the other plants that E. nigrita visits, we analyzed samples of pollen grains removed from the bee's body in the course of the flowering period of P. alata. Among our results, the flora visited by E. nigrita comprised 40 species from 32 genera and 19 families, some of them used as a pollen source or just nectar. In spite of being a polyletic species, E. nigrita exhibited preference for some plant species with poricidal anthers. P. alata which has high sugar concentration nectar was the main source of nectar for this bee in the studied area. Nonetheless, the pollinic analysis indicated that others nectariferous plant species are necessary to keep the populations of E. nigrita. Studies such as this one are important since they indicate supplementary pollen-nectar sources which must be used for the conservation of the populations of E. nigrita in crops neighbouring areas. In the absence of pollinators, growers are forced to pay for hand pollination, which increases production costs; keeping pollinators in cultivated areas is still more feasible to ensure sweet passion fruit production.

The importance of plant diversity in maintaining the pollinator bee, Eulaema nigrita (Hymenoptera: Apidae in sweet passion fruit fields

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Cláudia Inês da Silva

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The euglossine bee Eulaema nigrita plays an important role for the pollination of native and economically important plants, such as the sweet passion-fruit Passiflora alata. E. nigrita uniquely collects the nectar from the flowers of P. alata, nevertheless, it needs to visit other plants to collect pollen, nectar and other resources for its survival. There are two methods to identify the species of plants used by bees in their diet: by direct observation of the bees in the flowers, and through identification of pollen grains present in brood cells, feces, or in the bees’ body. In order to identify the other plants that E. nigrita visits, we analyzed samples of pollen grains removed from the bee’s body in the course of the flowering period of P. alata. Among our results, the flora visited by E. nigrita comprised 40 species from 32 genera and 19 families, some of them used as a pollen source or just nectar. In spite of being a polyletic species, E. nigrita exhibited preference for some plant species with poricidal anthers. P. alata which has high sugar concentration nectar was the main source of nectar for this bee in the studied area. Nonetheless, the pollinic analysis indicated that others nectariferous plant species are necessary to keep the populations of E. nigrita. Studies such as this one are important since they indicate supplementary pollen-nectar sources which must be used for the conservation of the populations of E. nigrita in crops neighbouring areas. In the absence of pollinators, growers are forced to pay for hand pollination, which increases production costs; keeping pollinators in cultivated areas is still more feasible to ensure sweet passion fruit production

The importance of plant diversity in maintaining the pollinator bee, Eulaema nigrita (Hymenoptera: Apidae in sweet passion fruit fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cláudia Inês da Silva

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The euglossine bee Eulaema nigrita plays an important role for the pollination of native and economically important plants, such as the sweet passion-fruit Passiflora alata. E. nigrita uniquely collects the nectar from the flowers of P. alata, nevertheless, it needs to visit other plants to collect pollen, nectar and other resources for its survival. There are two methods to identify the species of plants used by bees in their diet: by direct observation of the bees in the flowers, and through identification of pollen grains present in brood cells, feces, or in the bees’ body. In order to identify the other plants that E. nigrita visits, we analyzed samples of pollen grains removed from the bee’s body in the course of the flowering period of P. alata. Among our results, the flora visited by E. nigrita comprised 40 species from 32 genera and 19 families, some of them used as a pollen source or just nectar. In spite of being a polyletic species, E. nigrita exhibited preference for some plant species with poricidal anthers. P. alata which has high sugar concentration nectar was the main source of nectar for this bee in the studied area. Nonetheless, the pollinic analysis indicated that others nectariferous plant species are necessary to keep the populations of E. nigrita. Studies such as this one are important since they indicate supplementary pollen-nectar sources which must be used for the conservation of the populations of E. nigrita in crops neighbouring areas. In the absence of pollinators, growers are forced to pay for hand pollination, which increases production costs; keeping pollinators in cultivated areas is still more feasible to ensure sweet passion fruit productionLa abeja euglosina Eulaema nigrita juega un importante papel para la polinización de las plantas nativas y de importancia económica, como es el caso de la fruta de la pasión o maracuyá Passiflora alata. E. nigrita únicamente recoge el néctar las flores de P. alata

Development of an Application Programming Interface for Depletion Analysis (APIDA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lago, Daniel; Rahnema, Farzad

2017-01-01

Highlights: • APIDA an Application Programming Interface tool for Depletion Analysis. • APIDA employs a matrix exponential method and a linear chain method. • A burnup solver to couple to neutron transport solvers in lattice depletion or reactor core analysis codes. - Abstract: A new utility has been developed with extensive capabilities in identifying nuclide decay and transmutation characteristics, allowing for accurate and efficient tracking of the change in isotopic concentrations in nuclear reactor fuel over time when coupled with a transport solution method. This tool, named the Application Programming Interface for Depletion Analysis (APIDA), employs both a matrix exponential method and a linear chain method to solve for the end-of-time-step nuclide concentrations for all isotopes relevant to nuclear reactors. The Chebyshev Rational Approximation Method (CRAM) was utilized to deal with the ill-conditioned matrices generated during lattice depletion calculations, and a complex linear chain solver was developed to handle isotopes reduced from the burnup matrix due to either radioactive stability or a sufficiently low neutron-induced reaction cross section. The entire tool is housed in a robust but simple application programming interface (API). The development of this API allows other codes, particularly numerical neutron transport solvers, to incorporate APIDA as the burnup solver in a lattice depletion code or reactor core analysis code in memory, without the need to write or read from the hard disk. The APIDA code was benchmarked using several decay and transmutation chains. Burnup solutions produced by APIDA were shown to provide material concentrations comparable to the analytically solved Bateman equations – well below 0.01% relative error for even the most extreme cases using isotopes with vastly different decay constants. As a first order demonstration of the API, APIDA was coupled with the transport solver in the SERPENT code for a fuel pin

Variación de la comunidad de abejas de las orquídeas (Hymenoptera: Apidae en tres ambientes perturbados del piedemonte llanero colombiano

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Alejandro Parra-H

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Las abejas de las orquídeas subsisten en vastas áreas de bosque tropicales gracias a que mantienen estrechas relaciones con tipos de vegetación particular en diversos micro-hábitats. Con base en este tipo de relaciones con el medio y características biológicas como preferencia por ciertos tipos de néctares y de polen, y diversidad morfológica y etológica de la tribu, es posible evaluar la calidad de un hábitat según la distribución de euglosinos. Este trabajo propone el uso de esta información, además de índices de diversidad para la evaluación de la calidad del medio. Entre marzo y diciembre de 2003 muestreamos tres tipos de paisaje (Urbano, Rural y Conservado en el piedemonte llanero colombiano, usando redes entomológicas y sustancias aromáticas (Cineol y Metil Salicilato. Para las 15 localidades muestreadas se registraron 17 de las 26 especies conocidas para el área. Eulaema nigrita fue la más frecuente mientras que Euglossa magnipes, E. cybelia, E. heterosticta, E. singularis, Eulaema bombiformis, E. speciosa y Exaerete frontalis correspondieron a ambientes considerados de aceptable a buena calidad. La composición y cercanía de fragmentos de bosque son factores favorables. La diversidad relativa (máxima variación de formas y tamaños dentro de la tribu, sería proporcional a la calidad del medio.Variation of the orchid bees community (Hymenoptera: Apidae in three altered habitats of the Colombian "llano" piedmont. Orchid bees subsist in vast tropical forest areas because they maintain close relationships with particular plant species in diverse micro-habitats. Based on the relationships among the environment and biological features (food preference, morphologic and ethologic diversity, it is possible to determine habitat quality using the euglossine array. This work proposes the use of this ecological information, in addition to diversity indices, for the evaluation of environmental quality. Fifteen localities in

Enkele bijzondere bijenwaarnemingen (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Raemakers, I.P.

2000-01-01

Some interesting records on Dutch bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) The publication of the preliminary atlas of Dutch bees (Peeters et al. 1999) has stimulated many specialists in their mapping activity. The author reports several interesting new distribution records on ten bee-species in 1999. The Dutch

Orchid bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae community from a gallery forest in the Brazilian Cerrado

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Francinaldo S Silva

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The orchid bees are a very important group of pollinators distributed in the Neotropics. Although a lot of studies concerning male euglossine bees have been done in this region, few works have so far been carried out in the Cerrado biome. This manuscript has the main objective to present the orchid bee community from a Gallery Forest in the Northeastern Brazilian Cerrado landscape, taking account the species composition, abundance, seasonality and hourly distribution. Male euglossine bees were collected monthly from October 2007 to May 2009, in the Reserva Florestal da Itamacaoca belonging to the Companhia de Água e Esgoto do Maranhão, in Chapadinha municipality, Maranhão State. The scents eucalyptol, eugenol and vanillin were utilized, between 07:00 and 17:00hr, to attract the euglossine males. Cotton balls were dampened with the scents and suspended by a string on tree branches 1.5m above soil level, set 8m from one another. The specimens were captured with entomological nets, killed with ethyl acetate and transported to the laboratory to be identified. A total of 158 individuals and 14 species of bees were recorded. The genus Eulaema was the most representative group of euglossine bees in relation to the total number of the sampled individuals, accounting for 50.6% of bees followed by Euglossa (26.6%, Eufriesea (15.2% and Exaerete (7.6%. The most frequent species were Eulaema nigrita (27.8%, Eulaema cingulata (19% and Euglossa cordata (18.3%. Many species typical of forested environments were found in samples, like Euglossa avicula, Euglossa violaceifrons and Eulaema meriana, emphasizing the role played by the Gallery Forests as bridge sites to connect the two great biomes of Amazonia and Atlantic Forest. The occurrence of Exaerete guaykuru represents the second record of this species for the Neotropical region, and both records coming from the Gallery Forest zones. The male euglossine bees were sampled mainly in the dry season, where 62

OBSERVACIONES SOBRE LA ESTRATIFICACIÓN VERTICAL DE ABEJAS EUGLOSINAS (APIDAE: EUGLOSSINI EN UN BOSQUE RIPARIO DE LA ORINOQUÍA COLOMBIANA

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VÉLEZ DANNY

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Se realizaron observaciones sobre la distribución vertical de abejas euglosinas en un bosque ripario asociado al sistema de lagunas Mata-Mata (Meta-Colombia. Los estratos evaluados fueron: sotobosque (1.8 m, la parte media entre el dosel y sotobosque (12-16 m y el dosel (18-25 m. Un total de 33 machos pertenecientes a cinco especies de Eulaema y Euglossa fueron capturados usando Cineol en trampas de caída. Eulaema nigrita y Euglossa intersecta fueron las especies más abundantes y se capturaron en todos los estratos. En general, no se encontró ninguna diferencia significativa en la diversidad, la abundancia y la riqueza de abejas en los diferentes estratos del bosque.

De wespbijen (Nomada) van Nederland (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smit, J.

2004-01-01

The wasp bees (Nomada) of the Netherlands (Hymenoptera: Apidae) In the Netherlands 44 species of Nomada are known to occur. The name wasp bee is derived from the often yellow and black colour, which give the insects a wasplike appearance. Nomada bees are cleptoparasites mostly with Andrena species.

Effects of Apis mellifera adansonii, L. 1758 (Apidae: Hymenoptera ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effects of Apis mellifera adansonii, L. 1758 (Apidae: Hymenoptera) pollination on yields of Cucumeropsis mannii (Naudin) in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo. Boniface Posho Ndola, Yves Brostaux, Guillaume Le Goff, Marie-Lucie Susini, Eric Haubruge, Frederic Francis, Bach Kim Nguyen ...

Variação do tamanho corporal de machos de Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini. Resposta materna à flutuação de recursos?

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Peruquetti Rui Carlos

2003-01-01

Full Text Available It was compared body size (measured as intertegular span variance of trapped-males of Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier, 1841 sampled in dry (July, August and September and wet (December, January and February seasons of the years 1988/89 and 1994/95 in Viçosa (Minas Gerais, Brazil. It was also compared the body size variance between males and females sampled in three nests found in São Carlos (São Paulo, Brazil and between these males and trapped ones. The smaller male (6.4 mm was sampled in June and the bigger (8.9 mm in July 1994, but the majority (32.3% showed an intertegular span ranging from 7.8 to 8.0mm. The observed variance in body size was similar between males sampled in nests and trapped-males and the variance found inside a nest was similar between the sexes. However, males sampled in 1988/89 were bigger than 1994/95 males and males sampled in nests were smaller than trapped-males. The variance of the body size of males did differ between 1988/89 and 1994/95. In the first period differences between males sampled in dry or wet season was not observed, but in 1994/95 period the males sampled in dry season showed significantly greater variance in body size than males sampled in wet season. The body size variance did not differ between the wet seasons of 1988/89 and 1994/95. The body size variation, measured as the coefficient of variation in intertegular span, did not differ between males of E. nigrita (CV = 4.3% and ground-nesting bees. These results show that the variation in body size of males of E. nigrita reflects that one found inside the nests of this bee, being similar among males and females. This variation is expected as result of ecological factors influences the nesting females. El Niño climatic events alone or in association with the lack of local food resources due to deforestation and presence of monocultures might play a role in observed body size variation. However this hypothesis is not sufficient to explain the observed

De kortsnuitbloedbij Sphecodes majalis nieuw voor de Nederlandse fauna (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Raemakers, I.

2004-01-01

Sphecodes majalis, a new bee species for the Netherlands (Hymenoptera: Apidae) A population of Sphecodes majalis was found on a limestone grassland near Maastricht (Limburg). On several occasions more than 10 female and several male specimen were observed. Sphecodes majalis is a parasite of

Espécies novas de Trigonisca Moure (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apinae New species of Trigonisca Moure (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apinae

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Patrícia Maia Correia de Albuquerque

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Algumas espécies novas de Meliponini do gênero Trigonisca Moure, 1950 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apinae do Brasil e Panamá são descritas: T. roubiki sp. nov. (Panamá, T. variegatifrons sp. nov. (Brasil: RO, PA, MT, T. vitrifrons sp. nov. (Brasil: AM, PA, T. unidentata sp. nov. (Brasil: AM, T. meridionalis sp. nov. (Brasil: PA, MA, MT, MG, SP, T. bidentata sp. nov. (Brasil: RO, T. extrema sp. nov. (Brasil: AM e T. hirticornis sp. nov. (Brasil: RO, PA; e são apresentados novos registros geográficos de T. flavicans (Moure, 1950, T. intermedia Moure, 1989, T. dobzhanskyi (Moure, 1950, T. ceophloei (Schwarz, 1938, T. nataliae (Moure, 1950 e T. pediculana (Fabricius, 1804 e uma chave para identificação das espécies.Some new Meliponini species of the genus Trigonisca Moure, 1950 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apinae from Brazil and Panamá are described: T. roubiki sp. nov. (Panamá, T. variegatifrons sp. nov. (Brazil: RO, PA, MT, T. vitrifrons sp. nov. (Brazil: AM, PA, T. unidentata sp. nov. (Brazil: AM, T. meridionalis sp. nov. (Brazil: PA, MA, MT, MG, SP, T. bidentata sp. nov. (Brazil: RO, T. extrema sp. nov. (Brazil: AM and T. hirticornis sp. nov. (Brazil: RO, PA; additional geographic records from T. flavicans (Moure, 1950, T. intermedia Moure, 1989, T. dobzhanskyi (Moure, 1950, T. ceophloei (Schwarz, 1938, T. nataliae (Moure, 1950 and T. pediculana (Fabricius, 1804 and an identification key for species are presented.

Observations on fragrance collection behaviour of euglossine bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Peter W.H. Holland

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Male bees of the tribe Euglossini collect volatile chemicals secreted by orchids using dense patches of hair on the front tarsi. After collecting chemicals, the bee hovers while transferring these fragrances to invaginations on the hind tibiae. The fragrance collection and hovering behaviours are repeated multiple times. Here I report preliminary field observations on the length of fragrance collection and hovering phases in bees of the Eulaema meriana (Oliver, 1789 mimicry complex visiting the orchid Catasetum discolor in Kavanayén, Venezuela. I observed that in extended visits with many cycles of fragrance collection and hovering, the length of each collection phase gradually increased, while the length of hovering phase was static. This suggests either that chemicals secreted by orchids are in limited supply or that efficiency of fragrance collection drops.

On the identity of Melipona torrida Friese (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

OpenAIRE

Melo, Gabriel A. R.

2013-01-01

On the identity of Melipona torrida Friese (Hymenoptera, Apidae). Melipona marginata var. torrida Friese, 1916, described from three workers putatively collected in Costa Rica, never had its identity properly recognized. Since its original description, no additional specimens have ever been collected in Costa Rica. It is argued here that Melipona torrida was based on mislabeled specimens and corresponds to Melipona marginata obscurior Moure, 1971, a form known only from southern Brazil, Argen...

Eufriesea nigrescens y E. Pretiosa (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossini: un caso de oportunismo o simbiosis?

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González B. Victor Hugo

2000-12-01

Full Text Available Una colonia mixta se forma cuando un nido es ocupado por más de una especie (Michener 1974. En Bombus, este tipo de colonias son muy comunes de manera natural; la reina de una especie invade el nido de otra, mata a la reina hospedera y pone sus propias crías (Michener 1974. Este tipo de relaciones interespecíficas son raras en otros apidos y han sido registradas una sola vez entre dos especies de Meliponini: Melipona fuliginosa y M. panamica (= M. fasciata (Roubik 1981, Roubik, como pers., y dos especies de Euglossini: Eulaema cingulata y E. polychroma (Roubik 1990.

Mitochondrial genome of the North African Sahara Honeybee, Apis mellifera sahariensis (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haddad, Nizar; Adjlane, Noureddine; Loucif-Ayad, Wahida

2017-01-01

e present the complete mitochondrial genome of honey bee subspecies, Apis mellifera sahariensis (Apidae) belonging to the African lineage. The assembled circular genome has a length of 16,569 bp which comprises 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and AT rich...

First host record for the cleptoparasitic bee Rhathymus friesei Ducke (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Hugo A. Werneck

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The genus Rhathymus contains only obligatory cleptoparasitic species whose hosts belong to the genus Epicharis (Apidae, Centridini. Host information is available for only four of the 20 species of Rhathymus. In this note a new host record is added, in which the parasitism by R. friesei on nests of Epicharis (Epicharoides picta is documented.

Nest-mate recognition in Manuelia postica (Apidae: Xylocopinae): an eusocial trait is present in a solitary bee.

Science.gov (United States)

Flores-Prado, Luis; Aguilera-Olivares, Daniel; Niemeyer, Hermann M

2008-02-07

In eusocial Hymenoptera, females are more tolerant towards nest-mate than towards non-nest-mate females. In solitary Hymenoptera, females are generally aggressive towards any conspecific female. Field observations of the nest biology of Manuelia postica suggested nest-mate recognition. Experiments were performed involving two live interacting females or one live female interacting with a dead female. Live females from different nests were more intolerant to each other than females from the same nest. Females were more intolerant towards non-nest-mate than towards nest-mate dead females. When dead females were washed with pentane, no differences in tolerant and intolerant behaviours were detected between non-nest-mate and nest-mate females. Females were more intolerant towards nest-mate female carcasses coated with the cuticular extract from a non-nest-mate than towards non-nest-mate female carcasses coated with the cuticular extract from a nest-mate. The compositions of the cuticular extracts was more similar between females from the same nest than between females from different nests. The results demonstrate for the first time nest-mate recognition mediated by cuticular chemicals in a largely solitary species of Apidae. The position of Manuelia at the base of the Apidae phylogeny suggests that nest-mate recognition in eusocial species apical to Manuelia represents the retention of a primitive capacity in Apidae.

Bumble bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) community structure on two sagebrush steppe sites in southern Idaho

Science.gov (United States)

Stephen P. Cook; Sara M. Birch; Frank W. Merickel; Carrie Caselton Lowe; Deborah Page-Dumroese

2011-01-01

Although sagebrush, Artemisia spp., does not require an insect pollinator, there are several native species of bumble bees, Bombus spp. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), that are present in sagebrush steppe ecosystems where they act as pollinators for various forbs and shrubs. These native pollinators contribute to plant productivity and reproduction. We captured 12 species of...

Predation of Apiomerus pilipes (Fabricius (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Harpactorinae, Apiomerini over Meliponinae bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, in the State of Amazonas, Brazil

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Alexandre Coletto da Silva

2004-12-01

Full Text Available The present work shows the occurrence of an intense predatory activity on adults working Meliponinae bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, by Apiomerus pilipes (Fabricius, 1787 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Harpactorinae, Apiomerini at a meliponary in the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA, Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil.O presente trabalho registra a ocorrência de intensa atividade predatória de Apiomerus pilipes (Fabricius, 1787 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Harpactorini, Apiomerini sobre operárias adultas de meliponíneos (Hymenoptera, Apidae, no meliponário experimental do Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA, Manaus, Estado do Amazonas, Brasil. O meliponário se encontra num fragmento de vegetação secundária no próprio INPA.

Cytogenetic characterization of Partamona cupira (Hymenoptera, Apidae by fluorochromes

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Jefferson de Brito Marthe

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Four colonies of the stingless bee Partamona cupira (Hymenoptera: Apidae were cytogenetically analyzed using conventional staining and the fluorochromes CMA3 e DAPI. The females have 2n = 34 chromosomes (2K=32+2. Some females, however, presented an additional large B acrocentric chromosome, to a total of 2n = 35. Chromosome B and the chromosomal pairs 2, 9 and 10 showed CMA3+ bands, indicating an excess of CG base-pairs. A clear association was verified between the P. helleri B chromosome SCAR marker and the presence of a B chromosome in P. cupira. The data obtained suggests that B chromosomes in P. helleri and P. cupira share a common origin.

Two common species dominate the species-rich Euglossine bee fauna of an Atlantic Rainforest remnant in Pernambuco, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, R; Pinto, C E; Schlindwein, C

2015-11-01

Nowadays, the northern part of the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil is largely destroyed and forest remnants rarely exceed 100 ha. In a 118 ha forest fragment within a state nature reserve of Pernambuco (Reserva Ecológica Gurjaú), we surveyed the orchid bee fauna (Apidae, Euglossini) using eight different scent baits to attract males. Once a month during one year, the bees were actively collected with entomological nets, from November 2002 to October 2003 by two collectors. We collected 2,908 orchid bee males belonging to 23 species, one of the highest richness values of the Northern Atlantic Rainforest. Bees of only two species, Euglossa carolina (50%) and Eulaema nigrita (25%), which occurred throughout the year, accounted for three quarter of the collected individuals. Both species are typical for open or disturbed areas. Rainforest remnants like those of Gurjaú within the predominant sugar cane monocultures in the coastal plains of the northern Atlantic Rainforest play an important role in orchid bee conservation and maintenance of biodiversity.

Higher-level bee classifications (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Apidae sensu lato Classificação dos grandes grupos de abelhas (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Apidae sensu lato

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Gabriel A. R. Melo

2005-03-01

Full Text Available A higher-level classification of bees, in which the entire group is treated as a single family - the Apidae - is advocated here. A total of seven subfamilies, 51 tribes and 27 subtribes are recognized. These subfamilies correspond to the families adopted in the traditional classification. Although the proposed changes do not involve any major rearrangement, basically only changing the rank given to the main groups, the new system makes the classification of bees more consistent with that adopted for other major groups of aculeate Hymenoptera. It also departs from the 19th century practice, perpetuated in the traditional classification, of giving family-status to the main groups of bees. A correspondence table associating the taxon names used in the current traditional classification with those of the revised classification is presented. Scrapterini new tribe (type-genus Scrapter Lepeletier & Serville is proposed to accommodate the southern African genus Scrapter.Apresenta-se uma classificação para as abelhas em que o todo o grupo é tratado como uma única família - Apidae. São reconhecidas sete subfamílias, 51 tribos e 27 subtribos. As subfamílias correspondem às famílias da classificação tradicional. Apesar das mudanças propostas afetarem apenas o status dos grupos, o novo sistema torna a classificação das abelhas mais consistente com aquela adotada para os grandes grupos de Hymenoptera aculeados. Além disso, distancia-se da tradição de dar status de família aos grupos principais de abelhas, uma prática do século 19 perpetuada na classificação tradicional. É apresentada uma tabela de correspondência associando os nomes dos táxons usados na classificação tradicional corrente com aquelas da classificação sendo proposta aqui. Scrapterini tribo nova (gênero-tipo Scrapter Lepeletier & Serville é proposta para acomodar Scrapter, um gênero restrito à porção sul do continente africano.

Biología reproductiva de Eschweilera bogotensis (Lecythidaceae, en la Cordillera Occidental de Colombia

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Gamboa Gaitán Miguel Ángel

1997-11-01

Full Text Available The reproductiva biology of Eschweilera bogotensis (Lecythidaceae was studied in a premontane forest at Los Farallones de Cali National Park (1650 m from november 1993 to march 1994. A great number of insects visit the flowers of this tree. Curculionidae and Nitidulidae (Coleoptera larvae, as well as Cecidomyidae (Diptera larvae feed on immature flowers, while Pyralidae and Blastobasidae (Lepidoptera larvae eat ripening fruits. Adult individual s of Staphylinidae (Coleoptera and Phlaethripidae (Thysanoptera were observed feeding on pollen. Loss of floral buds due to larval parasitism was as high as 70%. Three species of Hymenoptera were identified as visitors: Trigona amalthea, Eulaema meriana (Apidae, and Epicharis rustica (Anthophoridae. The latter was identifiedas the main pollinator. Fruit set per inflorescence is quite low (three max., and over 50% of inflorescences get lost. Seed release is carried out by transversal dehiscence of the fruit, releasing 4-7 seeds. Seed dispersal by animals, which eat part of the peel and seeds, is significant. Bites on the fruits observed in the field suggest that the disperser is a rodent, probably a squirrel, common at the study site. Germination of bitten seeds was observed.Se estudió la biología reproductiva de Eschweilere bogotensis (Lecyhidaceae, en un bosque muy húmedo premontano del Parque Nacional Los Farallones de Cali (1650 m, entre noviembre de 1993 y marzo de 1994. Numerosos insectos visitan las inflorescencias de este árbol. Las larvas de Curculionidae, Nitidulidae (Coleoptera y Cecidomyidae (Diptera depredan flores inmaduras, mientras que las de Pyralidae y Blastobasidae (Lepidoptera depredan frutos maduros. También se observaron adultos de Staphylinidae (Coleoptera, los cuales se alimentan de polen al igual que los Phlaethripidae (Thysanoptera. Las pérdidas de botones florales por parasitismo alcanzaron el 70%. Se identificaron tres especies de himenópteros como visitantes regulares

Contribution to Taxonomy and Distribution of the Genus Elaphropoda (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Apinae in Vietnam

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Nguyen, Minh Phuong

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Taxonomic notes on the genus Elaphropoda Lieftinck, 1966 (Hymenoptera: Apidae from Vietnam are presented. Two species of the genus are reported: Elaphropoda percarinata (Cockerell, 1930 was first recorded from Vietnam based on specimens collected from Ha Tinh province in 1998, and is reconfirmed with a specimens collected from Bac Kan province in the Northeastern part of the country in this study, and Elaphropoda khasiana (Schulz, 1906 is recorded from Vietnam for the first time. Redescriptions of the male of E. percarinata and the female of E. khasiana are given with illustrations.

Melostelis gen. nov., espécies novas e notas complementares sobre Anthidiini (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Danúncia Urban

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Melostelis gen. nov., espécies novas e notas complementares sobre Anthidiini (Hymenoptera, Apidae. Melostelis gen. nov. é proposto para um novo Anthidiini cleptoparasita. São descritas e ilustradas duas espécies novas: Melostelis amazonensis sp. nov. de Manaus, Amazonas e Larocanthidium chacoense sp. nov. de Porto Murtinho, Mato Grosso do Sul. São dados a conhecer os machos de Epanthidium bolivianum Urban, 1995 e Epanthidium araranguense Urban, 2006 e, registrados pela primeira vez no Brasil, na sub-região do chaco, Ketianthidium zanolae Urban, 2000 e Epanthidium bolivianum.

On the identity of Melipona torrida Friese (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Gabriel A. R. Melo

2013-09-01

Full Text Available On the identity of Melipona torrida Friese (Hymenoptera, Apidae. Melipona marginata var. torrida Friese, 1916, described from three workers putatively collected in Costa Rica, never had its identity properly recognized. Since its original description, no additional specimens have ever been collected in Costa Rica. It is argued here that Melipona torrida was based on mislabeled specimens and corresponds to Melipona marginata obscurior Moure, 1971, a form known only from southern Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. A lectotype is designated for Melipona torrida and notes on the type material of Melipona marginata obscurior are provided. Other known examples of species described from mislabeled specimens in Friese's Zur Bienenfauna von Costa Rica are discussed. It is pointed out that additional names proposed in this work, based on material from Costa Rica, might turn out to correspond to South American taxa. Also, the date of publication of this Friese's paper is discussed.

Visitantes florais do maracujá-amarelo (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Deg. Passifloraceae em áreas de cultivo com diferentes proximidades a fragmentos florestais na região Norte Fluminense, RJ Yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Deg. Passifloraceae floral visitors in cultivated areas within different distances from forest remnants in north Rio de Janeiro state

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Cristine Rodrigues Benevides

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho teve como objetivos estudar a biologia floral e identificar os principais polinizadores do maracujá-amarelo em áreas de cultivo com diferentes proximidades a fragmentos florestais no norte do estado do Rio de Janeiro. A floração do maracujá-amarelo teve duração de nove meses, no período de setembro a maio. As flores iniciavam a antese às 12:00 h e abriam-se ao longo do dia até às 16:30 h. O processo de curvatura dos estiletes ocorreu ao longo da antese e 72,4% das flores curvaram seus estiletes. A produção de néctar deu-se continuamente, atingindo 18μl/flor/hora e a concentração de solutos totais variou entre 38 e 42%. Xylocopa frontalis e Xylocopa ordinaria foram os principais polinizadores do maracujá-amarelo pela freqüência de visitas, comportamento intrafloral e porte corporal. Estas espécies de abelhas, além de Apis mellifera, estiveram presentes em todas as áreas de cultivo. A maior riqueza de visitantes polinizadores do maracujá-amarelo foi observada em áreas de cultivo próximas a fragmentos florestais, fato relacionado à presença de certos grupos de abelhas nativas, como Centridini e Euglossina (Apidae que dependem de áreas florestais para nidificação e alimentação. A proximidade a fragmentos florestais também é importante para o fornecimento de recursos alimentares e de nidificação ao longo do ano para a manutenção de populações de Xylocopa.This work aimed to identify the main pollinators and study the floral biology of the yellow passion fruit cultivated in areas within different distances from forest remnants in north Rio de Janeiro state. The yellow passion fruit flowering lasted nine months, from September to March. Anthesis started at 12:00 h and the opening process lasted until 16:30 h. The styles bent down during the anthesis and 72.4% of the flowers had its styles curved. Nectar was produced continuously, reaching 18μl/flower/hour, and the total solute concentration varied

Antibacterial Compounds from Propolis of Tetragonula laeviceps and Tetrigona melanoleuca (Hymenoptera: Apidae) from Thailand

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Sanpa, Sirikarn; Popova, Milena; Bankova, Vassya; Tunkasiri, Tawee; Eitssayeam, Sukum; Chantawannakul, Panuwan

2015-01-01

This study investigated the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of propolis collected from two stingless bee species Tetragonula laeviceps and Tetrigona melanoleuca (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Six xanthones, one triterpene and one lignane were isolated from Tetragonula laeviceps propolis. Triterpenes were the main constituents in T. melanoleuca propolis. The ethanol extract and isolated compounds from T. laeviceps propolis showed a higher antibacterial activity than those of T. melanoleuca propolis as the constituent α-mangostin exhibited the strongest activity. Xanthones were found in propolis for the first time; Garcinia mangostana (Mangosteen) was the most probable plant source. In addition, this is the first report on the chemical composition and bioactivity of propolis from T. melanoleuca. PMID:25992582

Antibacterial Compounds from Propolis of Tetragonula laeviceps and Tetrigona melanoleuca (Hymenoptera: Apidae from Thailand.

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Sirikarn Sanpa

Full Text Available This study investigated the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of propolis collected from two stingless bee species Tetragonula laeviceps and Tetrigona melanoleuca (Hymenoptera: Apidae. Six xanthones, one triterpene and one lignane were isolated from Tetragonula laeviceps propolis. Triterpenes were the main constituents in T. melanoleuca propolis. The ethanol extract and isolated compounds from T. laeviceps propolis showed a higher antibacterial activity than those of T. melanoleuca propolis as the constituent α-mangostin exhibited the strongest activity. Xanthones were found in propolis for the first time; Garcinia mangostana (Mangosteen was the most probable plant source. In addition, this is the first report on the chemical composition and bioactivity of propolis from T. melanoleuca.

Meliponini neotropicais: o gênero Partamona Schwarz, 1939 (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Pedro Silvia R. M.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Neotropical Meliponini: the genus Partamona Schwarz, 1939 (Hymenoptera, Apidae. The systematics and biogeography of Partamona Schwarz, a Neotropical genus of stingless bees (Meliponini, Apinae, Apidae, are revised. Seventeen new species are described: P. epiphytophila sp. nov., P. subtilis sp. nov., P. nhambiquara sp. nov., P. batesi sp. nov., P. yungarum sp. nov., P. vitae sp. nov., P. ferreirai sp. nov., P. gregaria sp. nov., P. auripennis sp. nov., P. nigrilabris sp. nov., P. combinata sp. nov., P. chapadicola sp. nov., P. seridoensis sp. nov., P. littoralis sp. nov., P. criptica sp. nov., P. rustica sp. nov. and P. sooretamae sp. nov. Partamona pseudomusarum Camargo, 1980, is considered as junior synonym of P. vicina Camargo, 1980. Types of P. grandipennis (Schwarz, 1951, P. xanthogastra Pedro & Camargo, 1996-1997, P. pearsoni (Schwarz, 1938, P. ailyae Camargo, 1980, P. pseudomusarum, P. vicina, P. mulata Moure in Camargo, 1980, P. aequatoriana Camargo, 1980, P. mourei Camargo, 1980, P. peckolti, (Friese, 1901, P. testacea (Klug, 1807, P. helleri (Friese, 1900 and P. musarum (Cockerell, 1917 were examined. Lectotypes of P. orizabaensis (Strand, 1919, and P. cupira (Smith, 1863 are designated. An identification key for the species and drawings of morphological characters are presented. A phylogenetic hypothesis, based mainly on morphological characters is proposed. Four groups are defined, considering the shape of mandible of workers and sternum VII of males: bilineata / epiphytophila group (western Amazon to México, including P. bilineata (Say, P. grandipennis, P. xanthogastra P. orizabaensis P. peckolti P. epiphytophila sp. nov., P. subtilis sp. nov., P. nhambiquara sp. nov., P. batesi sp. nov., P. yungarum sp. nov. and P. vitae sp. nov.; musarum group (Central Brazil, north of South America to Central America, including P. musarum, P. aequatoriana, P. vicina, P. mourei, P. pearsoni, P. ferreirai sp. nov., P. gregaria sp. nov. and P

Nesting sites characteristics of stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

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Nelky Suriawanto

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae is eusocial insects that live together in a colony. This research was aimed to study the nesting site characteristics of stingless bees in the settlement areas at Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. The nesting sites were observed by purposive sampling method from July 2015 to January 2016. Four species belong to genus Tetragonula were found, namely T. fuscobalteata, T. biroi, T. sapiens, and T. laeviceps. Two spesies, T. biroi and T. sapiens are the new record in Sulawesi island. The highest abundance of stingless bees colony was T. fuscobalteata (92.26%, followed by T. biroi (4.17%, T. sapiens (2.98%, and T. laeviceps (0.59%. Nesting sites of T. fuscobalteata were found in the stone, brick wall, wooden wall, bamboo, and iron cavities, T. biroi in the wooden wall, stone, and brick wall cavities, T. sapiens in stone cavities, while T. laeviceps in wooden walls.

Morphological, chemical and developmental aspects of the Dufour gland in some eusocial bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae: a review

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Fábio Camargo Abdalla

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Morphological, chemical and developmental aspects of the Dufour gland in some eusocial bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae: a review. The present revision focused on the more recent data about the Dufour gland in some eusocial bees, taking in account general aspects of its morphology, secretion chemical nature, bio-synthetic pathway and development. Many functions have been attributed to this gland in eusocial bees, but none are convincing. With the new data about this gland, not only the secretion chemical pathway of the Dufour gland may be reasonable understood, as its function in some eusocial bees, especially Apis mellifera Linné, 1758, which has been extensively studied in the last years.Aspectos morfológicos, químicos e do desenvolvimento da glândula de Dufour em algumas abelhas eussociais (Hymenoptera, Apidae: revisão. Esta revisão aborda os mais recentes dados sobre a glândula de Dufour em algumas abelhas eussociais, considerando aspectos gerais da sua morfologia, do seu desenvolvimento, da natureza química da sua secreção, assim como sua via bio-sintética. Muitas funções têm-se atribuído à glândula de Dufour nas abelhas eussociais, mas nenhuma suficientemente convincente. Os novos dados a respeito dessa glândula permitem não só conhecer razoavelmente bem a via bio-sintética como a função da secreção da glândula de Dufour em algumas abelhas eussociais, especialmente em Apis mellifera Linné, 1758, a qual tem sido extensivamente estudada nos últimos anos.

A molecular phylogeny of the stingless bee genus Melipona (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

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Ramírez, Santiago R; Nieh, James C; Quental, Tiago B; Roubik, David W; Imperatriz-Fonseca, Vera L; Pierce, Naomi E

2010-08-01

Stingless bees (Meliponini) constitute a diverse group of highly eusocial insects that occur throughout tropical regions around the world. The meliponine genus Melipona is restricted to the New World tropics and has over 50 described species. Melipona, like Apis, possesses the remarkable ability to use representational communication to indicate the location of foraging patches. Although Melipona has been the subject of numerous behavioral, ecological, and genetic studies, the evolutionary history of this genus remains largely unexplored. Here, we implement a multigene phylogenetic approach based on nuclear, mitochondrial, and ribosomal loci, coupled with molecular clock methods, to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships and antiquity of subgenera and species of Melipona. Our phylogenetic analysis resolves the relationship among subgenera and tends to agree with morphology-based classification hypotheses. Our molecular clock analysis indicates that the genus Melipona shared a most recent common ancestor at least approximately 14-17 million years (My) ago. These results provide the groundwork for future comparative analyses aimed at understanding the evolution of complex communication mechanisms in eusocial Apidae. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Especies nuevas de abejas de Cuba y La Española (Hymenoptera: Colletidae, Megachilidae, Apidae

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Julio A. Genaro

2001-12-01

Full Text Available Se describen e ilustran cinco especies nuevas de abejas antillanas: Collectes granpiedrensis n. sp. (Cuba (Colletidae; Osmia (Diceratosmia stangei n. sp. (República Dominicana; Coelioxys (Cyrtocoelioxys alayoi n. sp. (Cuba; C. (Boreocoelioxys sannicolarensis n. sp. (Cuba (Megachilidae y Triepeolus nisibonensis n. sp. (República Dominicana (ApidaeFive new species of Antillean bees are described and illustrated: Colletes granpiedrensis n. sp. (Cuba (Colletidae is charaterized as follows: Head and mesosoma black, legs and metasoma brown. Dense brown hairs on head and mesosoma; white on frons and metasomal terga. Clypeus, frons and mesosoma with large punctures, lesser on vertex and metasoma. Malar space more wide than long. Male and female slightly similar, except in the apical margin of clypeus, supraclipeal area, and color of the pubescence on legs and sterna; Osmia (Diceratosmia stangei n. sp. (Dominican Republic (Megachilidae is charaterized as follows: Dark metallic green, metasoma black with metallic green reflections. Pubescence light; body with large, closed punctures. Female with violet reflections in tergum III and mandible tridentate; Coelioxys (Cyrtocoelioxys alayoi n. sp. (Cuba (Megachilidae is charaterized as follows: Female black, except basal area of mandibles, tegula, legs, lateral area of tergum I and sterna, reddish brown. Posterior margin of scutellum rounded. Apex of tergum VI with spine curved up. Sternum VI fringed with short, closed setae, and the apex with short spine; Coelioxys (Boreocoelioxys sannicolarensis n. sp. (Cuba (Megachilidae is charaterized as follows: Black, except antenna and tegula brown; legs and sterna reddish brown. Clypeal margin straight in profile. Gradular grooves on metasomal terga II and III distinct medially. Fovea on metasomal tergum II of male deep and short, and Triepeolus nisibonensis n. sp. (Dominican Republic (Apidae is charaterized as follows: Dorsal pubescence (short and dense on mesosoma

Community of male Euglossini bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae in a secondary forest, Alcântara, MA, Brazil

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BRITO C. M. S. de

2001-01-01

Full Text Available From September, 92 to August, 93 bee sampling was done in a secondary forest near the Pepital River, in Alcântara, MA, in order to study the local Euglossini fauna. Five aromatic compounds were used: eucaliptol, eugenol, methyl salicylate, vanillin, and benzoate. Four hundred sixty-seven male Euglossini bees were captured, distributed in 4 genus and 19 species. Euglossa was the most abundant and with high diversity (302 specimens and 14 species, followed by Eulaema (121; 3, Eufriesea (41; 1, and Exaerete (3; 1. The species which more frequently visited the bait were Euglossa piliventris (141 specimens; 30.19%, Euglossa cingulata (113; 24.21%, Euglossa ignita (45; 9.64%, Eufriesea pulchra (41; 8.78%, and Euglossa gaianii (33; 7.07% corresponding to 79.88% of the sampling universe. The bees were active throught the year, however during the rainy season more activity and diversity were observed. The most attractive essence was eucaliptol (44.32% specimens and 84.21% species. In spite of this study having been done in a forest fragment, a secondary vegetation area smaller than other areas studied in Maranhão, it showed a significant diversity rate. This result reinforces the importance of fragments in the conservation of local bee communities.

Nesting biology of Centris (Hemisiella tarsata Smith (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Centridini

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Cândida M. L. Aguiar

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Nests of Centris tarsata Smith, 1874 were obtained from trap-nests in areas of dry semi-deciduous forest (Baixa Grande and caatinga (Ipirá, in the State of Bahia. Nesting occurred in bamboo canes and in tubes of black cardboard with 5.8 cm (= small tube and 10.5 cm (= large tube in length and 0.6 and 0.8 cm in diameter, respectively. In both areas C. tarsata nested during the wet season producing four generations in Baixa Grande and three generations in Ipirá. The immatures of one generation underwent diapause at both sites. The bees constructed their nests with a mixture of sand and oil. In general, the cells were elongated and arranged in linear series with its opening pointing towards the nest entrance. Completed nests had two to three cells in small tubes, one to seven cells in large tubes, and two to 13 cells in bamboo canes. The nest plug resembled an uncompleted cell and was externally covered with oil. The cells were provisioned with pollen, oil, and nectar. Nests were parasitized by Mesocheira bicolor (Fabricius, 1804 (Hymenoptera: Apidae and other not identify bee species.Ninhos de Centris tarsata Smith, 1874 foram obtidos através da utilização de ninhos-armadilha, em áreas de floresta estacional semi-decídua (Baixa Grande e de caatinga (Ipirá, no Estado da Bahia. A nidificação ocorreu em gomos de bambus e em tubos de cartolina preta, estes com comprimentos de 5,8 cm (= tubos pequenos e 10,5 cm (= tubos grandes, e diâmetro de 0,6 e 0,8 cm, respectivamente. Em ambas as áreas C. tarsata nidificou durante a estação úmida, produzindo quatro gerações anuais em Baixa Grande e três em Ipirá. Os imaturos de uma das gerações passaram por diapausa em ambos os locais. As abelhas construíram seus ninhos com uma mistura de areia e óleo. Em geral, as células foram alongadas e arranjadas em série linear, com sua abertura dirigida para a entrada do ninho. Os ninhos completados tinham de duas a três células nos tubos pequenos

Preservation of Domesticated Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Drone Semen.

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Paillard, M; Rousseau, A; Giovenazzo, P; Bailey, J L

2017-08-01

Preservation of honey bee (Apis mellifera L., Hymenoptera: Apidae) sperm, coupled with instrumental insemination, is an effective strategy to protect the species and their genetic diversity. Our overall objective is to develop a method of drone semen preservation; therefore, two experiments were conducted. Hypothesis 1 was that cryopreservation (-196 °C) of drone semen is more effective for long-term storage than at 16 °C. Our results show that after 1 yr of storage, frozen sperm viability was higher than at 16 °C, showing that cryopreservation is necessary to conserve semen. However, the cryoprotectant used for drone sperm freezing, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), can harm the queen and reduce fertility after instrumental insemination. Hypothesis 2 was that centrifugation of cryopreserved semen to reduce DMSO prior to insemination optimize sperm quality. Our results indicate that centrifuging cryopreserved sperm to remove cryoprotectant does not affect queen survival, spermathecal sperm count, or sperm viability. Although these data do not indicate that centrifugation of frozen-thawed sperm improves queen health and fertility after instrumental insemination, we demonstrate that cryopreservation is achievable, and it is better for long-term sperm storage than above-freezing temperatures for duration of close to a year. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Biologia floral e sistema reprodutivo de Gliricidia sepium (Jacq. Steud. (Fabaceae- Papilionoidae na região de Petrolina, Pernambuco Floral biology and reproductive system of Gliricidia sepium (Jacq. Steud. (Fabaceae-Papilionoidae in region of Petrolina, Pernambuco state, Brazil

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Lúcia Helena Piedade Kiill

2001-08-01

Full Text Available Aspectos da biologia da polinização e do sistema de reprodução de Gliricidia sepium foram estudados no período de março a dezembro de 1999, entre 05:30 e 17:00h., em uma população introduzida na Embrapa Semi-Árido (Petrolina, estado de Pernambuco. Quinze indivíduos da população foram marcados e acompanhados quinzenalmente para as observações dos estudos fenológicos. Para o estudo da morfologia e biologia florais, flores e inflorescências foram marcadas e acompanhadas até a formação dos frutos. Os visitantes florais foram observados ao longo do período do experimento, anotando-se a freqüência, o horário e a duração de suas visitas. G. sepium apresenta floração anual do tipo "cornucópia", com pico desta fenofase no mês de agosto. As flores estão reunidas em racemos axilares, com desenvolvimento centrípeto, ocorrendo a antese de 5 a 45 flores/dia. As flores apresentam a formação típica das papilionáceas, com corola de cor magenta, com a parte central do estandarte de cor creme, o qual funciona como guia de néctar. A antese é diurna, ocorrendo por volta da 06:00h, e a duração das flores é de aproximadamente 10 horas. Abelhas Apidae e Anthophoridae e lepidópteros Hesperiidae são os visitantes mais freqüentes, sendo Xylocopa griscesens, X. frontalis e Eulaema nigrita consideradas como principais polinizadores desta espécie. Quanto ao sistema de reprodução, G. sepium é xenôgama obrigatória, produzindo frutos e sementes somente após polinização cruzada (51,6%.The aspects of floral biology and reproductive system of Gliricidia sepium were studied from March to October of 1999, from 5:30am to 5:00pm, in an introduced population at Embrapa Semi-Árido, Petrolina, in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. Fifteen plants were marked and observed every two weeks for the study of phenology. For the study of floral biology and morphology, flowers and inflorescences were marked and observed until fruit set. The

Mitochondrial sequencing reveals five separate origins of 'black' Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in eastern Australian commercial colonies.

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Oxley, P R; Oldroyd, B P

2009-04-01

Establishment of a closed population honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), breeding program based on 'black' strains has been proposed for eastern Australia. Long-term success of such a program requires a high level of genetic variance. To determine the likely extent of genetic variation available, 50 colonies from 11 different commercial apiaries were sequenced in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and II intergenic region. Five distinct and novel mitotypes were identified. No colonies were found with the A. mellifera mellifera mitotype, which is often associated with undesirable feral strains. One group of mitotypes was consistent with a caucasica origin, two with carnica, and two with ligustica. The results suggest that there is sufficient genetic diversity to support a breeding program provided all these five sources were pooled.

Orchid bees (Apidae: Euglossini in a forest fragment in the ecotone Cerrado-Amazonian forest, Brazil

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José Max Barbosa Oliveira-Junior

2015-09-01

Full Text Available En este trabajo se presenta información sobre la riqueza de especies y abundancia de Euglossini en la zona de transición entre el Cerrado y la selva amazónica, en la cuenca del río Xingu. Las muestras se recogieron en un fragmento de bosque en el municipio de Ribeirão Cascalheira, Mato Grosso, Brasil, entre el 1 y 5 de noviembre de 2011. Las sustancias puras de benzoato de bencilo, 1,8 cineol, eugenol y la vainillina se utilizaron en la colección activa, mientras que el salicilato de metilo se utilizó en trampas pasiva. Un total de 168 machos pertenecientes a los cuatro géneros fueron registrados, distribuidos en 19 especies. La mayor riqueza de especies se registró en Euglossa, con Eulaema nigrita, la especie más abundante en la comunidad. La riqueza de especies varió entre el borde y el primer punto dentro del fragmento. Los machos de Euglossini eran más activos entre 10:00-11:00 h, y el 1,8 cineol fue la sustancia pura más atractiva. El fragmento estudiado contenía un alto grado de riqueza de especies de Euglossini en una región de la heterogeneidad ambiental extensa, que sigue siendo en gran parte desconocido con relación a su fauna de insectos y merece la atención para la elaboración de nuevos inventarios.

Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae present in the flowers of the balsa wood Ochroma lagopus Swartz, 1788 = Abelhas (Hymenoptera: Apidae associadas às flores do pau-de-balsa Ochroma lagopus Swartz, 1788

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Carla Regina Guimarães Brighenti

2010-10-01

Full Text Available The flower of balsa wood holds about 10 to 15 mL of nectar, which helps attracting pollinating agents, since the genus Ochroma is incapable of self-fertilization. However, a high mortality of bees is observed in these flowers. The present study investigated the frequency and constancy of mortality of the individuals of the familyApidae that fed on nectar from the balsa wood. Data was gathered from June to August 2008, in Lavras – Minas Gerais State, Brazil. In addition, the survival of the Africanized bees that fed on the nectar of this flower was compared to those that fed on 50% aqueous solution of honey. Forty flowers were analyzed, and 949 individuals of the orders Hymenoptera (98.1%, Hemiptera (0.95%, Coleoptera (0.74% and Diptera (0.21% were collected. Most Hymenoptera individuals were bees of the genera Partamona and Trigona (677 individuals, which were considered of constant occurrence. Flowers producing up to 16.7 nectar mL were found. The nectar diet contained 16.44% of total sugar, and resulted in low survival of the bees in laboratory (31.32 . 2.37 hours, compared to a diet of 50% aqueous solution of honey (112.32 .2.03 hours.A flor do pau-de-balsa produz cerca de 10 a 15 mL de néctar, útil na atração de polinizadores, uma vez que o gênero Ochroma é incapaz de fazer autofecundação. É observada intensa mortalidade de abelhas em suas flores. Objetivou-se realizar o levantamento da frequência e constância de mortalidade de indivíduos da família Apidae, sendo os dados levantados no período de junho a agosto de 2008 em Lavras, MinasGerais, Brasil. Além disso, avaliou-se a sobrevivência de abelhas africanizadas alimentadas com o néctar desta flor quando comparados com aquelas alimentadas com solução aquosa de mel a 50%. Foram analisadas 40 flores e coletados 949 indivíduos das Ordens: Hymenoptera (98,1%, Hemiptera (0,95%, Coleoptera (0,74% e Diptera (0,21%. Dentre os himenópteros os mais frequentes foram dos g

Sex Determination in Bees. IV. Genetic Control of Juvenile Hormone Production in MELIPONA QUADRIFASCIATA (Apidae)

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Kerr, Warwick Estevam; Akahira, Yukio; Camargo, Conceição A.

1975-01-01

Cell number and volume of corpora allata was determined for 8 phases of development, the first prepupal stage to adults 30 days old, in the social Apidae Melipona quadrifasciata. In the second prepupal stage a strong correlation was found between cell number and body weight ( r=0.651**), and cell number and corpora allata volume in prepupal stage (r=0.535*), which indicates that juvenile hormone has a definite role in caste determination in Melipona. The distribution of the volume of corpus allatum suggest a 3:1 segregation between bees with high volume of corpora allata against low and medium volume. This implies that genes xa and xb code for an enzyme that directly participates in juvenile hormone production. It was also concluded that the number of cells in the second prepupal stage is more important than the weight of the prepupa for caste determination. A scheme summarizing the genic control of sex and caste determination in Melipona bees in the prepupal phase is given. PMID:1213273

Termorregulação colonial e a influência da temperatura no desenvolvimento da cria em abelhas sem ferrão, Melipona scutellaris (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini)

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Yara Sbrolin Roldão

2011-01-01

Uma característica dos insetos sociais, entre elas as abelhas, é o controle da temperatura de seus ninhos. Abelhas sociais são denominadas como animais heterotérmicos, ou seja, são endotérmicas quando realizam atividades motoras (adultas) e ectotérmicas quando apresentam inatividade (cria e abelhas jovens). Essa característica está entrelaçada com o comportamento social. As abelhas melíferas (Apidae; Apini: Apis mellifera) são conhecidas por apresentarem uma temperatura ótima dentro de seus n...

Survival of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) spermatozoa incubated at room temperature from drones exposed to miticides.

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Burley, Lisa M; Fell, Richard D; Saacke, Richard G

2008-08-01

We conducted research to examine the potential impacts ofcoumaphos, fluvalinate, and Apilife VAR (Thymol) on drone honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), sperm viability over time. Drones were reared in colonies that had been treated with each miticide by using the dose recommended on the label. Drones from each miticide treatment were collected, and semen samples were pooled. The pooled samples from each treatment were subdivided and analyzed for periods of up to 6 wk. Random samples were taken from each treatment (n = 6 pools) over the 6-wk period. Sperm viability was measured using dual-fluorescent staining techniques. The exposure of drones to coumaphos during development and sexual maturation significantly reduced sperm viability for all 6 wk. Sperm viability significantly decreased from the initial sample to week 1 in control colonies, and a significant decrease in sperm viability was observed from week 5 to week 6 in all treatments and control. The potential impacts of these results on queen performance and failure are discussed.

Body size limits dim-light foraging activity in stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini).

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Streinzer, Martin; Huber, Werner; Spaethe, Johannes

2016-10-01

Stingless bees constitute a species-rich tribe of tropical and subtropical eusocial Apidae that act as important pollinators for flowering plants. Many foraging tasks rely on vision, e.g. spatial orientation and detection of food sources and nest entrances. Meliponini workers are usually small, which sets limits on eye morphology and thus quality of vision. Limitations are expected both on acuity, and thus on the ability to detect objects from a distance, as well as on sensitivity, and thus on the foraging time window at dusk and dawn. In this study, we determined light intensity thresholds for flight under dim light conditions in eight stingless bee species in relation to body size in a Neotropical lowland rainforest. Species varied in body size (0.8-1.7 mm thorax-width), and we found a strong negative correlation with light intensity thresholds (0.1-79 lx). Further, we measured eye size, ocelli diameter, ommatidia number, and facet diameter. All parameters significantly correlated with body size. A disproportionately low light intensity threshold in the minute Trigonisca pipioli, together with a large eye parameter P eye suggests specific adaptations to circumvent the optical constraints imposed by the small body size. We discuss the implications of body size in bees on foraging behavior.

Nidificação e forrageamento de Centris (Ptilotopus scopipes Friese (Hymenoptera, Apidae Nesting biology and foraging behavior of Centris (Ptilotopus scopipes Friese (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Maria Cristina Gaglianone

2001-07-01

Full Text Available Centris (Ptilotopus are large bees and important pollinators in the Neotropical region. Its biology and behavior is still poorly known and only a few observations have been published. In this paper, observations on the biology of C. (Ptilotopus scopipes Friese, 1899, a species that occurs in the "cerrados" of Brazil, are presented. The study was conducted in the Estação Ecológica de Jataí, in Luiz Antônio, São Paulo, during the active period of the adults (November through April. Females collected pollen from flowers of Solanaceae and Caesalpiniaceae, by vibration, and floral oils from Malpighiaceae belonging to the genera Byrsonima, Banisteriopsis, Stigmaphyllon and Peixotoa. Floral resources are carried in the hind leg scopae to the nests, which are excavated in the walls of epigeous nests of the termite Procornitermes araujoi Emerson, 1952 (Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae. The main tunnel entered the termite nest at an ascending angle ending in a vestibulum. Two parallel, vertical burrows forming linear series of cells descended from the vestibulum. The upper cell (the nearest to the nest entrance was filled with soil. This might represent a protection against parasites. During the study, one female of Acanthopus excellens Schrottky, 1902 (Apidae, Ericrocidini, a cleptoparasitic bee, was captured when leaving one of the nests. A male of C. scopipes emerged eleven months after cell closure, suggesting a univoltine cycle for this species.

Optimizing Drone Fertility With Spring Nutritional Supplements to Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies.

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Rousseau, Andrée; Giovenazzo, Pierre

2016-03-27

Supplemental feeding of honey bee (Apis melliferaL., Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies in spring is essential for colony buildup in northern apicultural regions. The impact of pollen and syrup feeding on drone production and sperm quality is not well-documented, but may improve fecundation of early-bred queens. We measured the impact of feeding sucrose syrup, and protein supplements to colonies in early spring in eastern Canada. Drones were reared under different nutritional regimes, and mature individuals were then assessed in regard to size, weight, and semen quality (semen volume, sperm count, and viability). Results showed significant increases in drone weight and abdomen size when colonies were fed sucrose and a protein supplement. Colonies receiving no additional nourishment had significantly less semen volume per drone and lower sperm viability. Our study demonstrates that feeding honey bee colonies in spring with sucrose syrup and a protein supplement is important to enhance drone reproductive quality. RÉSUMÉ: L'administration de suppléments alimentaires aux colonies de l'abeille domestique (Apis melliferaL., Hymenoptera: Apidae) au printemps est essentielle pour le bon développement des colonies dans les régions apicoles nordiques. L'impact de la supplémentation des colonies en pollen et en sirop sur la production des faux-bourdons et la qualité du sperme demeure peu documenté mais pourrait résulter en une meilleure fécondation des reines produites tôt en saison. Nous avons mesuré l'impact de la supplémentation en sirop et/ou en supplément de pollen sur les colonies d'abeilles tôt au printemps dans l'est du Canada. Les faux-bourdons ont été élevé sous différents régimes alimentaires et les individus matures ont ensuite été évalués pour leur taille, leur poids ainsi que la qualité de leur sperme (volume de sperme, nombre et viabilité des spermatozoïdes. Les résultats montrent une augmentation significative du poids et de la taille

Prediction of social structure and genetic relatedness in colonies of the facultative polygynous stingless bee Melipona bicolor (Hymenoptera, Apidae).

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Dos Reis, Evelyze Pinheiro; de Oliveira Campos, Lucio Antonio; Tavares, Mara Garcia

2011-04-01

Stingless bee colonies typically consist of one single-mated mother queen and her worker offspring. The stingless bee Melipona bicolor (Hymenoptera: Apidae) shows facultative polygyny, which makes this species particularly suitable for testing theoretical expectations concerning social behavior. In this study, we investigated the social structure and genetic relatedness among workers from eight natural and six manipulated colonies of M. bicolor over a period of one year. The populations of M. bicolor contained monogynous and polygynous colonies. The estimated genetic relatedness among workers from monogynous and polygynous colonies was 0.75 ± 0.12 and 0.53 ± 0.16 (mean ± SEM), respectively. Although the parental genotypes had significant effects on genetic relatedness in monogynous and polygynous colonies, polygyny markedly decreased the relatedness among nestmate workers. Our findings also demonstrate that polygyny in M. bicolor may arise from the adoption of related or unrelated queens.

Prediction of social structure and genetic relatedness in colonies of the facultative polygynous stingless bee Melipona bicolor (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Evelyze Pinheiro dos Reis

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Stingless bee colonies typically consist of one single-mated mother queen and her worker offspring. The stingless bee Melipona bicolor (Hymenoptera: Apidae shows facultative polygyny, which makes this species particularly suitable for testing theoretical expectations concerning social behavior. In this study, we investigated the social structure and genetic relatedness among workers from eight natural and six manipulated colonies of M. bicolor over a period of one year. The populations of M. bicolor contained monogynous and polygynous colonies. The estimated genetic relatedness among workers from monogynous and polygynous colonies was 0.75 ± 0.12 and 0.53 ± 0.16 (mean ± SEM, respectively. Although the parental genotypes had significant effects on genetic relatedness in monogynous and polygynous colonies, polygyny markedly decreased the relatedness among nestmate workers. Our findings also demonstrate that polygyny in M. bicolor may arise from the adoption of related or unrelated queens.

Diferenciação genética entre Melipona mondury, Smith 1863, Melipona rufiventris, Lepeletier, 1836 e Melipona sp. (Hymenoptera, Apidae) no estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil, utilizando marcadores ISSR

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Dias, Fábia Guimarães

2008-01-01

Melipona rufiventris, Lepeletier, 1836 e M. mondury, Smith, 1863 (Hymenoptera, Apidae) são espécies geneticamente similares, popularmente conhecidas como uruçu amarela. Estudos recentes, utilizando marcadores moleculares mostraram que as populações de uruçu amarela em Minas Gerais formam grupos distintos, sendo M. mondury pertencente à região de Mata Atlântica, M. rufiventris e uma terceira espécie, ainda não identificada aqui denominada de Melipona sp., pertencentes à região do Cerrado. O ob...

CARACTERIZAÇÃO FÍSICO-QUÍMICA DO MEL DE MELIPONA FULVA LEPELETIER, 1836 (HIMENOPTERA: APIDAE: MELIPONINAE) UTILIZADA NA MELIPONICULTURA POR COMUNIDADES TRADICIONAIS DO ENTORNO DA CIDADE DE MACAPÁ-AP

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Chaves, Alison Felipe Alencar; Gomes, Jorge Emílio Henriques; da Costa, Arley José Silveira

2012-01-01

O estudo buscou determinar as características físico-químicas do mel de abelha sem ferrão Melipona fulva Lepeletier, 1836 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponinae) utilizada na meliponicultura por comunidades tradicionais do entorno da cidade de Macapá, AP. As características físico-químicas analisadas foram: umidade, cinzas, acidez, pH, condutividade e hidroximetilfurfural. Os resultados foram expressos em média ± desvio padrão e comparados com os valores limites presentes na legislação vigente e c...

Responses of Euglossine Bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossina) to an Edge-Forest Gradient in a Large Tabuleiro Forest Remnant in Eastern Brazil.

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Coswosk, J A; Ferreira, R A; Soares, E D G; Faria, L R R

2018-08-01

Euglossine fauna of a large remnant of Brazilian Atlantic forest in eastern Brazil (Reserva Natural Vale) was assessed along an edge-forest gradient towards the interior of the fragment. To test the hypotheses that the structure of assemblages of orchid bees varies along this gradient, the following predictions were evaluated: (i) species richness is positively related to distance from the forest edge, (ii) species diversity is positively related to distance from the edge, (iii) the relative abundance of species associated with forest edge and/or open areas is inversely related to the distance from edge, and (iv) relative abundance of forest-related species is positively related to distance from the edge. A total of 2264 bees of 25 species was assessed at five distances from the edge: 0 m (the edge itself), 100 m, 500 m, 1000 m and 1500 m. Data suggested the existence of an edge-interior gradient for euglossine bees regarding species diversity and composition (considering the relative abundance of edge and forest-related species as a proxy for species composition) but not species richness.

Eumelanin and pheomelanin are predominant pigments in bumblebee (Apidae: Bombus pubescence

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Carlo Polidori

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Background Bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus are well known for their important inter- and intra-specific variation in hair (or pubescence color patterns, but the chemical nature of the pigments associated with these patterns is not fully understood. For example, though melanization is believed to provide darker colors, it still unknown which types of melanin are responsible for each color, and no conclusive data are available for the lighter colors, including white. Methods By using dispersive Raman spectroscopy analysis on 12 species/subspecies of bumblebees from seven subgenera, we tested the hypothesis that eumelanin and pheomelanin, the two main melanin types occurring in animals, are largely responsible for bumblebee pubescence coloration. Results Eumelanin and pheomelanin occur in bumblebee pubescence. Black pigmentation is due to prevalent eumelanin, with visible signals of additional pheomelanin, while the yellow, orange, red and brown hairs clearly include pheomelanin. On the other hand, white hairs reward very weak Raman signals, suggesting that they are depigmented. Additional non-melanic pigments in yellow hair cannot be excluded but need other techniques to be detected. Raman spectra were more similar across similarly colored hairs, with no apparent effect of phylogeny and both melanin types appeared to be already used at the beginning of bumblebee radiation. Discussion We suggest that the two main melanin forms, at variable amounts and/or vibrational states, are sufficient in giving almost the whole color range of bumblebee pubescence, allowing these insects to use a single precursor instead of synthesizing a variety of chemically different pigments. This would agree with commonly seen color interchanges between body segments across Bombus species.

Study of the flight range and ideal density of the africanized honeybees, Apis mellifera L., 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) labelled with {sup 32} P on an apple orchard; Estudo do raio de acao e densidade ideal de abelhas africanizadas, Apis mellifera L., 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) marcadas com {sup 32} P em pomar de maca

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Paranhoa, B A.J.

1990-06-01

The ideal density, the flight range, the choice for any flight direction, the influence of temperature and relative humidity of air about the honeybee`s activity, Apis mellifera L.. 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) were studied in an apple orchard, utilizing nuclear techniques. Five hives, with 35,000 bees each, were labelled with syrup (50%) content (2,5 {mu}Ci {sup 32} P/ml) and taken one by one, every two days to the blossomed orchard. A circumference area of 100 m diameter (0,8 ha) W staked each 10 m from the center to the limit (50 m), making a cross, pointing out to North, South, East and West. The honeybees were collected on apple flowers, during 5 minutes in each stake, at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. (author).

A New Method for Quick and Easy Hemolymph Collection from Apidae Adults.

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Grzegorz Borsuk

Full Text Available Bio-analysis of insects is increasingly dependent on highly sensitive methods that require high quality biological material, such as hemolymph. However, it is difficult to collect fresh and uncontaminated hemolymph from adult bees since they are very active and have the potential to sting, and because hemolymph is rapidly melanized. Here we aimed to develop and test a quick and easy method for sterile and contamination-free hemolymph sampling from adult Apidae. Our novel antennae method for hemolymph sampling (AMHS, entailed the detachment of an antenna, followed by application of delicate pressure to the bee's abdomen. This resulted in the appearance of a drop of hemolymph at the base of the detached antenna, which was then aspirated using an automatic pipetter. Larger insect size corresponded to easier and faster hemolymph sampling, and to a greater sample volume. We obtained 80-100 μL of sterile non-melanized hemolymph in 1 minute from one Bombus terrestris worker, in 6 minutes from 10 Apis mellifera workers, and in 15 minutes from 18 Apis cerana workers (+/-0.5 minutes. Compared to the most popular method of hemolymph collection, in which hemolymph is sampled by puncturing the dorsal sinus of the thorax with a capillary (TCHS, significantly fewer bees were required to collect 80-100 μL hemolymph using our novel AMHS method. Moreover, the time required for hemolymph collection was significantly shorter using the AMHS compared to the TCHS, which protects the acquired hemolymph against melanization, thus providing the highest quality material for biological analysis.

Potential of ozone as a fumigant to control pests in honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) hives.

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James, R R

2011-04-01

Ozone is a powerful oxidant capable of killing insects and microorganisms, and eliminating odors, taste, and color. Thus, it could be useful as a fumigant to decontaminate honey comb between uses. The experiments here are intended to determine the exposure levels required to kill an insect pest and spore forming bee pathogens. Ozone was effective against greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), even on naturally infested comb. Neonates and adults were the easiest life stages to kill, requiring only a few hours of exposure, whereas eggs required a 48-h exposure (at 460-920 mg O3/m3). Two honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), pathogens, Ascosphaera apis (a fungus that causes chalkbrood) and Paenibacillus larvae (a bacterium that causes American foulbrood), also were killed with ozone. These pathogens required much higher concentrations (3200 and 8560 mg O3/m3, respectively) and longer exposure periods (3 d) than needed to control the insects. P. larvae was effectively sterilized only when these conditions were combined with high temperature (50 degrees C) and humidity (> or =75% RH). Thus, ozone shows potential as a fumigant for bee nesting materials, but further research is needed to evaluate its acceptability and efficacy in the field. The need for a reliable method to decontaminate honey bee nesting materials as part of an overall bee health management system is discussed.

Effect of entomopathogens on Africanized Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Michele Potrich

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the effect of commercially used entomopathogens on Africanized Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae. Four bioassays were performed: 1 pulverized entomopathogens on A. mellifera; 2 entomopathogens sprayed on a smooth surface; 3 entomopathogens sprayed on soy leaves; and 4 entomopathogens mixed with candy paste (sugar syrup. Five treatments were prepared: sterile distilled water (control, distilled water sterilized with Tween® 80 (0.01%, and the commercial entomopathogens Metarhizium anisopliae E9 (1.0 × 109 conidia mL−1, Beauveria bassiana PL63 (1.0 × 108 conidia mL−1 and Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD-1 (3.0 × 108 spores mL−1. Each treatment consisted of five repetitions, with 20 workers per repetition, which were stored in a plastic box and, later, in a biological oxygen demand (B.O.D. incubator (27 ± 2 °C, RH of 60% ± 10%, 12-h photophase. The mortality of the workers was evaluated from 1 h to 240 h, and the data were analyzed using Bayesian inference. The workers killed by the ingestion of candy paste contaminated with the pathogens (products were randomly separated and selected for the removal of the midgut. Each midgut was fixed in Bouin's solution and prepared for histology. B. bassiana was verified to reduce the survival of A. mellifera workers in all bioassays. Moreover, M. anisopliae reduced the survival of A. mellifera workers directly sprayed, on a smooth surface and mixed with candy. B. thuringiensis reduced A. mellifera survival on a smooth surface and mixed with candy paste. However, its effects were lower than that observed by B. bassiana. The treatments with the biological products did not induce morphometric alterations in the midgut of A. mellifera. Keywords: Bayesian statistics, Entomopathogenic fungi, Entomopathogenic bacteria, Honeybee, Selectivity

Study of the flight range and ideal density of the africanized honeybees, Apis mellifera L., 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) labelled with 32 P on an apple orchard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paranhoa, B.A.J.

1990-06-01

The ideal density, the flight range, the choice for any flight direction, the influence of temperature and relative humidity of air about the honeybee's activity, Apis mellifera L.. 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) were studied in an apple orchard, utilizing nuclear techniques. Five hives, with 35,000 bees each, were labelled with syrup (50%) content (2,5 μCi 32 P/ml) and taken one by one, every two days to the blossomed orchard. A circumference area of 100 m diameter (0,8 ha) W staked each 10 m from the center to the limit (50 m), making a cross, pointing out to North, South, East and West. The honeybees were collected on apple flowers, during 5 minutes in each stake, at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. (author)

Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae in Costa Rica: population dynamics and its influence on the colony condition of Africanized honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Rafael A Calderón

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The development of Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Mesostigmata: Varroidae population dynamics in Africanized honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae colonies was monitored from February to July 2004 in Atenas, Costa Rica. A correlation between the mite infestation level and the colony condition was evaluated. For each colony, infestation of varroa in adult bees was measured twice a month. Sticky boards were placed on the bottom boards of each colony to collect fallen mites. The condition of the colonies was evaluated by measuring the amount of brood and adult bees. Our results consistently showed that mite infestation on adult bees increased significantly in the experimental colonies, rising to 10.0% by the end of the experiment. In addition, the mean mite fall increased significantly over the course of the study in the treated (R= 0.72, PLa dinámica poblacional del ácaro Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Mesostigmata: Varroidae en abejas africanizadas, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae fue monitoreada de febrero a julio 2004, en Atenas, Costa Rica. Asimismo, se analizó la relación entre el nivel de infestación de varroa y la condición de la colmena. La infestación del ácaro V. destructor fue evaluada en abejas adultas dos veces al mes. Además, se colocaron trampas adhesivas en el fondo de la colmena para recoger los ácaros que caen naturalmente. La condición de la colmena fue determinada midiendo la cantidad de cría y la población de abejas adultas. La infestación del ácaro V. destructor en abejas adultas aumentó significativamente durante el estudio hasta alcanzar un 10.0%. Igualmente, la caída natural de ácaros se incrementó, tanto en colmenas que fueron tratadas previa-mente con un acaricida químico (R= 0.72, P<0.05 como en colmenas sin tratamiento (R= 0.74, P<0.05, hasta llegar a 63.8 y 73.5 ácaros por día, respectivamente. El aumento de la infestación en las colmenas coincidió con una

Phylogeny and revision of the bee genus Rhinocorynura Schrottky (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Augochlorini, with comments on its female cephalic polymorphism

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Rodrigo B. Gonçalves

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Phylogeny and revision of the bee genus Rhinocorynura Schrottky (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Augochlorini, with comments on its female cephalic polymorphism. A taxonomic revision and a phylogeny for the species of Rhinocorynura are provided. Six species are recognized: R. briseis, R. crotonis, R. inflaticeps and R. vernoniae stat. nov., the latter removed from synonymy with R. inflaticeps, in addition to two newly described species, R. brunnea sp. nov. and R. viridis sp. nov. Lectotypes for Halictus crotonis Ducke, 1906 and Halictus inflaticeps Ducke, 1906 are hereby designated. Another available name included in Rhinocorynura, Corynuropsis ashmeadi Schrottky, 1909, is removed from the genus and treated as species inquerenda in Augochlorini. Rhinocorynura is monophyletic in the phylogenetic analysis and the following relationships were found among its species: (R. crotonis (R. briseis ((R. brunnea sp. nov. + R. viridis sp. nov. (R. inflaticeps + R. vernoniae. Biogeographic relationships within the genus and comparisons with related taxa are presented. Females of all species exhibit pronounced variation in body size, in two of them, R. inflaticeps and R. vernoniae, with structural modifications possibly linked to division of labor. Identification key and illustrations for the species are provided.

Ecotoxicological effects of the insecticide fipronil in Brazilian native stingless bees Melipona scutellaris (Apidae: Meliponini).

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de Morais, Cássio Resende; Travençolo, Bruno Augusto Nassif; Carvalho, Stephan Malfitano; Beletti, Marcelo Emílio; Vieira Santos, Vanessa Santana; Campos, Carlos Fernando; de Campos Júnior, Edimar Olegário; Pereira, Boscolli Barbosa; Carvalho Naves, Maria Paula; de Rezende, Alexandre Azenha Alves; Spanó, Mário Antônio; Vieira, Carlos Ueira; Bonetti, Ana Maria

2018-09-01

Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 (Hymenoptera, Apidae) is a pollinator of various native and cultivated plants. Because of the expansion of agriculture and the need to ensure pest control, the use of insecticides such as fipronil (FP) has increased. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of sublethal doses of FP insecticide on M. scutellaris at different time intervals (6, 12, and 24 h) after exposure, via individually analyzed behavioral biomarkers (locomotor activity, behavioral change) as well as the effect of FP on different brain structures of bees (mushroom bodies, antennal cells, and optic cells), using sub-individual cell biomarkers (heterochromatin dispersion, total nuclear and heterochromatic volume). Forager bees were collected when they were returning to the nest and were exposed to three different concentrations of FP (0.40, 0.040, and 0.0040 ng a.i/bee) by topical application. The results revealed a reduction in the mean velocity, lethargy, motor difficulty, paralysis, and hyperexcitation in all groups of bees treated with FP. A modification of the heterochromatic dispersion pattern and changes in the total volume of the nucleus and heterochromatin were also observed in the mushroom bodies (6, 12, and 24 h of exposure) and antennal lobes (6 and 12 h) of bees exposed to 0.0040 ng a.i/bee (LD 50/100 ). FP is toxic to M. scutellaris and impairs the essential functions required for the foraging activity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Landscape Analysis to Understand Orientation of Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Drones in Puerto Rico.

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Galindo-Cardona, A; Monmany, A C; Diaz, G; Giray, T

2015-08-01

Honey bees [Apis mellifera L. (Apidae, Hymenoptera)] show spatial learning behavior or orientation, in which animals make use of structured home ranges for their daily activities. Worker (female) orientation has been studied more extensively than drone (male) orientation. Given the extensive and large flight range of drones as part of their reproductive biology, the study of drone orientation may provide new insight on landscape features important for orientation. We report the return rate and orientation of drones released at three distances (1, 2, and 4 km) and at the four cardinal points from an apiary located in Gurabo, Puerto Rico. We used high-resolution aerial photographs to describe landscape characteristics at the releasing sites and at the apiary. Analyses of variance were used to test significance among returning times from different distances and directions. A principal components analysis was used to describe the landscape at the releasing sites and generalized linear models were used to identify landscape characteristics that influenced the returning times of drones. Our results showed for the first time that drones are able to return from as far as 4 km from the colony. Distance to drone congregation area, orientation, and tree lines were the most important landscape characteristics influencing drone return rate. We discuss the role of landscape in drone orientation. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Phylogeny and revision of the bee genus Rhinocorynura Schrottky (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Augochlorini, with comments on its female cephalic polymorphism

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Rodrigo B. Gonçalves

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Phylogeny and revision of the bee genus Rhinocorynura Schrottky (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Augochlorini, with comments on its female cephalic polymorphism. A taxonomic revision and a phylogeny for the species of Rhinocorynura are provided. Six species are recognized: R. briseis, R. crotonis, R. inflaticeps and R. vernoniae stat. nov., the latter removed from synonymy with R. inflaticeps, in addition to two newly described species, R. brunnea sp. nov. and R. viridis sp. nov. Lectotypes for Halictus crotonis Ducke, 1906 and Halictus inflaticeps Ducke, 1906 are hereby designated. Another available name included in Rhinocorynura, Corynuropsis ashmeadi Schrottky, 1909, is removed from the genus and treated as species inquerenda in Augochlorini. Rhinocorynura is monophyletic in the phylogenetic analysis and the following relationships were found among its species: (R. crotonis (R. briseis ((R. brunnea sp. nov. + R. viridis sp. nov. (R. inflaticeps + R. vernoniae. Biogeographic relationships within the genus and comparisons with related taxa are presented. Females of all species exhibit pronounced variation in body size, in two of them, R. inflaticeps and R. vernoniae, with structural modifications possibly linked to division of labor. Identification key and illustrations for the species are provided.Filogenia e revisão taxonômica das abelhas do gênero Rhinocorynura Schrottky (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Augochlorini, com comentários sobre o poliformismo cefálico das fêmeas. São apresentadas uma revisão taxonômica e filogenia para as espécies de Rhinocorynura. Seis espécies são reconhecidas, duas descritas como novas, R. brunnea sp. nov. e R. viridis sp. nov., e quatro com nomes disponíveis, R. briseis, R. crotonis, R. inflaticeps e R. vernoniae stat. nov., esta última removida da sinonímia com R. inflaticeps. Designam-se aqui lectótipos para Halictus crotonis Ducke, 1906 e Halictus inflaticeps Ducke, 1906. Outro nome disponível incluído em

Sublethal Effects of the Neonicotinoid Insecticide Thiamethoxam on the Transcriptome of the Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

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Shi, Teng-Fei; Wang, Yu-Fei; Liu, Fang; Qi, Lei; Yu, Lin-Sheng

2017-12-05

Neonicotinoid insecticides are now the most widely used insecticides in the world. Previous studies have indicated that sublethal doses of neonicotinoids impair learning, memory capacity, foraging, and immunocompetence in honey bees (Apis mellifera, Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Despite these, few studies have been carried out on the molecular effects of neonicotinoids. In this study, we focus on the second-generation neonicotinoid thiamethoxam, which is currently widely used in agriculture to protect crops. Using high-throughput RNA-Seq, we investigated the transcriptome profile of honey bees after subchronic exposure to 10 ppb thiamethoxam over 10 d. In total, 609 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, of which 225 were upregulated and 384 were downregulated. Several genes, including vitellogenin, CSP3, defensin-1, Mrjp1, and Cyp6as5 were selected and further validated using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays. The functions of some DEGs were identified, and Gene Ontology-enrichment analysis showed that the enriched DEGs were mainly linked to metabolism, biosynthesis, and translation. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis showed that thiamethoxam affected biological processes including ribosomes, the oxidative phosphorylation pathway, tyrosine metabolism pathway, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, and drug metabolism. Overall, our results provide a basis for understanding the molecular mechanisms of the complex interactions between neonicotinoid insecticides and honey bees. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Larval development of Physocephala (Diptera, Conopidae in the bumble bee Bombus morio (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Fábio C Abdalla

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Larval development of Physocephala (Diptera, Conopidae in the bumble bee Bombus morio (Hymenoptera, Apidae. In the summer of 2012, a high incidence of conopid larvae was observed in a sample of female B. morio collected in remaining fragments of semidecidual forest and Cerrado, in the municipality of Sorocaba, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The larval development of conopid flies was studied, beginning at the larval instars (LO to L3 and PUP, until the emergence of the imago under laboratory conditions and inside the host. At the first instar, or LO, the microtype larvae measured less than 1 mm in length. During the transition from L1 to L3, the larvae grew in length. At L3, the larvae doubled their length (4 mm and then started to develop both in length and width, reaching the PUP stage with 10 mm in length and 7 mm in width. The main characteristic that differentiates L3 from the early instars is the larger body size and the beginning of posterior spiracle development. The development from PUP to puparium took less than 24h. The bees died ten days after the fly oviposition, or just before full PUP development. The early development stages (egg-LO to L1 were critical for larva survival. The pupa was visible between the intersegmental sternites and, 32 days after pupation, a female imago of Physocephala sp. emerged from one bee. The puparium and the fly measured approximately 10 mm in length. In a single day of collection, up to 45% of the bumble bees collected were parasitized by conopid flies.

USBombus, a database of contemporary survey data for North American Bumble Bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombus) distributed in the United States.

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Koch, Jonathan B; Lozier, Jeffrey; Strange, James P; Ikerd, Harold; Griswold, Terry; Cordes, Nils; Solter, Leellen; Stewart, Isaac; Cameron, Sydney A

2015-01-01

Bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombus) are pollinators of wild and economically important flowering plants. However, at least four bumble bee species have declined significantly in population abundance and geographic range relative to historic estimates, and one species is possibly extinct. While a wealth of historic data is now available for many of the North American species found to be in decline in online databases, systematic survey data of stable species is still not publically available. The availability of contemporary survey data is critically important for the future monitoring of wild bumble bee populations. Without such data, the ability to ascertain the conservation status of bumble bees in the United States will remain challenging. This paper describes USBombus, a large database that represents the outcomes of one of the largest standardized surveys of bumble bee pollinators (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombus) globally. The motivation to collect live bumble bees across the United States was to examine the decline and conservation status of Bombus affinis, B. occidentalis, B. pensylvanicus, and B. terricola. Prior to our national survey of bumble bees in the United States from 2007 to 2010, there have only been regional accounts of bumble bee abundance and richness. In addition to surveying declining bumble bees, we also collected and documented a diversity of co-occuring bumble bees. However we have not yet completely reported their distribution and diversity onto a public online platform. Now, for the first time, we report the geographic distribution of bumble bees reported to be in decline (Cameron et al. 2011), as well as bumble bees that appeared to be stable on a large geographic scale in the United States (not in decline). In this database we report a total of 17,930 adult occurrence records across 397 locations and 39 species of Bombus detected in our national survey. We summarize their abundance and distribution across the United States and

Population dynamics of Euglossinae bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae in an early second-growth forest of Cajual Island, in the State of Maranhão, Brazil

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F. S. SILVA

Full Text Available A study was conducted in an early second-growth forest aiming at knowing the richness, relative abundance, seasonal distribution, and hourly frequency of euglossine bees, and their association with scent baits. Male bees were attracted to cineole, vanillin, methyl salicylate, and eugenol. The baits were hooked 1.5 m high and 6 m from one another. The specimens were collected from December 1997 to November 1998, once a month, from 7:00 to 17:00 h. A total of 339 male euglossine bees were caughts, accounting for 19 species and four genera. The most common species was E. cordata, making up 69.9% of the individuals, followed by E. truncata (2.3%, E. violaceifrons, and E. smaragdina (2.1%. The most attractive scent was cineole, which baited 87% of the specimens and 73.7% of the species. Vanillin, the second most visited bait, eured 7.6% of the specimens and 26.3% of the species. E. surinamensis was only collected with this bait. Methyl salicylate and eugenol baited combined 2.6% of the specimens. However, by species numbers Methyl salicylate attracted 21% whereas eugenol was attractive for 15.8% of them. In general, the species were more abundantly found in the rainy season (January-June. The hourly activity data showed that the euglossine bees were attracted to the baits all day long, but at a higher frequency in the morning period, peaking between 8:00 and 10:00 h.

Population dynamics of Euglossinae bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae in an early second-growth forest of Cajual Island, in the State of Maranhão, Brazil

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SILVA F. S.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available A study was conducted in an early second-growth forest aiming at knowing the richness, relative abundance, seasonal distribution, and hourly frequency of euglossine bees, and their association with scent baits. Male bees were attracted to cineole, vanillin, methyl salicylate, and eugenol. The baits were hooked 1.5 m high and 6 m from one another. The specimens were collected from December 1997 to November 1998, once a month, from 7:00 to 17:00 h. A total of 339 male euglossine bees were caughts, accounting for 19 species and four genera. The most common species was E. cordata, making up 69.9% of the individuals, followed by E. truncata (2.3%, E. violaceifrons, and E. smaragdina (2.1%. The most attractive scent was cineole, which baited 87% of the specimens and 73.7% of the species. Vanillin, the second most visited bait, eured 7.6% of the specimens and 26.3% of the species. E. surinamensis was only collected with this bait. Methyl salicylate and eugenol baited combined 2.6% of the specimens. However, by species numbers Methyl salicylate attracted 21% whereas eugenol was attractive for 15.8% of them. In general, the species were more abundantly found in the rainy season (January-June. The hourly activity data showed that the euglossine bees were attracted to the baits all day long, but at a higher frequency in the morning period, peaking between 8:00 and 10:00 h.

Estudo Comparativo das Sensilas Antenais de Operárias de Melipona scutellaris Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae de Diferentes Altitudes

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Marcília Aparecida Nascimento

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Sensilas são estruturas sensoriais presentes nas antenas dos insetos e são responsáveis pela higro- quimio-, termo- e mecanorrecepção. No presente trabalho, as sensilas presentes nos três flagelômeros (F mais distais de Melipona scutellaris Latreille (Hymenopera: Apidae coletadas em diferentes altitudes (200 e acima de 900m foram avaliadas qualitativamente e quantitativamente. A identificação, contagem e medição das sensilas foram feitas a partir de imagens da superfície dorsal das antenas que foram obtidas com o auxílio de microscópio eletrônico de varredura. Foram observadas as sensilas placoide, basicônica, celocônica, ampulácea, campaniforme e tricoide reta e curvada. Comparativamente, o grupo localizado a 200m de altitude possui sensilas tricoides retas em maior quantidade nos três flagelômeros, enquanto que o grupo de altitudes acima de 900m apresentou maior quantidade de sensilas tricoides curvadas no F9, sendo as mesmas maiores para o F10. Essas diferenças foram discutidas em função da localização geográfica dos diferentes grupos aqui estudados. Os resultados da investigação da estrutura antenal de M. scutellaris contribuem para um melhor entendimento da biologia dessa espécie.

Climate change likely to reduce orchid bee abundance even in climatic suitable sites.

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Faleiro, Frederico Valtuille; Nemésio, André; Loyola, Rafael

2018-06-01

Studies have tested whether model predictions based on species' occurrence can predict the spatial pattern of population abundance. The relationship between predicted environmental suitability and population abundance varies in shape, strength and predictive power. However, little attention has been paid to the congruence in predictions of different models fed with occurrence or abundance data, in particular when comparing metrics of climate change impact. Here, we used the ecological niche modeling fit with presence-absence and abundance data of orchid bees to predict the effect of climate change on species and assembly level distribution patterns. In addition, we assessed whether predictions of presence-absence models can be used as a proxy to abundance patterns. We obtained georeferenced abundance data of orchid bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossina) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Sampling method consisted in attracting male orchid bees to baits of at least five different aromatic compounds and collecting the individuals with entomological nets or bait traps. We limited abundance data to those obtained by similar standard sampling protocol to avoid bias in abundance estimation. We used boosted regression trees to model ecological niches and project them into six climate models and two Representative Concentration Pathways. We found that models based on species occurrences worked as a proxy for changes in population abundance when the output of the models were continuous; results were very different when outputs were discretized to binary predictions. We found an overall trend of diminishing abundance in the future, but a clear retention of climatically suitable sites too. Furthermore, geographic distance to gained climatic suitable areas can be very short, although it embraces great variation. Changes in species richness and turnover would be concentrated in western and southern Atlantic Forest. Our findings offer support to the ongoing debate of suitability

Expression profile of a Laccase2 encoding gene during the metamorphic molt in Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera,Apidae

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Moysés Elias-Neto

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Expression profile of a Laccase2 encoding gene during the metamorphic molt in Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae. Metamorphosis in holometabolous insects occurs through two subsequent molting cycles: pupation (metamorphic molt and adult differentiation (imaginal molt. The imaginal molt in Apis mellifera L. was recently investigated in both histological and physiological-molecular approaches. Although the metamorphic molt in this model bee is extremely important to development, it is not well-known yet. In the current study we used this stage as an ontogenetic scenario to investigate the transcriptional profile of the gene Amlac2, which encodes a laccase with an essential role in cuticle differentiation. Amlac2 expression in epidermis was contrasted with the hemolymph titer of ecdysteroid hormones and with the most evident morphological events occurring during cuticle renewal. RT-PCR semiquantitative analyses using integument samples revealed increased levels of Amlac2 transcripts right after apolysis and during the subsequent pharate period, and declining levels near pupal ecdysis. Compared with the expression of a cuticle protein gene, AmelCPR14, these results highlighted the importance of the ecdysteroid-induced apolysis as an ontogenetic marker of gene reactivation in epidermis for cuticle renewal. The obtained results strengthen the comprehension of metamorphosis in Apis mellifera. In addition, we reviewed the literature about the development of A. mellifera, and emphasize the importance of revising the terminology used to describe honey bee molting cycles.

Morphological and Chemical Characterization of the Invasive Ants in Hives of Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

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Simoes, M R; Giannotti, E; Tofolo, V C; Pizano, M A; Firmino, E L B; Antonialli-Junior, W F; Andrade, L H C; Lima, S M

2016-02-01

Apiculture in Brazil is quite profitable and has great potential for expansion because of the favorable climate and abundancy of plant diversity. However, the occurrence of pests, diseases, and parasites hinders the growth and profitability of beekeeping. In the interior of the state of São Paulo, apiaries are attacked by ants, especially the species Camponotus atriceps (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), which use the substances produced by Apis mellifera scutellata (Lepeletier) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), like honey, wax, pollen, and offspring as a source of nourishment for the adult and immature ants, and kill or expel the adult bees during the invasion. This study aimed to understand the invasion of C. atriceps in hives of A. m. scutellata. The individuals were classified into castes and subcastes according to morphometric analyses, and their cuticular chemical compounds were identified using Photoacoustic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-PAS). The morphometric analyses were able to classify the individuals into reproductive castes (queen and gynes), workers (minor and small ants), and the soldier subcaste (medium and major ants). Identification of cuticular hydrocarbons of these individuals revealed that the eight beehives were invaded by only three colonies of C. atriceps; one of the colonies invaded only one beehive, and the other two colonies underwent a process called sociotomy and were responsible for the invasion of the other seven beehives. The lack of preventive measures and the nocturnal behavior of the ants favored the invasion and attack on the bees.

New Records of Bee Genera (Hymenoptera: Apoidea from Colombia

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Víctor H. González

2006-07-01

Full Text Available The solitary bee genera Lophothygater Moure y Michener (Apidae, Eucerini and Tapinotaspoides Moure (Apidae, Tapinotaspidini are reported from northern Colombia for the first time. These genera were previously known from the central Brazilian Amazonian and Argentina and Paraguay, respectively.

Brood pheromone effects on colony protein supplement consumption and growth in the honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in a subtropical winter climate.

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Pankiw, Tanya; Sagili, Ramesh R; Metz, Bradley N

2008-12-01

Fatty acid esters extractable from the surface of honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), larvae, called brood pheromone, significantly increase rate of colony growth in the spring and summer when flowering plant pollen is available in the foraging environment. Increased colony growth rate occurs as a consequence of increased pollen intake through mechanisms such as increasing number of pollen foragers and pollen load weights returned. Here, we tested the hypothesis that addition of brood pheromone during the winter pollen dearth period of a humid subtropical climate increases rate of colony growth in colonies provisioned with a protein supplement. Experiments were conducted in late winter (9 February-9 March 2004) and mid-winter (19 January-8 February 2005). In both years, increased brood area, number of bees, and amount of protein supplement consumption were significantly greater in colonies receiving daily treatments of brood pheromone versus control colonies. Amount of extractable protein from hypopharyngeal glands measured in 2005 was significantly greater in bees from pheromone-treated colonies. These results suggest that brood pheromone may be used as a tool to stimulate colony growth in the southern subtropical areas of the United States where the package bee industry is centered and a large proportion of migratory colonies are overwintered.

Effects of neonicotinoid imidacloprid exposure on bumble bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) queen survival and nest initiation.

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Wu-Smart, Judy; Spivak, Marla

2018-02-08

Neonicotinoids are highly toxic to insects and may systemically translocate to nectar and pollen of plants where foraging bees may become exposed. Exposure to neonicotinoids can induce detrimental sublethal effects on individual and colonies of bees and may have long-term impacts, such as impaired foraging, reduced longevity, and reduced brood care or production. Less well-studied are the potential effects on queen bumble bees that may become exposed while foraging in the spring during colony initiation. This study assessed queen survival and nest founding in caged bumble bees [Bombus impatiens (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Apidae)] after chronic (18-d) dietary exposure of imidacloprid in syrup (1, 5, 10, and 25 ppb) and pollen (0.3, 1.7, 3.3, and 8.3 ppb), paired respectively. Here we show some mortality in queens exposed at all doses even as low as 1 ppb, and, compared with untreated queens, significantly reduced survival of treated queens at the two highest doses. Queens that survived initial imidacloprid exposure commenced nest initiation; however, they exhibited dose-dependent delay in egg-laying and emergence of worker brood. Furthermore, imidacloprid treatment affected other parameters such as nest and queen weight. This study is the first to show direct impacts of imidacloprid at field-relevant levels on individual B. impatiens queen survival and nest founding, indicating that bumble bee queens are particularly sensitive to neonicotinoids when directly exposed. This study also helps focus pesticide risk mitigation efforts and highlights the importance of reducing exposure rates in the early spring when bumble bee queens, and other wild bees are foraging and initiating nests. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Riqueza e Abundância de Abelhas Euglossini (Hymenoptera, Apidae em Parques Urbanos de Goiânia, Goiáse em parques urbanos de Goiânia, Goiás

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Vanessa Grandolfo

2013-07-01

Abstract. Urban environments have become a refuge for many species, including some bees of the tribe Euglossini. The group includes species with large capacity flight, so they are considered important neotropical pollinators. Euglossini is scarce information about the Cerrado, incomplete information like geographic distribution, which are endemic and which are cosmopolitan. This study aimed to identify and analyze the composition of bee species of the tribe Euglossini occurring in urban parks as to abundance, richness and attractiveness through the use of scent baits. The specimens of Euglossini were collected monthly from April to August 2008 in four urban parks in Goiânia, Goiás. The bees were sampled with the aid of scent traps, exposed from 8 am to 12 noon, containing one of the essences: salicylate methyl, benzyl acetate, cineole, vanillin. We collected 147 male orchid bees belonging to three genera and five species. There was a strong dominance of individuals Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier (95.23%, followed by Euglossa cordata (Linnaeus (2.72%. The Cineol was the essence that attracted the greatest abundance of males and methyl salicylate had the highest species richness attracted. This study is the first record of species occurrence of Exaerete smaragdina (Guérin and Euglossa imperialis Cockerell for the Midwest and Euglossa variabilis Friese for the Cerrado. The preservation of all these areas will keep bee populations of wild these regions ecological importance of maintaining the service pollination of plant species.

Odor Learning and Its Experience-Dependent Modulation in the South American Native Bumblebee Bombus atratus (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

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Palottini, Florencia; Estravis Barcala, María C.; Farina, Walter M.

2018-01-01

Learning about olfactory stimuli is essential in bumblebees’ life since it is involved in orientation, recognition of nest sites, foraging efficiency and food yield for the colony as a whole. To evaluate associative learning abilities in bees under controlled environmental conditions, the proboscis extension response (PER) assay is a well-established method used in honey bees, stingless bees and successfully adapted to bumblebees of the genus Bombus. However, studies on the learning capacity of Bombus atratus (Hymenoptera: Apidae), one of the most abundant native species in South America, are non-existent. In this study, we examined the cognitive abilities of worker bees of this species, carrying out an olfactory PER conditioning experiment. Bumblebees were able to learn a pure odor when it was presented in paired association with sugared reward, but not when odor and reward were presented in an unpaired manner. Furthermore, if the bees were preexposed to the conditioned odor, the results differed depending on the presence of the scent either as a volatile in the rearing environment or diluted in the food. A decrement in learning performance results from the non-reinforced pre-exposure to the to-be-conditioned odor, showing a latent inhibition phenomenon. However, if the conditioned odor has been previously offered diluted in sugared reward, the food odor acts as a stimulus that improves the learning performance during PER conditioning. The native bumblebee B. atratus is thus a new hymenopteran species capable of being trained under controlled experimental conditions. Since it is an insect increasingly reared for pollination service, this knowledge could be useful in its management in crops. PMID:29755391

Foraging pattern and harvesting of resources of subterranean stingless bee Geotrigona subterranea (Friese, 1901 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini

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Fernando Mendes Barbosa

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Flight activity of bees is influenced both by environmental factors and by internal condition of the colonies. Information about external activity of bees is very important, because it provides data of the species biology, supplying subsidies for the use of these insects in the pollination of crops. The present work aim to evaluate the flight activity of Geotrigona subterranea (Friese, 1901 (Hymenoptera: Apidae in natural environment. This study was performed on the Instituto Federal do Norte de Minas Gerais, in the municipality Januária, Minas Gerais State. Two natural nests were observed. The activities of bees of the colonies were recorded three days each month, during the period of December 2011 to November 2012, totaling 924 observations. It was recorded the number of bees leaving and entering the nest, and the type of material transported by them for ten minutes each hour from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. The bees entered the colony carrying pollen, resin, detritus and also without apparent material. The bees began external activities by 6 a.m. at 20°C and finished at 6 p.m. at 28.8°C. The peak of activity of G. subterranea occurs on schedule from 1 to 2 p.m. Even though G. subterranea makes their nests in underground, their foraging activities are very similar to others stingless bee species that usually nest on tree cavities or aerial places. This indicate that despite their particular nesting way the external factors as climatic ones will significantly modulate their foraging pattern in a daily and seasonal way.

Rarely reported, widely distributed, and unexpectedly diverse: molecular characterization of mermithid nematodes (Nematoda: Mermithidae) infecting bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) in the USA.

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Tripodi, Amber D; Strange, James P

2018-03-16

Mermithid nematodes (Nematoda: Mermithida: Mermithidae) parasitize a wide range of both terrestrial and aquatic invertebrate hosts, yet are recorded in bumble bees (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) only six times historically. Little is known about the specific identity of these parasites. In a single-season nationwide survey of internal parasites of 3646 bumble bees, we encountered six additional instances of mermithid parasitism in four bumble bee species and genetically characterized them using two regions of 18S to identify the specific host-parasite relationships. Three samples from the northeastern USA are morphologically and genetically identified as Mermis nigrescens, whereas three specimens collected from a single agricultural locality in the southeast USA fell into a clade with currently undescribed species. Nucleotide sequences of the V2-V6 region of 18S from the southeastern specimens were 2.6-3.0% divergent from one another, and 2.2-4.0% dissimilar to the nearest matches to available data. The dearth of available data prohibits positive identification of this parasite and its affinity for specific bumble bee hosts. By doubling the records of mermithid parasitism of bumble bee hosts and providing genetic data, this work will inform future investigations of this rare phenomenon.

Registro de Nephridiophaga sp. (Protista: Nephridiophagidae en Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae del Sur de la región Pampeana Record of Nephridiophaga sp. (Protista: Nephridiophagidae in Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae of the southern Pampas

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Santiago Plischuk

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Durante estudios prospectivos tendientes a la detección de protistas asociados a ápidos en la región Pampeana, se observó la presencia de esporos ovales bicóncavos y grupos de esporos (cúmulos en los túbulos de Malpighi de abejas de Dufaur, partido de Saavedra, sudoeste de la provincia de Buenos Aires. Los esporos maduros midieron 4,8 ± 0,05 x 2,4 ± 0,03 μm y la carga (intensidad promedió 5,71 ± 1,49 x 10(6 esporos/abeja. Las detecciones se efectuaron entre julio y octubre de 2006 y la prevalencia en las colmenas positivas osciló entre 1 y 16,7 %. Las características morfológicas de los esporos, el lugar de desarrollo y la especie huésped involucrada sugieren que el microorganismo en cuestión, pertenece al género Nephridiophaga y sería N. apis Ivani, especie tipo cuyo conocimiento es extremadamente limitado. El hallazgo constituye el primer registro de un nefridiofágido asociado a A mellifera fuera del continente europeo.During surveys for the detection of protists associated to Apidae in the Pampas region, biconcave oval spores, and spore clumps were observed in the Malpighian tubules of honeybees from Dufaur, Saavedra county, southwestern Buenos Aires province. Mature spores measured 4.8 ± 0.05 x 2.4 ± 0.03 μm, and mean spore load was 5.71 ± 1.49 x 10(6 per honeybee. Detections were from July to October 2006, and prevalence in positive colonies ranged from 1 to 16.7%. Morphology of the spores, the site of development, and the identity of the host species suggest that the isolated microorganism belongs to the genus Nephridiophaga and would be N apis Ivani, the type species, knowledge on which is extremely limited. The finding constitutes the first record of a nephridiophagid in honeybees outside of Europe.

Meliponini neotropicais: o gênero Ptilotrigona Moure (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apinae

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João M. F. Camargo

2004-01-01

Full Text Available O gênero neotropical de abelhas sem ferrão, Ptilotrigona Moure, 1951, é revisado. Três espécies são reconhecidas: Ptilotrigona occidentalis (Schulz, 1904, endêmica do NW da América do Sul - do NW do Equador até o sul de Darién -, e com uma população isolada na Península de Osa - Costa Rica; P. pereneae (Schwarz, 1943, endêmica do oeste da Amazônia, e P. lurida (Smith, 1854, amplamente distribuída na Amazônia. Ptilotrigona lurida e P. pereneae são as únicas abelhas sem ferrão que estocam pólen em associação com leveduras (Candida sp. e produzem pouco ou nenhum mel. Ninhos são descritos e ilustrados. Holótipos de Trigona suffragata Cockerell, 1922 (sin. de P. occidentalis e Trigona manni Cockerell, 1912, e exemplares de Trigona heideri Friese, 1900 (sins. de P. lurida, identificados por Friese, e um parátipo de Trigona (Tetragona heideri pereneae Schwarz, 1943, são estudados. Novo sinônimo: Ptilotrigona lurida (Smith, 1854 = Trigona mocsaryi lutea Friese, 1903 syn. nov. Na análise cladística, espécies de Camargoia Moure, 1989, e Tetragona Lepeletier & Serville, 1828, foram incluídas como grupos externos; a hipótese apresentada é a seguinte: ((((Ptilotrigona lurida, P. pereneae P. occidentalis((Camargoia nordestina, C. pilicornis C. camargoi Tetragona goettei. Uma chave de identificação para as espécies e outros aspectos bionômicos também são apresentados.Neotropical Meliponini: the genus Ptilotrigona Moure, (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apinae. The Neotropical stingless bees genus Ptilotrigona Moure, 1951 is revised. Three species are recognized: Ptilotrigona occidentalis (Schulz, 1904, endemic to NW South America - from NW Ecuador to southern Darién -, and with one isolated population in Osa Peninsula - Costa Rica; P. pereneae (Schwarz, 1943, endemic to the western Amazon; and P. lurida (Smith, 1854, largely distributed in the Amazon region. Ptilotrigona lurida and P. pereneae are the only known stingless bees

Effects of brood pheromone (SuperBoost) on consumption of protein supplement and growth of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies during fall in a northern temperate climate.

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Sagili, Ramesh R; Breece, Carolyn R

2012-08-01

Honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), nutrition is vital for colony growth and maintenance of a robust immune system. Brood rearing in honey bee colonies is highly dependent on protein availability. Beekeepers in general provide protein supplement to colonies during periods of pollen dearth. Honey bee brood pheromone is a blend of methyl and ethyl fatty acid esters extractable from cuticle of honey bee larvae that communicates the presence of larvae in a colony. Honey bee brood pheromone has been shown to increase protein supplement consumption and growth of honey bee colonies in a subtropical winter climate. Here, we tested the hypothesis that synthetic brood pheromone (SuperBoost) has the potential to increase protein supplement consumption during fall in a temperate climate and thus increase colony growth. The experiments were conducted in two locations in Oregon during September and October 2009. In both the experiments, colonies receiving brood pheromone treatment consumed significantly higher protein supplement and had greater brood area and adult bees than controls. Results from this study suggest that synthetic brood pheromone may be used to stimulate honey bee colony growth by stimulating protein supplement consumption during fall in a northern temperate climate, when majority of the beekeepers feed protein supplement to their colonies.

The Effects of the Insect Growth Regulators Methoxyfenozide and Pyriproxyfen and the Acaricide Bifenazate on Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Forager Survival.

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Fisher, Adrian; Colman, Chet; Hoffmann, Clint; Fritz, Brad; Rangel, Juliana

2018-04-02

The honey bee (Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) contributes an essential role in the U.S. economy by pollinating major agricultural crops including almond, which depends entirely on honey bee pollination for successful nut set. Almond orchards are often treated with pesticides to control a variety of pests and pathogens, particularly during bloom. While the effects to honey bee health of some insecticides, particularly neonicotinoids, have received attention recently, the impact of other types of insecticides on honey bee health is less clear. In this study, we examined the effects to honey bee forager survival of three non-neonicotinoid pesticides widely used during the 2014 California almond bloom. We collected foragers from a local apiary and exposed them to three pesticides at the label dose, or at doses ranging from 0.5 to 3 times the label dose rate. The selected pesticides included the insect growth regulators methoxyfenozide and pyriproxyfen, and the acaricide bifenazate. We simulated field exposure of honey bees to these pesticides during aerial application in almond orchards by using a wind tunnel and atomizer set up with a wind speed of 2.9 m/s. Experimental groups consisting of 30-40 foragers each were exposed to either untreated controls or pesticide-laden treatments and were monitored every 24 hr over a 10-d period. Our results revealed a significant negative effect of all pesticides tested on forager survival. Therefore, we suggest increased caution in the application of these pesticides in almond orchards or any agricultural crop during bloom to avoid colony health problems.

Removal of drone brood from Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies to control Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) and retain adult drones.

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Wantuch, Holly A; Tarpy, David R

2009-12-01

The parasitic mite Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Acari: Varroidae) has plagued European honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), in the Americas since its introduction in the 1980s. For many years, these mites were sufficiently controlled using synthetic acaricides. Recently, however, beekeepers have experienced increased resistance by mites to chemical pesticides, which are also known to leave residues in hive products such as wax and honey. Thus there has been increased emphasis on nonchemical integrated pest management control tactics for Varroa. Because mites preferentially reproduce in drone brood (pupal males), we developed a treatment strategy focusing on salvaging parasitized drones while removing mites from them. We removed drone brood from colonies in which there was no acaricidal application and banked them in separate "drone-brood receiving" colonies treated with pesticides to kill mites emerging with drones. We tested 20 colonies divided into three groups: 1) negative control (no mite treatment), 2) positive control (treatment with acaricides), and 3) drone-brood removal and placement into drone-brood receiving colonies. We found that drone-brood trapping significantly lowered mite numbers during the early months of the season, eliminating the need for additional control measures in the spring. However, mite levels in the drone-brood removal group increased later in the summer, suggesting that this benefit does not persist throughout the entire season. Our results suggest that this method of drone-brood trapping can be used as an element of an integrated control strategy to control varroa mites, eliminating a large portion of the Varroa population with limited chemical treatments while retaining the benefits of maintaining adult drones in the population.

A Bio-Economic Case Study of Canadian Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies: Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS) in Queen Breeding Affects Beekeeper Profits

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Baylis, Kathy; Hoover, Shelley E.; Currie, Rob W.; Melathopoulos, Andony P.; Pernal, Stephen F.; Foster, Leonard J.; Guarna, M. Marta

2017-01-01

Abstract Over the past decade in North America and Europe, winter losses of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies have increased dramatically. Scientific consensus attributes these losses to multifactorial causes including altered parasite and pathogen profiles, lack of proper nutrition due to agricultural monocultures, exposure to pesticides, management, and weather. One method to reduce colony loss and increase productivity is through selective breeding of queens to produce disease-, pathogen-, and mite-resistant stock. Historically, the only method for identifying desirable traits in honey bees to improve breeding was through observation of bee behavior. A team of Canadian scientists have recently identified markers in bee antennae that correspond to behavioral traits in bees and can be tested for in a laboratory. These scientists have demonstrated that this marker-assisted selection (MAS) can be used to produce hygienic, pathogen-resistant honey bee colonies. Based on this research, we present a beekeeping case study where a beekeeper’s profit function is used to evaluate the economic impact of adopting colonies selected for hygienic behavior using MAS into an apiary. Our results show a net profit gain from an MAS colony of between 2% and 5% when Varroa mites are effectively treated. In the case of ineffective treatment, MAS generates a net profit benefit of between 9% and 96% depending on the Varroa load. When a Varroa mite population has developed some treatment resistance, we show that MAS colonies generate a net profit gain of between 8% and 112% depending on the Varroa load and degree of treatment resistance. PMID:28334400

A second generation genetic map of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris (Linnaeus, 1758 reveals slow genome and chromosome evolution in the Apidae

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Kube Michael

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The bumblebee Bombus terrestris is an ecologically and economically important pollinator and has become an important biological model system. To study fundamental evolutionary questions at the genomic level, a high resolution genetic linkage map is an essential tool for analyses ranging from quantitative trait loci (QTL mapping to genome assembly and comparative genomics. We here present a saturated linkage map and match it with the Apis mellifera genome using homologous markers. This genome-wide comparison allows insights into structural conservations and rearrangements and thus the evolution on a chromosomal level. Results The high density linkage map covers ~ 93% of the B. terrestris genome on 18 linkage groups (LGs and has a length of 2'047 cM with an average marker distance of 4.02 cM. Based on a genome size of ~ 430 Mb, the recombination rate estimate is 4.76 cM/Mb. Sequence homologies of 242 homologous markers allowed to match 15 B. terrestris with A. mellifera LGs, five of them as composites. Comparing marker orders between both genomes we detect over 14% of the genome to be organized in synteny and 21% in rearranged blocks on the same homologous LG. Conclusions This study demonstrates that, despite the very high recombination rates of both A. mellifera and B. terrestris and a long divergence time of about 100 million years, the genomes' genetic architecture is highly conserved. This reflects a slow genome evolution in these bees. We show that data on genome organization and conserved molecular markers can be used as a powerful tool for comparative genomics and evolutionary studies, opening up new avenues of research in the Apidae.

As abelhas eussociais (Hymenoptera, Apidae visitantes florais em um ecossistema de dunas continentais no médio Rio São Francisco, Bahia, Brasil

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Edinaldo Luz das Neves

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Highly eusocial bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae flower visitors in a continental sand dune ecosystem from the medium São Francisco River, Bahia, Brazil. A community of highly eusocial bees in sand dunes, covered with caatinga vegetation, in the medium São Francisco River, Bahia (10º47' 37"S and 42º49' 25"W was studied. The local climate is semi arid and hot, with mean temperature of 25.7 ºC and annual precipitation of 653.8 mm. Censuses took place every two months, from February to December of 2000. The bees were sampled on flowers with entomological nets, from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A total of 2,147 individuals of eight species of Apinae were found, of which Apis mellifera Linnaeus (40.2%, Trigona spinipes (Fabricius (28.7% and Frieseomelitta silvestri languida Moure (14.7% were the predominant species. The diversity was H' = 1.53 and the evenness E' = 0.73. The bees were active during the whole year, but there was a significant variation in the monthly abundance of individuals (c2= 799.55; df= 35; p<0.0001. The daily activity was greater between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. The low bee diversity observed is a consequence of the low richness of botanical species and of the small amount of sites for the bees' nests. The community of highly eusocial bees from the dunes presents organization patterns similar to those observed in other caatinga areas, albeit with some particularities.

A Bio-Economic Case Study of Canadian Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies: Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS) in Queen Breeding Affects Beekeeper Profits.

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Bixby, Miriam; Baylis, Kathy; Hoover, Shelley E; Currie, Rob W; Melathopoulos, Andony P; Pernal, Stephen F; Foster, Leonard J; Guarna, M Marta

2017-06-01

Over the past decade in North America and Europe, winter losses of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies have increased dramatically. Scientific consensus attributes these losses to multifactorial causes including altered parasite and pathogen profiles, lack of proper nutrition due to agricultural monocultures, exposure to pesticides, management, and weather. One method to reduce colony loss and increase productivity is through selective breeding of queens to produce disease-, pathogen-, and mite-resistant stock. Historically, the only method for identifying desirable traits in honey bees to improve breeding was through observation of bee behavior. A team of Canadian scientists have recently identified markers in bee antennae that correspond to behavioral traits in bees and can be tested for in a laboratory. These scientists have demonstrated that this marker-assisted selection (MAS) can be used to produce hygienic, pathogen-resistant honey bee colonies. Based on this research, we present a beekeeping case study where a beekeeper's profit function is used to evaluate the economic impact of adopting colonies selected for hygienic behavior using MAS into an apiary. Our results show a net profit gain from an MAS colony of between 2% and 5% when Varroa mites are effectively treated. In the case of ineffective treatment, MAS generates a net profit benefit of between 9% and 96% depending on the Varroa load. When a Varroa mite population has developed some treatment resistance, we show that MAS colonies generate a net profit gain of between 8% and 112% depending on the Varroa load and degree of treatment resistance. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

Morfologia externa da operária de Lestrimelitta ehrhardtti (Hymenoptera: Meliponini

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DANIELE. R PARIZOTTO

2010-05-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT  Workers of Lestrimelitta ehrhardtti Friese were studied based on a great number of individuals collected in Castro municipality, Paraná State, Brazil. The specimens were described morphologically, measured and illustrated. KEY-WORDS: Apidae, stingless-bees, cleptobiotic, Neotropical.   RESUMEN Se estudió un gran número de obreras de Lestrimelitta ehrhardtti Friese colectadas en el municipio de Castro, Paraná, Brasil. Los especímenes fueran descritos  morfológicamente, medidos e ilustrados. PALABRAS CLAVE: Apidae, abejas sin aguijón, cleptobiótica, Neotropical.

Detoxification and stress response genes expressed in a western North American bumble bee, Bombus huntii (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

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Xu, Junhuan; Strange, James P; Welker, Dennis L; James, Rosalind R

2013-12-12

The Hunt bumble bee (Bombus huntii Greene, Hymenoptera: Apidae) is a holometabolous, social insect important as a pollinator in natural and agricultural ecosystems in western North America. Bumble bees spend a significant amount of time foraging on a wide variety of flowering plants, and this activity exposes them to both plant toxins and pesticides, posing a threat to individual and colony survival. Little is known about what detoxification pathways are active in bumble bees, how the expression of detoxification genes changes across life stages, or how the number of detoxification genes expressed in B. huntii compares to other insects. We found B. huntii expressed at least 584 genes associated with detoxification and stress responses. The expression levels of some of these genes, such as those encoding the cytochrome P450s, glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) and glycosidases, vary among different life stages to a greater extent than do other genes. We also found that the number of P450s, GSTs and esterase genes expressed by B. huntii is similar to the number of these genes found in the genomes of other bees, namely Bombus terrestris, Bombus impatiens, Apis mellifera and Megachile rotundata, but many fewer than are found in the fly Drosophila melanogaster. Bombus huntii has transcripts for a large number of detoxification and stress related proteins, including oxidation and reduction enzymes, conjugation enzymes, hydrolytic enzymes, ABC transporters, cadherins, and heat shock proteins. The diversity of genes expressed within some detoxification pathways varies among the life stages and castes, and we typically identified more genes in the adult females than in larvae, pupae, or adult males, for most pathways. Meanwhile, we found the numbers of detoxification and stress genes expressed by B. huntii to be more similar to other bees than to the fruit fly. The low number of detoxification genes, first noted in the honey bee, appears to be a common phenomenon among bees

O Efeito do Fogo sobre a Comunidade de Abelhas Euglossini (Hymenoptera: Apidae em Floresta de Transição Cerrado-Amazônia (Mato Grosso, Brasil

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Nubia Giehl

2013-12-01

Abstract. We evaluated the effects of induced burned on Euglossini bee assemblages (Hymenoptera: Apidae in a transitional area between Cerrado and Amazonia, eastern Mato Grosso, Brazil. We determinate abundances, richness and composition of Euglossini in three plots: control plot (unburned, plot burned each year since 2004 (intermediate degradation, plot burned each three years since 2004 (high degradation. We tested the hypothesis that two burned plots present lower male abundances, less species richness and different species composition in comparison with the control plot. We collected male bees actively and passively by using six pure fragrances: β-ionona, benzoato de benzila, geraniol, fenil-etil-acetato, salicilato de metila e vanilina. We collected seven species with no differences in male abundances among three plots (F (2, 12= 0.150; p= 0.8. Estimated richness species in control the plot was higher than the plot burned each three years (12 ± 3.8; 4± 2, respectively, while plot burned each year showed intermediate richness (8 ± 4.35 and higher than plot burned each three years. Cluster Analysis (UPGMA revealed significant differences in species composition of the triennial fire area to the other two areas. Our results suggest that fire occurring with different frequencies in transitional forest promote decreases in richness of species and modifications in species composition. These modifications were clearer in plot more degraded (burned each three years and induce deleterious effects on orchid bee assemblage.

The antiquity and evolutionary history of social behavior in bees.

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Sophie Cardinal

Full Text Available A long-standing controversy in bee social evolution concerns whether highly eusocial behavior has evolved once or twice within the corbiculate Apidae. Corbiculate bees include the highly eusocial honey bees and stingless bees, the primitively eusocial bumble bees, and the predominantly solitary or communal orchid bees. Here we use a model-based approach to reconstruct the evolutionary history of eusociality and date the antiquity of eusocial behavior in apid bees, using a recent molecular phylogeny of the Apidae. We conclude that eusociality evolved once in the common ancestor of the corbiculate Apidae, advanced eusociality evolved independently in the honey and stingless bees, and that eusociality was lost in the orchid bees. Fossil-calibrated divergence time estimates reveal that eusociality first evolved at least 87 Mya (78 to 95 Mya in the corbiculates, much earlier than in other groups of bees with less complex social behavior. These results provide a robust new evolutionary framework for studies of the organization and genetic basis of social behavior in honey bees and their relatives.

Fauna de abelhas nativas de duas áreas de restinga do Parque Estadual de Itaúnas, Espírito Santo, Brasil.

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RECEPUTI, A. L. M.

2015-01-01

Dois estudos foram realizados nesta dissertação: uma avaliação da riqueza, diversidade e composição da fauna de abelhas nativas de uma área de restinga herbáceo-arbustiva e de uma área de restinga florestal do Parque Estadual de Itaúnas, Espírito Santo, Brasil, e uma avaliação da riqueza, diversidade e composição da fauna de Euglossina das duas mesmas áreas. Em ambos os casos objetivou-se responder a duas perguntas diretamente relacionadas, 1) a composição, riqueza e diversidade da fauna de a...

Abundância, Distribuição Espacial de Ninhos de Abelhas Sem Ferrão (Apidae: Meliponini e Espécies Vegetais Utilizadas para Nidificação em um Fragmento de Floresta Secundária em Rio Branco, Acre

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Francisco da Silva Correia

2016-12-01

Abstract. Was conducted a study of the abundance, distribution of bee nests stingless (Apidae: Meliponini and plant species used for nesting in a fragment of secondary forest in Rio Branco-Acre. The field surveys took place in August 2015 in a forest area measuring 137 ha. The nesting substrates (trees were identified and their location recorded by GPS, and also checked the CAP measures (circumference at breast height and height of entry of the nests from the ground. In total, we found 25 nests of stingless bees distributed in three genera, with Melipona eburnea Friese the most abundant species (n=14, followed by Scaptotrigona sp. (n=7, Melipona crinita Moure & Kerr (n=2 and Tetragona sp. (n=2. The botanical species most provided cavities for foundation of the nests were Eugenia jambolana Lam. (Myrtaceae with seven nests (28% in an only individual, followed by Spondias lutea L. (Anacardiaceae and Castilla ulei Warb. (Moraceae, both with three nests (12%. The density of nests was significantly lower (0.18/ha when compared to other studies in the Neotropics, which may be related to fragment size and the degree of disturbance since it is characterized by being in a forest regeneration process.

The mitochondrial genome of the stingless bee Melipona bicolor (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini: sequence, gene organization and a unique tRNA translocation event conserved across the tribe Meliponini

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Daniela Silvestre

2008-01-01

Full Text Available At present a complete mtDNA sequence has been reported for only two hymenopterans, the Old World honey bee, Apis mellifera and the sawfly Perga condei. Among the bee group, the tribe Meliponini (stingless bees has some distinction due to its Pantropical distribution, great number of species and large importance as main pollinators in several ecosystems, including the Brazilian rain forest. However few molecular studies have been conducted on this group of bees and few sequence data from mitochondrial genomes have been described. In this project, we PCR amplified and sequenced 78% of the mitochondrial genome of the stingless bee Melipona bicolor (Apidae, Meliponini. The sequenced region contains all of the 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes, 18 of 22 tRNA genes, and both rRNA genes (one of them was partially sequenced. We also report the genome organization (gene content and order, gene translation, genetic code, and other molecular features, such as base frequencies, codon usage, gene initiation and termination. We compare these characteristics of M. bicolor to those of the mitochondrial genome of A. mellifera and other insects. A highly biased A+T content is a typical characteristic of the A. mellifera mitochondrial genome and it was even more extreme in that of M. bicolor. Length and compositional differences between M. bicolor and A. mellifera genes were detected and the gene order was compared. Eleven tRNA gene translocations were observed between these two species. This latter finding was surprising, considering the taxonomic proximity of these two bee tribes. The tRNA Lys gene translocation was investigated within Meliponini and showed high conservation across the Pantropical range of the tribe.

Busy Bees: Variation in Insect Flower-Visiting Rates across Multiple Plant Species

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Margaret J. Couvillon

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We quantified insect visitation rates by counting how many flowers/inflorescences were probed per unit time for five plant species (four native and one garden: California lilac, bramble, ragwort, wild marjoram, and ivy growing in Sussex, United Kingdom, by following individual insects (n=2987 from nine functional groups (honey bees (Apis mellifera, bumble bees (Bombus spp., hoverflies, flies, butterflies, beetles, wasps, non-Apidae bees, and moths. Additionally, we made a census of the insect diversity on the studied plant species. Overall we found that insect groups differed greatly in their rate of flower visits (P<2.2e-16, with bumble bees and honey bees visiting significantly more flowers per time (11.5 and 9.2 flowers/minute, resp. than the other insect groups. Additionally, we report on a within-group difference in the non-Apidae bees, where the genus Osmia, which is often suggested as an alternative to honey bees as a managed pollinator, was very speedy (13.4 flowers/minute compared to the other non-Apidae bees (4.3 flowers/minute. Our census showed that the plants attracted a range of insects, with the honey bee as the most abundant visitor (34%. Therefore, rate differences cannot be explained by particular specializations. Lastly, we discuss potential implications of our conclusions for pollination.

Onde os mais Adaptados Permanecem: Comunidade de Abelhas sem Ferrão (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponini em Áreas Urbanas do Município de Ubá, Minas Gerais, Brasil

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Gustavo Araújo

2016-12-01

Where the most Adapted Remain: Stingless Bees Community (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponini in Urban Areas of the City of Uba, Minas Gerais, Brazil Abstract. The urbanization has caused the fragmentation of various natural environments, taking to loss of many ecological processes in which includes pollination, realized mainly by bees, in special Meliponini species, which has drastically reduced their populations due to loss of habitat for urban expansion. The aim of this study was to survey the species of stingless bees in urban areas of the municipality of Ubá - MG, Brazil, relate the richness and abundance of species found with the percentage of occupation of the structural variables of the urban landscape and relate the presence of the species obtained with these variables. Were found 28 nests belonging to four species, Tetragonisca angustula (Latreille, Trigona spinipes (Fabricius, Nannotrigona testaceicornis (Lepeletier and Friesella schrottkyi (Friese. There was no significant relationship between richness and abundance of Meliponini and structural variables of vegetation, possibly due to low values in the number of nests and species obtained. Only T. spinipes showed related to the presence of vegetation. The results show that the Meliponini community is composed by generalist species able to use artificial cavities and ornamental plants as an alternative source of resources, common in urban areas. The results obtained in this study is a warning to current conditions of the plant remaining in urban areas in the city of Ubá, besides may also be used as support in taking-decision on projects for the conservation and recovery of degraded areas, focusing on bees and their importance to the sustainability of these ecosystems.

Diversity of bees (Hymenoptera, Apiformes in extensive orchards in the highlands of Jordan

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Al-Ghzawi, A.

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Bees visiting the blossoms of fruit trees were surveyed for the first time in Jordan. A transect was determined in Ebbin village in Ajlun (32° 22″ N, 35° 49″ E where the bees were collected from blossoms of stone fruit trees. Most of the specimens were identified up to the species level and few specimens were identified up to the genus level only. A total of 1,461 specimens were collected during the study period and 53 bee species were identified and recorded for the first time in Jordan. The collected species represented five families: Apidae, Megachilidae, Halictidae, Andrenidae and Colletidae. The results showed that Apidae and Megachilidae were the largest in terms of diversity, while Halictidae showed the highest abundance.

A scent shield to survive: identification of the repellent compounds secreted by the male offspring of the cuckoo bumblebee Bombus vestalis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Lhomme, P.; Ayasse, M.; Valterová, Irena; Lecocq, T.; Rasmont, P.

2015-01-01

Roč. 157, č. 3 (2015), s. 263-270 ISSN 0013-8703 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : Hymenoptera * Apidae * Psithyrus * social parasitism * repellent * GC-EAD * chemical camouflage Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 1.442, year: 2015

Padrão de Nidificação de Monobia angulosa Saussure (Vespidae Durante Estação Seca Prolongada na Região da Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, com Notas Sobre Nidificação em Ninho Abandonado de Xylocopa cearensis Ducke (Apidae

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Thiago Mahlmann

2015-03-01

Abstract. Weather can be treated as an important factor in the nesting pattern of several solitary wasps species. Nesting pattern of wasp Monobia angulosa Saussure (Vespidae: Eumeninae was accessed in present study in the agricultural area of Mucugê-Ibicoara, Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, during an extended period of dry season. In here we also presented the first record of a natural nest in pre-existing cavities prior used by Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa cearensis Ducke (Apidae: Xylocopinae. For a description of the M. angulosa’s natural nest a single nest found in apple orchard (Malus domestica Borkh was used. For the nesting pattern study we used the trap nests technique with 25 points along the agricultural sampled area; traps were placed in remaining native vegetation. Each sample point was at least 4 km apart. Emerged in the laboratory a total of 19 females and 23 males for a total of 19 established nests, males emerged prior females. Unlike the horizontal trap nests, the natural one was built in vertical linear series and a wooden stake was used as a substrate. Nesting concentrated in the warmer months, between February and April, 2012, with very low precipitation, evidencing influence on nesting pattern of this species, probably due fast response to climatic changes.

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Improving honey production in worker bees (Apis mellifera adansoni L.) hymenoptera: apidae through artificial modification of their feeding activities. Abstract PDF · Vol 13, No 2 (2013) - Articles Challenges associated with the honey bee (Apis Mellifera Adansonii) colonies establishment in South Western Nigeria

Potential pollinators of tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum (Solanaceae), in open crops and the effect of a solitary bee in fruit set and quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, A O R; Bartelli, B F; Nogueira-Ferreira, F H

2014-06-01

We identified native bees that are floral visitors and potential pollinators of tomato in Cerrado areas, described the foraging behavior of these species, and verified the influence of the visitation of a solitary bee on the quantity and quality of fruits. Three areas of tomato crops, located in Minas Gerais, Brazil, were sampled between March and November 2012. We collected 185 bees belonging to 13 species. Exomalopsis (Exomalopsis) analis Spinola, 1853 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) was the most abundant. Ten species performed buzz pollination. Apis mellifera L. 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and Paratrigona lineata (Lepeletier, 1836) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) could also act as pollinators. The fruit set and number of seeds obtained from the pollination treatment by E. analis were higher than those in the control group. Our results allowed the identification of potential tomato pollinators in Cerrado areas and also contributed information regarding the impact of a single species (E. analis) on fruit set and quality. Although most of the visiting bees show the ability for tomato pollination, there is an absence of adequate management techniques, and its usage is difficult with the aim of increasing the crop production, which is the case for E. analis. Species such as Melipona quinquefasciata, P. lineata, and A. mellifera, which are easy to handle, are not used for pollination services. Finally, it is suggested that a combination of different bee species that are able to pollinate the tomato is necessary to prevent the super-exploitation of only a single species for pollination services and to guarantee the occurrence of potential pollinators in the crop area.

International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences - Vol 11 ...

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... L. 1758: Hymenoptera, Apidae) in three beekeeping sites of the Democratic Republic of Congo · EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. Boniface Posho Ndola, Paul Malumba, Bernard Wathelet, Eric Haubruge, Frederic Francis, Bach Kim Nguyen, 541-555.

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Tope, SF. Vol 4, No 4 (2010) - Articles Foraging behaviour of Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille (Hymenoptera : Apidae) on Daniellia oliveri, Delonix regia, Hymenocardia acida and Terminalia mantaly flowers in Ngaoundéré (Cameroon) Abstract PDF. ISSN: 1997-342X. AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL.

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Mbianda, AP. Vol 4, No 4 (2010) - Articles Foraging behaviour of Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille (Hymenoptera : Apidae) on Daniellia oliveri, Delonix regia, Hymenocardia acida and Terminalia mantaly flowers in Ngaoundéré (Cameroon) Abstract PDF. ISSN: 1997-342X. AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL ...

Termorregulação em colônias de Melipona eburnea (Apidae: Meliponina criadas racionalmente em Rio Branco, Acre

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Francisco Cildomar da Silva Correia

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Resumo. A temperatura é o agente climático que afeta mais diretamente o metabolismo das abelhas, influenciando no desenvolvimento das crias, podendo acarretar resultados negativos para produção de mel. O objetivo deste estudo foi conhecer a diferença da termorregulação de colônias de Melipona eburnea Friese. As observações foram realizadas en­tre 09 de junho e 09 de julho de 2016, 24 horas por dia, utilizando-se dois ninhos de M. eburnea, um em caixa racional e outro em troncode árvore. Utilizou-se Data Logger(modelo HOBO U12 – 012, com exatidão de ±0,35 °C. Verificou-se que o ninho de M. eburnea em oco de árvore manteve uma temperatura média de 31,7 ºC, enquanto que o ninho em caixa racional apresentou temperatura média de 27,8 ºC. A temperatura ambiente variou de 16,6 a 34,2 °C, com média de 23,8 ºC. A espécie M. eburnea em caixa racional apresentou termorregulação inferior à colônia em oco de árvore e também maior oscilação de temperatura. Concluiu-se que M. eburnea mantém sua colônia em homeostase, mesmo quando há variações na temperatura ambiente (ninho em oco de árvore. M. eburnea apresentou termorregulação insatisfatória, quando mantida em caixa racional. Thermoregulation in colonies of Melipona eburnea Friese(Apidae: Meliponina rationally bred in Rio Branco, Acre Abstract. Temperature is the climatic agent that most directly affects the metabolism of bees, influencing at the development of the young being able lead to negative results for honey production. The objective of this study was to know the difference of thermoregulation of Melipona eburnea Friese colonies. The observations were made between June 9 and July 9, 2016, 24 hours a day, using two nests of M. eburnea, one in rational box and the other in tree trunk. Was used Data Logger (model HOBO U12-012 was used, with accuracy of ± 0.35 °C. Was verified that the nest of M. eburnea in tree hollow maintained an average temperature of 31

Efecto del cambio del paisaje en la estructura de la comunidad de abejas sin aguijón (Hymenoptera: Apidae en Meta, Colombia

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Guiomar Nates-Parra

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Las abejas sin aguijón son unos de los polinizadores naturales más diversos de la fauna Apoidea en los trópicos. Nidifican en diversos sustratos y distintos ambientes, existiendo algunas especies típicas de lugares naturales o artificiales. La alteración del medio donde nidifican tiene un importante impacto sobre la composición natural de su estructura, hecho que se ve reflejado también en la densidad de nidos. Analizamos la composición de la estructura de la comunidad de abejas sin aguijón en tres paisajes del piedemonte llanero colombiano, una región importante por representar la transición entre ambientes andinos y de sabana (seriamente amenazada por la ganadería intensiva. Realizamos muestreos sistemáticos en bosque secundario, agro-ecosistema y zona urbana; registramos la presencia de 204 nidos de 11 géneros representados por 24 especies. La riqueza de abejas sin aguijón fue similar, aun cuando hubo diferencias significativas en la estructura de la comunidad en los tres paisajes. La densidad de nidos por paisaje fue heterogénea y nunca mayor de 16 nidos/Ha. Observamos dos patrones de nidificación y registramos diferente número de especies en la misma zona utilizando otro criterio de muestreo.Effect of landscape change on the structure of the sting-less bee community (Hymenoptera: Apidae in Meta, Colombia. Stingless bees represent one of the most diversified components of the natural Apoidea fauna of pollinators in the tropics. They use diverse kinds of substrates and inhabit varied habitats. Some species are typical for some natural either artificial place. The landscape alteration were this group of bees nests, has and important impact on the natural composition of its community structure, fact which is reflected in the nest density. We analyzed the structure composition of the stingless bees’ community in three environments in the Colombian llanos piedmont, an important region that represents the transition between

Pollination and yield responses of cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata L ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

To determine the apicultural value of Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (Fabaceae) and evaluate the Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae) activity on its pod and seed yields, the bee foraging and pollinating activities were studied in Ngaoundéré. The experiment was carried out within the University of ...

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Fasasi, KA. Vol 13, No 1 (2011) - Articles Studies on the life cycle and morphometrics of honeybees, Apis Mellifera adansonii (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in a Mangrove Area of Lagos, Nigeria Abstract PDF. ISSN: 0794-4896. AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors ...

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Items 351 - 400 of 900 ... OC Odoli, PM Oduor-Odote, B Ohowa, SO Onyango. Vol 15, No 2 (2015), Evaluation of four apicultural products for hive colonization by honey bees (Apis mellifera adansonii) (Hymenoptera: apidae) and pre-colonization pests, Abstract PDF. SA Babarinde, SA Olaleke, AO Akinyemi, TA Adebayo, ...

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Fasasi, KA. Vol 8 (2010) - Articles Effect of age of honeybee queens of Apis mellifera adansonii (Hymenoptera: apidae) on the rate of brood production in modern bee-hives. Abstract. ISSN: 1596-972X. AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors · FAQ's · More about ...

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Items 1 - 50 of 391 ... Vol 13, No 2 (2011), A review of the evolution of trappiing strategies for the control of trypanosomiasis and tsetse flies (Glossina spp) in africa (1908 -2004), Abstract ... Vol 9, No 2 (2007):, A survey of indigenous knowledge of stingless bees (Apidae: meliponini) in the central region of Ghana, Abstract.

Biologia floral de Croton urucurana Baill. (Euphorbiaceae ocorrente em vegetação ripária da ilha Porto Rico, Porto Rico, Estado do Paraná, Brasil - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v26i2.1638 Floral biology of Croton urucurana Baill (Euphorbiaceae that occurs in riparian vegetation of Porto Rico Island, in Porto Rico, Paraná, Brazil - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v26i2.1638

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Luiz Antonio de Souza

2004-04-01

Full Text Available Foram realizados estudos de biologia floral em Croton urucurana, espécie monóica, arbórea, pioneira e recomendada para a recuperação de matas ciliares. As flores são diclinas, pequenas, apresentam coloração amarelo-esverdeada e dispõem-se em inflorescências racemosas. A antese é noturna, por volta das 23h, e as flores duram três dias. Os visitantes florais foram insetos das ordens Diptera, Odonata, Lepidoptera, Hemiptera e Hymenoptera (Apidae e Vespidae, sendo Apis mellifera a espécie mais freqüenteStudies of floral biology were developed on Croton urucurana, a pioneer monoecious tree, recommended to be used in the process of regeneration of the riparian forest. The plant presents small yellow-greenish unisexual flowers, disposed in racemose inflorescences. Anthesis occurs at night, flowers last three days and open around 11 pm. Flowers are visited by insects belonging to the following Orders Diptera, Odonata, Lepidoptera, Hemiptera and Hymenoptera (Apidae and Vespidae. Apis mellifera was the most frequent flower visitor

Refugia, biodiversity, and pollination roles of bumble bees in the Madrean Archipelago

Science.gov (United States)

Justin O. Schmidt; Robert S. Jacobson

2005-01-01

Eight species of bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) are present within five major Sky Island mountains of southern Arizona. Another four species exist in the nearby large mountainous region stretching from the Arizona White Mountains to Flagstaff. The distribution and number of bumble bee species within the individual Sky Island mountains varies from six in the...

Revisión taxonómica del subgénero Micrandrena (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Andrenidae: Andrena) de la Península Ibérica

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Dardón Peralta, María José

2011-01-01

[ES]Las abejas (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) han sido clasificadas por diferentes autores siguiendo distintos criterios, aunque actualmente se emplea la propuesta de Michener (2007), quien establece siete familias: Andrenidae, Colletidae, Halictidae, Melittidae, Stenotritidae, Megachilidae y Apidae. La familia Andrenidae se divide en cuatro subfamilias: Oxaeinae, Andreninae, Alocandreninae y Panurginae. La subfamilia Andreninae está conformada por los géneros Ancyladrena Cockerell, 1930, Andrena...

Higher order visual input to the mushroom bodies in the bee, Bombus impatiens.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulk, Angelique C; Gronenberg, Wulfila

2008-11-01

To produce appropriate behaviors based on biologically relevant associations, sensory pathways conveying different modalities are integrated by higher-order central brain structures, such as insect mushroom bodies. To address this function of sensory integration, we characterized the structure and response of optic lobe (OL) neurons projecting to the calyces of the mushroom bodies in bees. Bees are well known for their visual learning and memory capabilities and their brains possess major direct visual input from the optic lobes to the mushroom bodies. To functionally characterize these visual inputs to the mushroom bodies, we recorded intracellularly from neurons in bumblebees (Apidae: Bombus impatiens) and a single neuron in a honeybee (Apidae: Apis mellifera) while presenting color and motion stimuli. All of the mushroom body input neurons were color sensitive while a subset was motion sensitive. Additionally, most of the mushroom body input neurons would respond to the first, but not to subsequent, presentations of repeated stimuli. In general, the medulla or lobula neurons projecting to the calyx signaled specific chromatic, temporal, and motion features of the visual world to the mushroom bodies, which included sensory information required for the biologically relevant associations bees form during foraging tasks.

The Activity of Carbohydrate-Degrading Enzymes in the Development of Brood and Newly Emerged workers and Drones of the Carniolan Honeybee, Apis mellifera carnica

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Żółtowska, Krystyna; Lipiński, Zbigniew; Łopieńska-Biernat, Elżbieta; Farjan, Marek; Dmitryjuk, Małgorzata

2012-01-01

The activity of glycogen Phosphorylase and carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes α-amylase, glucoamylase, trehalase, and sucrase was studied in the development of the Carniolan honey bee, Apis mellifera carnica Pollman (Hymenoptera: Apidae), from newly hatched larva to freshly emerged imago of worker and drone. Phosphorolytic degradation of glycogen was significantly stronger than hydrolytic degradation in all developmental stages. Developmental profiles of hydrolase activity were similar in both ...

Genetics of Euglossini bees (Hymenoptera in fragments of the Atlantic Forest in the region of Viçosa, MG

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A. M. Waldschmidt

Full Text Available With uncontrolled deforestation, forest fragments remain, which in most cases are in different stages of regeneration and present isolated populations. In the present study we analyzed the genetic patterns of Eulaema nigrita populations in seven Atlantic Forest fragments of different sizes and successional stages in the region of Viçosa, MG. This was done by RAPD molecular markers. We observed that the area of the fragments had no effect on the genetic variability of E. nigrita in the direction predicted by meta-population models. Medium-sized well-preserved woods presented the lowest variability, whereas large and small woods were statistically identical. The evidence supports the notion that rural areas present greater dispersal among fragments, implying greater similarity between the populations of fragments located in rural areas when compared to fragments in urban areas.

Regional Disease Vector Ecology Profile East Asia

Science.gov (United States)

2002-04-01

includes fever, headache, abdominal pain, cough and vomiting. Ingestion of organisms in contaminated food or water may produce a painful pharyngitis...Tick paralysis is a potentially fatal but easily cured affliction of man and animals. It is almost exclusively associated with hard (ixodid) ticks and...humans are the Vespidae (wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets), the Apidae ( honey bees and bumble bees), and the Formicidae (ants). Wasps and ants can

Isolation of biologically active peptides from the venom of Japanese carpenter bee, Xylocopa appendiculata

OpenAIRE

Kawakami, Hiroko; Goto, Shin G.; Murata, Kazuya; Matsuda, Hideaki; Shigeri, Yasushi; Imura, Tomohiro; Inagaki, Hidetoshi; Shinada, Tetsuro

2017-01-01

Background Mass spectrometry-guided venom peptide profiling is a powerful tool to explore novel substances from venomous animals in a highly sensitive manner. In this study, this peptide profiling approach is successfully applied to explore the venom peptides of a Japanese solitary carpenter bee, Xylocopa appendiculata (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apidae: Anthophila: Xylocopinae: Xylocopini). Although interesting biological effects of the crude venom of carpenter bees have been reported, the struct...

Floral biology and a pollinator effectiveness test of the diurnal floral visitors of Tabernaemontana undulata Vahl. (Apocynaceae in the understory of Amazon Rainforest, Brazil Biologia floral e teste da efetividade de polinização dos visitantes florais diurnos de Tabernaemontana undulata Vahl. (Apocynaceae no sub-bosque da Amazônia Central, Brasil

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Thaysa Nogueira de Moura

2011-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper we examined the floral biology, per-visit effectiveness, frequency of visits and relative abundance of the diurnal floral visitor taxa of T. undulata (Apocynaceae at two populations located in the primary forest and in a disturbed area connected to the continuous forest. Its hermaphrodite flowers show a long and narrow floral tube and introrse anthers form a cone around the apex of the style head where the pollen is deposited. The stigmatic head has three functional regions, in a complex pollination mechanism favoring cross-pollination. In the pollinator censuses conducted in the primary forest population we registered Eulaema bombiformis. In the disturbed area Euglossa sp. was responsible for visits on T. undulata fl owers. Eulaema bombiformis was not absent in the disturbed area, but preferred to forage on pollen and nectar-rich flowers of two neighboring flowering species. In the primary forest, T. undulata was the only fl owering treelet at the end of the dry season. Signifi cant differences were not observed regarding the frequency of visits and relative abundance among the diurnal flower visitors at both sites. In the per-visit effectiveness experiment among flower visitors, we observed one fruit produced aft er E. bombiformis' visits. Due to the complex breeding system of T. undulata in that it is characterized by very low fruit production even under natural conditions, an indirect measure of pollinator effectiveness is needed in at a future stage of this study in order to clarify the role of these bee species as pollinators of T. undulata.Neste estudo foi examinada a biologia floral, a efetividade da polinização, freqüência de visitas e abundância relativa dos visitantes florais diurnos de T. undulata (Apocynaceae em duas populações localizadas em floresta primária e em uma área perturbada conectada à mata contínua. Suas flores hermafroditas apresentam um longo e estreito tubo floral. Anteras introrsas formam um

[Bee diversity in Tecoma stans (L.) Kunth (Bignoniaceae): importance for pollination and fruit production].

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Cláudia I; Augusto, Solange C; Sofia, Silvia H; Moscheta, Ismar S

2007-01-01

Tecoma stans (L.) Kunth is an exotic plant in Brazil, commonly distributed in urban areas, which is considered an invasive species in crop and pasture areas. In this study, the floral biology and the behavior of bees in flowers of T. stans from three urban areas in southeastern Brazil were investigated. In all study sites, T. stans was an important food resource to the Apoidea to 48 species of bees. Centris tarsata Smith and Exomalopsis fulvofasciata Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae) were the effective pollinators more abundant, while Scaptotrigona depilis Moure (Hymenoptera: Apidae) was the more frequent robber species. The most part of T. stans visitors (87.5%) exploited exclusively nectar, which varied in sugar concentration depending on the day period and flower phase. In all flower stages, higher averages of nectar concentration (26.4% to 32.7%) occurred from 10 am to 2 pm. The presence of osmophore in the petals and protandry were detected. In two urban areas the number of visitors varied significantly during the day. The greatest abundance of pollinators occurred when pollen availability was higher and flowers showed receptive stigma, which could be contributing to the reproductive success of T. stans. The results indicate that the production of fruits increased in plants that received a higher number of effective pollinators.

A new technique in the excavation of ground-nest bee burrows (Hymenoptera: Apoidea

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Diego Marinho

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Bees have a diversified natural history, thus the methods applied to study such diversity are varied. When it comes to studies of nesting biology, bees which nest in pre-existing cavities have been reasonably well studied since researchers started using trap-nests. However, bees whose nests are built underground are poorly studied due to the difficulty of finding natural nesting areas and the absence of a method that facilitates bee nest excavation. The latter is evidenced by the lack of accurate descriptions in literature of how nests are excavated. In this study we tested cylindrical rubber refills of eraser pen as a new material to be used as a tracer of underground nest galleries in a natural nesting area of two species of Epicharis Klug, 1807 (Apidae. We compared this technique directly with plaster in powder form mixed with water and our results with other methodological studies describing alternative methods and materials. The rubber refill technique overcame the main issues presented by materials such as plaster, molten metal alloys and bioplastic, namely: death of the organisms by high temperatures and/or formation of plugs and materials unduly following the roots inside the galleries. Keywords: Apidae, Apoidea, Brood cells, Methodology, Solitary bees

Effects of golf courses on local biodiversity.

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Gange, A.C.; Tanner, R.A.

2005-01-01

There are approximately 2600 golf courses in the UK, occupying 0.7% of the total land cover. However, it is unknown whether these represent a significant resource, in terms of biodiversity conservation, or if they are significantly less diverse than the surrounding habitats. The diversity of vegetation (tree and herbaceous species) and three indicator taxa (birds, ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) and bumblebees (Hymenoptera, Apidae)) was studied on nine golf courses and nine adja...

Regular dorsal dimples and damaged mites of Varroa destructor in some Iranian honey bees (Apis mellifera)

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Ardestani, Masoud M.; Ebadi, Rahim; Tahmasbi, Gholamhossein

2011-01-01

The frequency of damaged Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) found on the bottom board of hives of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) has been used as an indicator of the degree of tolerance or resistance of honey bee colonies against mites. However, it is not clear that this measure is adequate. These injuries should be separated from regular dorsal dimples that have a developmental origin. To investigate damage to Varroa mites and regular dor...

Nest initiation in three North American bumble bees (Bombus): gyne number and presence of honey bee workers influence establishment success and colony size.

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Strange, James P

2010-01-01

Three species of bumble bees, Bombus appositus Cresson, Bombus bifarius, Cresson and Bombus centralis Cresson (Hymenoptera: Apidae) were evaluated for nest initiation success under three sets of initial conditions. In the spring, gynes of each species were caught in the wild and introduced to nest boxes in one of three ways. Gynes were either introduced in conspecific pairs, singly with two honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) workers, or alone. Nesting success and colony growth parameters were measured to understand the effects of the various treatments on nest establishment. Colonies initiated from pairs of conspecific gynes were most successful in producing worker bees (59.1%), less successful were colonies initiated with honey bee workers (33.3%), and least successful were bumble bee gynes initiating colonies alone (16.7%). There was a negative correlation between the numbers of days to the emergence of the first worker in a colony to the attainment of ultimate colony size, indicating that gynes that have not commenced oviposition in 21 days are unlikely to result in colonies exceeding 50 workers. B. appositus had the highest rate of nest establishment followed by B. bifarius and B. centralis. Nest establishment rates in three western bumble bee species can be increased dramatically by the addition of either honey bee workers or a second gyne to nesting boxes at colony initiation.

Patrones de asociación entre insectos polinizadores y palmas silvestres en Colombia con énfasis en palmas de importancia económica

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Núñez Avellaneda, Luis Alberto

2014-01-01

Se describe, analiza y valida el papel de los insectos que han sido considerados los principales polinizadores de palmas neotropicales: las especies del género Mystrops (Nitidulidae), diferentes grupos de gorgojos (Curculionidae), los escarabajos del género Cyclocephala (Dynastidae), especies de y Abejas sin aguijón (Apidae Meliponinae). El estudio se realizó a partir de un análisis multiespecífico y multitemporal de polinizadores que involucró la colecta, separación e identificacion de visit...

Comportamento de abelhas visitantes florais de Lecythis lurida (Lecythidaceae no norte do estado do Rio de Janeiro Behavior of flower visiting bees of Lecythis lurida in the north of Rio de Janeiro state

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Willian Moura Aguiar

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Este estudo descreve e analisa o comportamento dos visitantes florais de L. lurida em fragmentos de mata de tabuleiro. Esta espécie monóica floresceu de outubro a janeiro. As flores abriram-se entre 5h30 e 10h00 e a antese floral não ultrapassou um dia. Durante amostragens padronizadas foram coletadas 172 abelhas visitantes florais, pertencentes a 10 gêneros e 18 espécies. As maiores freqüências foram de Epicharis flava (42,3%, Xylocopa frontalis (16,3% e Eufriesea surinamensis (11,6%, com atividade principalmente de 7h00 às 11h00. Abelhas Centridini, Euglossina e Xylocopini buscam néctar nas flores e foram considerados polinizadores efetivos. Megachile coleta pólen e também é potencial polinizador. Oxaea flavescens atuou como pilhador de néctar, perfurando o capuz da flor. Experimentos de polinização indicaram ausência de autopolinização espontânea e baixa taxa de frutificação (0,48% sob condições naturais. Como observado para outras espécies zigomórficas de Lecythidaceae, a complexa morfologia floral restringe os visitantes a abelhas de grande porte ou abelhas robustas que conseguem entrar pelo capuz floral. Entretanto, Centridini foi principal grupo de polinizadores de L.lurida, o que difere dos polinizadores indicados em outros trabalhos sobre Lecythis e outros gêneros de Lecythidaceae na região amazônica.This study describes and analyses the behavior of L. lurida flower visitors in fragments of tabuleiro lowland forest. This monoecious species flowered from October to January. The flowers opened between 5:30 and 10:00 a.m. and floral anthesis did not exceed one day. Standardizing samples on flowers resulted in 172 bees, belonging to ten genera and 18 species. Epicharis flava (42,3%, Xylocopa frontalis (16,3% and Eufriesea surinamensis (11,6% performed the highest relative frequencies, mainly occuring between 7:00 and 11:00a.m. Centridini, Euglossina and Xylocopini bees took nectar on flowers and were considered

Abelhas (Hymenoptera: Apoidea visitantes das flores de urucum em Vitória da Conquista, BA Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea visitors of the annatto flowers in Vitória da Conquista, Bahia State, Brazil

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Augusto Jorge Cavalcante Costa

2008-04-01

Full Text Available O urucum é um arbusto da família Bixaceae, utilizado na fabricação de corantes naturais para a indústria alimentícia e cosmética. No Brasil, somente nos últimos 15 anos, houve maior interesse pelo cultivo, pois se tornou uma alternativa agrícola promissora. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo identificar as abelhas visitantes das flores do urucuzeiro em Vitória da Conquista, BA. O trabalho foi conduzido no campo experimental da UESB, em uma lavoura do tipo cultivado Peruana Paulista. A coleta das abelhas visitantes foi feita na época principal de floração do urucueiro: março/abril, das 6h às 18h. Foram coletadas 3019 abelhas de 22 espécies, com predominância na visitação das 8h às 14h em relação ao número de indivíduos e número de espécies capturadas. As espécies mais freqüentes foram: Trigona spinipes (Fabricius, Apis mellifera L., Schwarziana quadripunctata (Lepeletier e Tetragonisca angustula (Latreille. Espécies de maior porte, como Xylocopa frontalis (Olivier, Bombus morio (Swederus e Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier, consideradas como eficientes na polinização da cultura do urucum, não foram abundantes neste estudo.Annatto is a shrub from Bixaceae family, which natural pigment (annatto is widely used in food and cosmetic industries. In Brazil, the interest for this crop started in the last fifteen years, once it became a promising agricultural alternative. This study was aimed at identifing visitor bees of annatto flowers at the agriculture region of Vitória da Conquista (BA. The research was carried out in the experimental field of UESB, in an experimental plot planted with the cv. Peruana Paulista. The visitor bees were collected during the main blooming period: March/April, between 6:00h and 18:00h. A total of 3,019 bees from 22 species was collected, with higher visitation during the period from 8:00 to 14:00h, regarding the number of individuals and species. The species most frequent were Trigona spinipes

Kommenteret checkliste over Danmarks bier – Del 3

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Henning Bang; Calabuig, Isabel

2010-01-01

This paper presents Part 3 of a checklist for the taxa of bees occurring in Denmark, dealing with the families Melittidae and Megachilidae, and covering 53 species. The remaining two families (Halictidae and Apidae) will be dealt with in future papers. The following two species are hereby recorded...... as belonging to the Danish bee fauna: Melitta tricincta Kirby, 1802 and Hoplosmia spinulosa (Kirby, 1802). Megachile pyrenaea Pérez, 1890 and Osmia bicolor (Schrank, 1781) are excluded from the Danish checklist. Species that have the potential to occur in Denmark are discussed briefly....

Visitantes florais de Lagerstroemia speciosa Pers: (Lythraceae Floral visitors in Lagerstroemia speciosa Pers: (Lythraceae

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Maria de Jesus Vitali-Veiga

1999-06-01

Full Text Available Studies were carried out with Lagerstroemia speciosa Pers. on floral reproductive systems, diversity and constancy of visiting insects at different hours of day, the behaviour of these insects at the flowers and the influence of these environmental factors in relation to their visits. The fenology, anthesis and others particularity of this vegetal species was studied. A great diversity of insects was verified visiting the flowers with the predominance of bees. The most frequent and constant species encountered were: Nannotrigona testaceicornis (Lepeletier, 1836 (40,2%, Tetragonisca angustula (Latreille, 1811 (16,9%, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 (11,8%, Plebeia droryana (Friese, 1900 (9,1 % e Exomalopsis fulvofasciata (Smith, 1879 (8,5%. The blossoms possessis features of melittophily syndrome and diurnal anthesis. The environmental factors influence the insects foraging activity, mainly temperature, light, time of day, humidity and wind speed. The effective pollinators were the large insects like Bombus morio (Swederus, 1787, Bombus atratus (Franklin, 1913, Centris tarsata (Smith, 1874, Centris flavifrons Fabricius, 1775, Xylocopa suspecta Camargo & Moure, 1988, Xylocopa frontalis (Olivier, 1789 and Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier, 1841.

Native Honey Bees Outperform Adventive Honey Bees in Increasing Pyrus bretschneideri (Rosales: Rosaceae) Pollination.

Science.gov (United States)

Gemeda, Tolera Kumsa; Shao, Youquan; Wu, Wenqin; Yang, Huipeng; Huang, Jiaxing; Wu, Jie

2017-12-05

The foraging behavior of different bee species is a key factor influencing the pollination efficiency of different crops. Most pear species exhibit full self-incompatibility and thus depend entirely on cross-pollination. However, as little is known about the pear visitation preferences of native Apis cerana (Fabricius; Hymenoptera: Apidae) and adventive Apis mellifera (L.; Hymenoptera: Apidae) in China. A comparative analysis was performed to explore the pear-foraging differences of these species under the natural conditions of pear growing areas. The results show significant variability in the pollen-gathering tendency of these honey bees. Compared to A. mellifera, A. cerana begins foraging at an earlier time of day and gathers a larger amount of pollen in the morning. Based on pollen collection data, A. mellifera shows variable preferences: vigorously foraging on pear on the first day of observation but collecting pollen from non-target floral resources on other experimental days. Conversely, A. cerana persists in pear pollen collection, without shifting preference to other competitive flowers. Therefore, A. cerana outperforms adventive A. mellifera with regard to pear pollen collection under natural conditions, which may lead to increased pear pollination. This study supports arguments in favor of further multiplication and maintenance of A. cerana for pear and other native crop pollination. Moreover, it is essential to develop alternative pollination management techniques to utilize A. mellifera for pear pollination. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Production of antibacterial peptide from bee venom via a new strategy for heterologous expression.

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Hou, Chunsheng; Guo, Liqiong; Lin, Junfang; You, Linfeng; Wu, Wuhua

2014-12-01

Honey bee is important economic insect that not only pollinates fruits and crops but also provides products with various physiological activities. Bee venom is a functional agent that is widely applied in clinical treatment and pharmacy. Secapin is one of these agents that have a significant role in therapy. The functions of secapin from the bee venom have been documented, but little information is known about its heterologous expression under natural condition. Moreover, few scholars verified experimentally the functions of secapin from bee venom in vitro. In this study, we successfully constructed a heterologous expression vector, which is different from conventional expression system. A transgenic approach was established for transformation of secapin gene from the venom of Apis mellifera carnica (Ac-sec) into the edible fungi, Coprinus cinereus. Ac-sec was encoded by a 234 bp nucleotide that contained a signal peptide domain and two potential phosphorylation sites. The sequence exhibited highly homology with various secapins characterized from honey bee and related species. Southern blot data indicated that Ac-sec was present as single or multiple copy loci in the C. cinereus genome. By co-transformation and double-layer active assay, Ac-sec was expressed successfully in C. cinereus and the antibacterial activity of the recombinants was identified, showing notable antibacterial activities on different bacteria. Although Ac-sec is from the venom of Apidae, phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that Ac-sec was more closely related to that of Vespid than to bee species from Apidae. The molecular characteristics of Ac-sec and the potential roles of small peptides in biology were discussed.

Diversity and Phenology of Wild Bees in a Highly Disturbed Tropical Dry Forest "Desierto de la Tatacoa", Huila-Colombia.

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Poveda-Coronel, C A; Riaño-Jiménez, D; Cure, J R

2018-01-12

Colombian tropical dry forest is considered the most endangered tropical biome due to anthropic activities. Desierto de la Tatacoa (DsT) is an example of high disturbed tropical dry forest which still maintains a high biodiversity. The objective of the study was to record the diversity and phenology of wild bees in this place by monthly sampling between December 2014 and December 2016 in a 9-km 2 area. During the study, there was a prolonged El Niño-Southern Oscillation period. Bees were collected by entomological nets, malaise traps, eugenol scent trapping, and nest traps. Shannon index was calculated to estimate diversity and Simpson index to determine dominance of a species. The effect of environmental conditions (wet and dry season) in richness and abundance was analyzed by paired T tests. A total of 3004 bee specimens were collected, belonging to 80 species from Apidae, Megachilidae, Halictidae, and Colletidae. Apidae was the most diverse. Shannon index value was 2.973 (discarding Apis mellifera Linnaeus 1758 data); thus, DsT can be considered as a zone of high wild bee diversity. Dry and rainy season showed differences in diversity (p < 0.05). Rainy season showed larger blooming periods and higher bee diversity than dry season. In both seasons, social species were dominant (e.g., A. mellifera or Trigona fulviventris Guérin 1844). Although DsT is a highly disturbed ecosystem, this study found it has the second highest number of genera and the fourth highest number of species reported in Colombia.

Effects of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and bumble bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) presence on cranberry (Ericales: Ericaceae) pollination.

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Evans, E C; Spivak, M

2006-06-01

Honey bees, Apis mellifera L., are frequently used to pollinate commercial cranberries, Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait., but information is lacking on the relative contribution of honey bees and native bees, the effects of surrounding vegetation on bee visitation, and on optimal timing for honey bee introduction. We begin with a descriptive study of numbers of honey bees, bumble bees, and other bees visiting cranberry blossoms, and their subsequent effect on cranberry yield, on three cranberry properties in 1999. The property surrounded by agricultural land, as opposed to wetlands and woodlands, had fewer numbers of all bee types. In 2000, one property did not introduce honey bee colonies, providing an opportunity to document the effect of lack of honey bees on yield. With no honey bees, plants along the edge of the bed had significantly higher berry weights compared with nonedge plants, suggesting that wild pollinators were only effective along the edge. Comparing the same bed between 1999, with three honey bee colonies per acre, and 2000, with no honey bees, we found a significant reduction in average berry size. In 2000, we compared stigma loading on properties with and without honey bees. Significantly more stigmas received the minimum number of tetrads required for fruit set on the property with honey bees. Significantly more tetrads were deposited during mid-bloom compared with early bloom, indicating that mid-bloom was the best time to have honey bees present. This study emphasizes the importance and effectiveness of honey bees as pollinators of commercial size cranberry plantings.

Dual Effect of Phenolic Nectar on Three Floral Visitors of Elsholtzia rugulosa (Lamiaceae) in SW China.

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Zhang, Feng-Ping; Yang, Qiu-Yun; Zhang, Shi-Bao

2016-01-01

Some plants secrete toxic nectar to appeal to most effective pollinators and deter non-pollinators or nectar thieves; however available information about ecological function of toxic nectar remains scarce. Elsholtzia rugulosa stands out as a plant with toxic nectar recorded in SW China. We focused on the functional significance of the phenolic compound that imparts toxic to the nectar of E. rugulosa. The effects of phenolic nectar were studied in three visitors of the flowers of the winter-blooming E. rugulosa Hemsl. (Lamiaceae) in SW China. The pollinating species Apis cerana Fabricius (Apidae; Asian honey bee) and two occasional visitors, Vespa velutina Lepeletier (Vespidae; yellow-legged Asian hornet) and Bombus eximius Smith (Apidae; a bumble bee) were tested for their preferences for low and high concentrations of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid in hexose and sucrose solutions. The pollinator is important for the plant, which is dependent on pollinator visits to attain a higher seed production and it is most likely that the combination of phenolic toxic nectar and the adaptation to phenolic nectar by A. cerana delivers an evolutionary advantage to both actors. The low and high concentrations of the phenolic acid were nearly totally refused by both occasional visitors V. velutina and B. eximius and were preferred by the pollinator A. cerana. E. rugulosa gains by having a much higher seed production and the pollinating honey bee by having an exclusive and reliable food source during the winter season at high altitudes in SW China. We found that the function of the toxic phenolic compound has dual roles by appealing to legitimate pollinators and deterring non-pollinators of E. rugulosa.

Dual Effect of Phenolic Nectar on Three Floral Visitors of Elsholtzia rugulosa (Lamiaceae in SW China.

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Feng-Ping Zhang

Full Text Available Some plants secrete toxic nectar to appeal to most effective pollinators and deter non-pollinators or nectar thieves; however available information about ecological function of toxic nectar remains scarce. Elsholtzia rugulosa stands out as a plant with toxic nectar recorded in SW China. We focused on the functional significance of the phenolic compound that imparts toxic to the nectar of E. rugulosa. The effects of phenolic nectar were studied in three visitors of the flowers of the winter-blooming E. rugulosa Hemsl. (Lamiaceae in SW China. The pollinating species Apis cerana Fabricius (Apidae; Asian honey bee and two occasional visitors, Vespa velutina Lepeletier (Vespidae; yellow-legged Asian hornet and Bombus eximius Smith (Apidae; a bumble bee were tested for their preferences for low and high concentrations of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid in hexose and sucrose solutions. The pollinator is important for the plant, which is dependent on pollinator visits to attain a higher seed production and it is most likely that the combination of phenolic toxic nectar and the adaptation to phenolic nectar by A. cerana delivers an evolutionary advantage to both actors. The low and high concentrations of the phenolic acid were nearly totally refused by both occasional visitors V. velutina and B. eximius and were preferred by the pollinator A. cerana. E. rugulosa gains by having a much higher seed production and the pollinating honey bee by having an exclusive and reliable food source during the winter season at high altitudes in SW China. We found that the function of the toxic phenolic compound has dual roles by appealing to legitimate pollinators and deterring non-pollinators of E. rugulosa.

Diversidade de insetos e frequência de abelhas visitantes florais de Serjania lethalis na Chapada do Araripe

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Társio Thiago Lopes Alves

2014-11-01

Full Text Available O cipó-uva Serjania lethalis pertence à Sapindacea, grupo de plantas escandentes reconhecidas por sua importância apícola. A espécie é encontrada naturalmente na Chapada do Araripe. O objetivo do trabalho foi estudar a diversidade e frequência dos visitantes florais do cipó-uva nos municípios de Santana do Cariri – CE e Moreilândia – PE nos meses de agosto a novembro entre2009 e 2010. Os visitantes florais foram conhecidos por meio de coletas regulares, usando-se rede entomológica durante o pico de floração. A frequência média de abelhas visitantes florais foi determinada através da contagem simples dos indivíduos, percorrendo por 20 minutos transectos pré-determinados, em sete horários diferentes ao longo dia. Os resultados mostraram indivíduos de Lepidoptera, Diptera, Apidae, Vespidea, Formicidae e Pompilidae visitando as inflorescências do Cipó - Uva, sendo os indivíduos de Apidae mais significativos. Conclui-se que a espécie S. lethalis atrai uma diversidade de visitantes florais, na grande maioria abelhas, especialmente Apis mellifera e Trigona spinipes que a visitam ao longo de todo o dia, indicando uma disponibilidade de recursos por todo esse período, sugerindo que a espécie vegetal possui potencial apícola. A visitação por outras espécies de abelhas nativas e insetos de outros grupos, demonstram a importância de S. lethalis para manutenção de visitantes florais silvestres da Chapada do Araripe.

Ecologia da polinização da amoreira-preta (Rubus sp (Rosaceae em Timbó-SC, Brasil Pollination ecology of blackberry (Rubus sp. (Rosaceae in Timbo (SC, Brazil

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Leônidas João de Mello Junior

2011-09-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho verificou experimentalmente a ecologia da polinização da amoreira-preta (Rubus sp.. Objetivou-se confirmar a síndrome de polinização de Rubus sp., por meio de análise de seu sistema reprodutivo, quantificação da produção diária de néctar, levantamento da entomofauna que visita as flores da amoreira na área de estudo e análise do seu comportamento polinizador. Os experimentos foram realizados em uma área de cultivo de amoreira-preta, no mês de dezembro de 2005, município de Timbó (SC. Constatou-se que a maior taxa de frutificação (48,3 % ± 3,2 ocorreu via polinização livre, onde os insetos não foram excluídos. Foi verificada a ocorrência de autopolinização, porém com taxa inferior de frutificação (12,2% ± 4,9. A anemofilia não foi constatada na espécie. A avaliação da produção de néctar em Rubus sp. resultou em valores compatíveis com a síndrome de melitofilia. Os visitantes florais coletados e observados sobre as flores de Rubus sp. foram predominantemente abelhas da ordem Hymenoptera (97%, que iniciam, em menor número, a atividade de forrageamento às 8h, com pico de atividade às 12h e declinando até às 16h. As coletas resultaram numa amostragem de 1.360 abelhas, divididas em quatro famílias e 13 espécies. A família com maior riqueza de espécies (N = 7 foi Halictidae e a mais abundante foi Apidae, com 1.288 indivíduos. Em Apidae, houve o predomínio da espécie exótica Apis mellifera, cuja representação na amostra foi de 1.246 indivíduos. Os dados da abundância e as observações naturalísticas do seu comportamento da flor apontaram A. mellifera como o principal polinizador de Rubus sp., mas confirmam que as demais espécies de abelhas também participam na polinização de Rubus sp.The pollination ecology of the blackberry (Rubus sp. was studied by means of determining its reproductive system, the analysis of flower's nectar production. Sampling the insects that visit

Reproduction in eusocial bees (Apidae: Apini, Meliponini)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chinh, T.X.

2004-01-01

This thesis presents some key aspects of the regulation and the mechanisms of colony reproduction in honeybees and stingless bees. Special attention is paid to key questions about how the production of males, gynes and swarms takes place, and what intranidal and extranidal factors are related to

Absence of ancient DNA in sub-fossil insect inclusions preserved in 'Anthropocene' Colombian copal.

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David Penney

Full Text Available Insects preserved in copal, the sub-fossilized resin precursor of amber, have potential value in molecular ecological studies of recently-extinct species and of extant species that have never been collected as living specimens. The objective of the work reported in this paper was therefore to determine if ancient DNA is present in insects preserved in copal. We prepared DNA libraries from two stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini: Trigonisca ameliae preserved in 'Anthropocene' Colombian copal, dated to 'post-Bomb' and 10,612±62 cal yr BP, respectively, and obtained sequence reads using the GS Junior 454 System. Read numbers were low, but were significantly higher for DNA extracts prepared from crushed insects compared with extracts obtained by a non-destructive method. The younger specimen yielded sequence reads up to 535 nucleotides in length, but searches of these sequences against the nucleotide database revealed very few significant matches. None of these hits was to stingless bees though one read of 97 nucleotides aligned with two non-contiguous segments of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene of the East Asia bumblebee Bombus hypocrita. The most significant hit was for 452 nucleotides of a 470-nucleotide read that aligned with part of the genome of the root-nodulating bacterium Bradyrhizobium japonicum. The other significant hits were to proteobacteria and an actinomycete. Searches directed specifically at Apidae nucleotide sequences only gave short and insignificant alignments. All of the reads from the older specimen appeared to be artefacts. We were therefore unable to obtain any convincing evidence for the preservation of ancient DNA in either of the two copal inclusions that we studied, and conclude that DNA is not preserved in this type of material. Our results raise further doubts about claims of DNA extraction from fossil insects in amber, many millions of years older than copal.

Vegetation Management and Host Density Influence Bee-Parasite Interactions in Urban Gardens.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Hamutahl; Quistberg, Robyn D; Philpott, Stacy M

2017-12-08

Apocephalus borealis phorid flies, a parasitoid of bumble bees and yellow jacket wasps in North America, was recently reported as a novel parasitoid of the honey bee Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Little is known about the ecology of this interaction, including phorid fecundity on bee hosts, whether phorid-bee parasitism is density dependent, and which local habitat and landscape features may correlate with changes in parasitism rates for either bumble or honey bees. We examined the impact of local and landscape drivers and host abundance on phorid parasitism of A. mellifera and the bumble bee Bombus vosnesenskii Radoszkowski (Hymenoptera: Apidae). We worked in 19 urban gardens along the North-Central Coast of California, where phorid parasitism of honey bees was first reported in 2012. We collected and incubated bees for phorid emergence, and surveyed local vegetation, ground cover, and floral characteristics as well as land cover types surrounding gardens. We found that phorid parasitism was higher on bumble bees than on honey bees, and phorids produced nearly twice as many pupae on individual bumble bee hosts than on honey bee hosts. Parasitism of both bumble and honey bees increased with abundance of honey bees in a site. Differences in landscape surroundings did not correlate with parasitism, but local factors related to bee resource provisioning (e.g., tree and shrub abundance) positively correlated with increased parasitism. This research thus helps to document and describe conditions that may have facilitated phorid fly host shift to honey bees and further elucidate how resource provisioning in urban gardens influences bee-parasite interactions. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Meliponini Neotropicais: o gênero Dolichotrigona Moure (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apinae Neotropical Meliponini: the genus Dolichotrigona Moure (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apinae

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João M. F. Camargo

2005-03-01

Full Text Available O gênero neotropical de abelhas-sem-ferrão Dolichotrigona Moure, 1950, é revisado. Sete espécies novas são descritas: D. mendersoni sp. nov. (Brasil: AM, AC, RO, D. clavicornis sp. nov. (Brasil: AC, D. rondoni sp. nov. (Brasil: RO, D. tavaresi sp. nov. (Brasil: AM, AC, D. browni sp. nov. (Brasil: RO, AC, MT; Peru, Equador, Bolívia, D. moratoi sp. nov. (Brasil, AM, AC e D. chachapoya sp. nov. (Peru. O holótipo de Trigona martinezi Brèthes, 1920, e o lectótipo de Melipona longitarsis Ducke, 1916 - aqui designado -, foram examinados e redescritos. Trigona schulthessi Friese, 1900, foi interpretada com base na literatura. Chave para identificação das espécies e ilustrações dos principais caracteres diagnósticos são apresentadas.The Neotropical stingless bees genus Dolichotrigona Moure, 1950, is revised. Seven new species are described: D. mendersoni sp. nov. (Brazil: AM, AC, RO, D. clavicornis sp. nov. (Brazil: AC, D. rondoni sp. nov. (Brazil: RO, D. tavaresi sp. nov. (Brazil: AM, AC, D. browni sp. nov. (Brazil: RO, AC, MT; Peru, Equador, Bolivia, D. moratoi sp. nov. (Brazil, AM, AC and D. chachapoya sp. nov. (Peru. The holotype of Trigona martinezi Brèthes, 1920, and the lectotype of Melipona longitarsis Ducke, 1916 - herein designated -, were examined and redescribed. Trigona schulthessi Friese, 1900, was interpreted based on the literature. Identification key for species and illustrations of the main diagnostic characters are presented.

Mitochondrial tRNA gene translocations in highly eusocial bees

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Daniela Silvestre

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Mitochondrial gene rearrangement events, especially involving tRNA genes, have been described more frequently as more complete mitochondrial genome sequences are becoming available. In the present work, we analyzed mitochondrial tRNA gene rearrangements between two bee species belonging to the tribes Apini and Meliponini within the "corbiculate Apidae". Eleven tRNA genes are in different genome positions or strands. The molecular events responsible for each translocation are explained. Considering the high number of rearrangements observed, the data presented here contradict the general rule of high gene order conservation among closely related organisms, and also represent a powerful molecular tool to help solve questions about phylogeny and evolution in bees.

Melittofauna and Other Potential Pollinators in Wetland and Uplands in South Central Nebraska (Insecta: Apoidea).

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Cynthia N; Overall, Lisa M; Smith, Loren M; Lagrange, Ted; McMurry, Scott

2017-03-10

Our objective was to document potential wild pollinating insects in south central Nebraska. This intensively cultivated region is known as the Rainwater Basin and contains some of the most endangered wetland systems in North America. We used blue vane traps to passively collect insects and insect nets to actively collect on flowering plants from April through October in 2014 and 2015. Habitat types included playa wetlands, adjacent mixed and tallgrass prairies, and agricultural fields. Over 112,000 insects were collected; Hymenoptera represented 78% of the total, and the families Apidae and Halictidae comprised 99% of the total melittofauna. Insects from 13 orders were collected, but Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera were the most abundant potential pollinators.

Biologia reprodutiva de Cattleya eldorado, uma espécie de Orchidaceae das campinas amazônicas Reproductive biology of Cattleya eldorado, a species of Orchidaceae from the Amazonian white sand campinas

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Eliana Fernandez Storti

2011-01-01

Full Text Available As Orchidaceae são muito apreciadas por suas flores exóticas e exuberantes. É a maior família de plantas apresentando mais de 24000 espécies, o que denota uma alta diversidade de formas e adaptações a diferentes ambientes, como também para atração, engano e manipulação de visitantes na realização da polinização cruzada. Cattleya eldorado ocorre em áreas de campinas, que são formações vegetais típicas da região amazônica, que se encontram sob forte ação antrópica. Este trabalho tem como um de seus principais objetivos conhecer parte dos processos biológicos de C. eldorado fornecendo subsídios para conservá-la e manejá-la em seu habitat natural. Este estudo foi desenvolvido na Reserva Biológica de Campina, de 2000 a 2006, durante a sua floração. C. eldorado é uma espécie epifítica que apresenta a síndrome de melitofilia, estando adaptada ao seu polinizador, a abelha Eulaema mocsaryi, que reconhece suas flores pelo odor e pelo estímulo visual através de sua coloração e reflexão de luz ultravioleta. C. eldorado é uma espécie autocompatível, embora necessite de um agente polinizador para a transferência do polinário até sua deposição na cavidade estigmática da flor.The orchid plants are highly prized for their lush exotic flowers. It is the largest plant family with more than 24000 species, which indicates a high diversity of forms and adaptations to different environments, including the capacity to attract, deceive and manipulate visitors involved in cross-pollination. Cattleya eldorado occurs in areas of white sand campinas, a typical vegetation type of the Amazon region, which is under strong anthropogenic pressure. This work's main objectives to know the biological processes of C. eldorado providing subsidies to maintain and manage it in its natural habitat. This study was conducted from 2000 to 2006 in the Campina Biological Reserve, during its flowering period. C. eldorado is an epiphytic

Aspectos da biologia de Euplusia violacea (Blanchard (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini Aspects of biology of Euplusia violacea (Blanchard (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini

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Rui Carlos Peruquetti

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Nests of orchid bee Euplusia violacea (Blanchard, 1840 colleted in trap-nests and in the wood of a construction in Viçosa, Minas Gerais (20º45'30"S, 42º52'05"W, Brazil, were studied under laboratory condictions. Some aspects of the biology of these bees were observed, such as sex-ratio, development time, Iongevity and others. Some aspects of the behavior of E. violada were also studied.

Knowledge about useful entomofauna in the county of La Purísima Palmar de Bravo, Puebla State, Mexico

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D. H. Zetina

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Eighteen species of edible insects belonging to 15 families of six orders of Insecta were recorded in the county of La Purísima Palmar de Bravo in Puebla State, Mexico. They had the following taxonomic distribution among the different families: Lygaeidae, Pentatomidae, Membracidae, Cercopidae, Psocidae, Melolonthidae, Curculionidae, Cossidae, Megathymidae, Pyralidae, Geometridae and Apidae, all with a single recorded species; the families Acrididae, Formicidae and Vespidae with two species in each family. The latter were the most abundant families, and Hymenoptera was the most salient order with five species. Three species were reported as new registers of edible insects for Mexico and also for the world. The nutritive value of insects in terms of macro and micronutrients is discussed.

Flight activity of Melipona asilvai Moure (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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B. A. Souza

Full Text Available Many stingless bee species are specific to their areas of occurrence. Even when adapted to their local climate and flora conditions, they are subject to modifications in the environment, directly influencing flight activity. The aim of this work is to obtain information about the flight activity of the stingless bee Melipona asilvai Moure, thus contributing to the knowledge of this species. The flow of bees entering and leaving the colony was evaluated, and the type of transported material was identified. This information was correlated with climatic data collected at the time of observations, performed between June 2002 and March 2003. It can be proved that temperature was the factor with the greatest influence on the external activity of this species, showing a significant positive correlation with the entry of bees into the colony and pollen collection. Mud collecting showed a significant positive correlation with a humidity increase. Flight activity began at a temperature of 21.0 °C and humidity of 84.5%, peaking at 27.4 °C and 60.6% RH, respectively.

Flight activity of Melipona asilvai Moure (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

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Souza, B A; Carvalho, C A L; Alves, R M O

2006-05-01

Many stingless bee species are specific to their areas of occurrence. Even when adapted to their local climate and flora conditions, they are subject to modifications in the environment, directly influencing flight activity. The aim of this work is to obtain information about the flight activity of the stingless bee Melipona asilvai Moure, thus contributing to the knowledge of this species. The flow of bees entering and leaving the colony was evaluated, and the type of transported material was identified. This information was correlated with climatic data collected at the time of observations, performed between June 2002 and March 2003. It can be proved that temperature was the factor with the greatest influence on the external activity of this species, showing a significant positive correlation with the entry of bees into the colony and pollen collection. Mud collecting showed a significant positive correlation with a humidity increase. Flight activity began at a temperature of 21.0 degrees C and humidity of 84.5%, peaking at 27.4 degrees C and 60.6% RH, respectively.

Handling sticky resin by stingless bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Markus Gastauer

2011-06-01

Full Text Available For their nest defense, stingless bees (Meliponini collect plant resins which they stick on intruders like ants or cleptobiotic robber bees causing their immobilization. The aim of this article is to identify all parts of stingless bee workers contacting these sticky resins. Of special interest are those body parts with anti-adhesive properties to resin, where it can be removed without residues. For that, extensive behavioral observations during foraging flight, handling and application of the resin have been carried out. When handling the resin, all tarsi touch the resin while walking above it. For transportation from plants to the nest during foraging flight, the resin is packed to the corbicula via tarsi and basitarsi of front and middle legs. Once stuck to the resin or after the corbicula had been unloaded, the bee's legs have to be cleaned thoroughly. Only the tips of the mandibles, that form, cut and apply the sticky resin, seem to have at least temporarily resin-rejecting properties.

Espectro polínico de amostras de mel de Apis mellifera L., coletadas na Bahia Pollen spectrum of samples of Apis mellifera L., honey collected in Bahia State, Brazil

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AUGUSTA CAROLINA DE CAMARGO CARMELLO MORETI

2000-01-01

Full Text Available O espectro polínico encontrado em amostras de mel provenientes de seis municípios do Estado da Bahia foi analisado com o objetivo de contribuir para o conhecimento da flora visitada por Apis mellifera L. 1758 (Hymenoptera: ApidaeA identificação dos tipos polínicos foi feita por meio de literatura especializada e de informações de campo. Foram encontrados 43 tipos de pólen, sendo consideradas como dominantes as espécies Eucalyptus sp. (Myrtaceae, Mimosa verrucosa Benth. (Mimosaceae, M. scabrella Benth. (Mimosaceae e Bauhinia sp. (Caesalpiniaceae. Os tipos acessórios foram Alternanthera ficoidea R.Br. (Amaranthaceae, tipo Compositae (Asteraceae e Cecropia sp. (Moraceae. Destacou-se a participação de Mimosa sp. (Mimosaceae e de outras espécies silvestres na composição dos méis nos municípios considerados, registrando-se ainda a espécie Eucalyptus sp. (Myrtaceae como uma das principais fontes de alimento das abelhas dessa região.Pollen spectrum found in honey samples from six localities of Bahia State, Brazil, was analyzed with the objective to contribute for the knowledge of the plants used by Apis mellifera L., 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae. The identification of the pollen types was made by specialized literature and by field information. Two hundred pollen grains were studied in order to determine the percentage and the occurrence of each type. Forty three pollen types were identified, being considered as the predominant types Eucalyptus sp. (Myrtaceae, Mimosa verrucosa Benth. (Mimosaceae, M. scabrella Benth. (Mimosaceae and Bauhinia sp. (Caesalpiniaceae. The accessory pollen types were Alternanthera ficoidea R.Br. (Amaranthaceae, Compositae type (Asteraceae and Cecropia sp. (Moraceae. It is intense the participation of Mimosa sp. (Mimosaceae and other wild species in the honey composition of the six localities considered. Eucalyptus sp. (Myrtaceae is one of the dominant sources of bee food in some regions of Bahia State.

Uso da parafina incorporada à cera alveolada em colônias de abelhas Apis mellifera L. africanizadas para produção de mel Paraffin incorporation to beewax foundation in Apis mellifera L. Africanized colonies for honey production

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Vagner de Alencar Arnaut de Toledo

2002-04-01

Full Text Available O objetivo foi avaliar favos construídos a partir de três tratamentos, lâminas de cera alveolada, lâminas de cera alveolada com parafina e parte do quadro sem cera. Foram utilizadas dez colônias de abelhas africanizadas, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae existentes na região de Marialva, Estado do Paraná. Foram efetuados mapeamentos da área construída e ocupada com mel, a intervalos de aproximadamente 20 dias. Três quadros, cada um contendo os três tratamentos foram colocados nas posições lateral esquerda, central e lateral direita da melgueira vista por trás da colméia. As abelhas construíram a maior área e ocuparam com mel (p The aim of this paper was the evaluation of combs from three experimental treatments: beeswax foundation, beeswax with paraffin and a gap frame, partially without wax. The experiment was carried out using ten Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae Africanized honeybee colonies in Marialva - state of Paraná, in the south of Brazil. They were accomplished by mapping areas constructed and occupied with honey, at intervals of approximately 20 days. Three combs, containing, each one, the three treatments were placed at the positions right lateral, central and left lateral of the super observed the hive to the back. The honeybees built the greatest area and filled with honey (p < 0.05 when the comb was introduced in the central position of the hive, compared to other treatments in which differences were also observed (p < 0.05. The position of the wax comb mixed with paraffin produced the smallest area (p < 0.05 occupied with honey compared to the others. Results showed that paraffin mixed with wax comb should be used since the combs are placed in the central position and must be used for production of honey in sections.

Biologia floral e polinização por abelhas em siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum Urb. Floral biology and bees pollination by bees in siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum Urb

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Maria Claudia Colla Ruvolo-Takasusuki

2002-04-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar estudos sobre polinização em siratro, avaliando o período de antese, abelhas visitantes, viabilidade dos grãos de pólen e produção de sementes, utilizando dois tratamentos, um de plantas cobertas e outro de descobertas. O período de antese foi 2,48 dias e 3,56 dias (P = 0,0023 e a produção foi de 8,62 e 11,15 sementes (P = 0,0001, para os tratamentos descoberto e coberto, respectivamente. O teste de receptividade do estigma indicou que 91,95% das flores abertas estavam receptivas. A viabilidade dos grãos de pólen foi 100%. Das seis famílias de abelhas que ocorrem no Brasil, foram encontradas cinco delas visitando as flores desta planta: Andrenidae (12%, Anthophoridae (4%, Apidae (56%, Halictidae (16% e Megachilidae (12%. Pode-se concluir que as flores de siratro são importantes fontes de pólen e néctar para as abelhas que contribuem para a polinização desta planta.This research was carried out to evaluate the pollination in siratro studying the anthesis period, pollen grain viability and seed production. Two treatments were used, one covered and another uncovered. The anthesis period was 2.48 days and 3.56 days (p = 0.0001 and the production was 8.62 and 11.15 seeds (p = 0.0023, in covered and uncovered treatments, respectively. The stigma receptivity test showed that 91.95% of opened flowers were receptive. Pollen grains viability was 100%. In Brazil, there are six families of bees and we have found five of them in Maringá region visiting the flowers of this plant: Apidae (56%, Megachilidae (12%, Halictidae (16%, Andrenidae (12% and Anthophoridae (4%. Results showed that the flowers of siratro are important as pollen and nectar source for bees which contribute to its pollination.

Notas sistemáticas sobre abejas Meliponini del Chaco (Hymenoptera, Apidae Systematic notes on Meliponini bees of the Chaco Region (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Arturo Roig Alsina

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Se tratan dos especies características de la Región Chaqueña: Scaptotrigona jujuyensis (Schrottky y Lestrimelitta chacoana n. sp. Se clarifica la identidad de Trigona jujuyensis Schrottky, 1911, y se le designa un neotipo. Se presentan descripciones, ilustraciones y datos de distribución para cada especie.Two species characteristic of the Chaco region are treated in this contribution: Scaptotrigona jujuyensis (Schrottky and Lestrimelitta chacoana n. sp. The identity of Trigona jujuyensis Schrottky, 1911, is clarified and a neotype is designated. Descriptions, illustrations and distributional data are presented for each species.

A review of the albidohirta group of Ptilothrix (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Emphorini Revisión del grupo albidohirta de Ptilothrix (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Emphorini

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Arturo Roig Alsina

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The albidohirta group of Ptilothrix Smith includes three species: Ptilothrix albidohirta Brèthes, P. concolor sp. nov., and P. nemoralis sp. nov. The group is known from northern and western Argentina and from central Bolivia. One of its species, P. albidohirta, reaches high altitudes in the Andes mountains, up to 3600 m a.s.l., while the other two species occur in the lowlands. A characterization of the group, descriptions of the species, and illustrations are provided.El grupo albidohirta de Ptilothrix Smith incluye tres especies: Ptilothrix albidohirta Brèthes, P. concolor sp. nov. y P. nemoralis sp. nov. Este grupo se conoce del oeste y norte de la Argentina y del centro de Bolivia. Una de sus especies, P. albidohirta, llega hasta los 3.600 m s.n.m. en la cordillera de los Andes, en tanto que las otras dos especies habitan en el llano. Se caracteriza el grupo y se describen e ilustran las especies.

Changes in Orchid Bee Communities Across Forest-Agroecosystem Boundaries in Brazilian Atlantic Forest Landscapes.

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De Aguiar, Willian Moura; Sofia, Silvia H; Melo, Gabriel A R; Gaglianone, Maria Cristina

2015-12-01

Deforestation has dramatically reduced the extent of Atlantic Forest cover in Brazil. Orchid bees are key pollinators in neotropical forest, and many species are sensitive to anthropogenic interference. In this sense understanding the matrix permeability for these bees is important for maintaining genetic diversity and pollination services. Our main objective was to assess whether the composition, abundance, and diversity of orchid bees in matrices differed from those in Atlantic forest. To do this we sampled orchid bees at 4-mo intervals from 2007 to 2009 in remnants of Atlantic Forest, and in the surrounding pasture and eucalyptus matrices. The abundance, richness, and diversity of orchid bees diminished significantly from the forest fragment toward the matrix points in the eucalyptus and pasture. Some common or intermediate species in the forest areas, such as Eulaema cingulata (F.) and Euglossa fimbriata Moure, respectively, become rare species in the matrices. Our results show that the orchid bee community is affected by the matrices surrounding the forest fragments. They also suggest that connections between forest fragments need to be improved using friendly matrices that can provide more favorable conditions for bees and increase their dispersal between fragments. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Fertility signals in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

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Sramkova, A.; Schulz, C.; Twele, R.; Francke, W.; Ayasse, M.

2008-06-01

In eusocial Hymenoptera, queen control over workers is probably inseparable from the mechanism of queen recognition. In primitively eusocial bumblebees ( Bombus), worker reproduction is controlled not only by the presence or absence of a dominant queen but also by other dominant workers. Furthermore, it was shown that the queen dominance is maintained by pheromonal cues. We investigated whether there is a similar odor signal released by egg-laying queens and workers that may have a function as a fertility signal. We collected cuticular surface extracts from nest-searching and breeding Bombus terrestris queens and workers that were characterized by their ovarian stages. In chemical analyses, we identified 61 compounds consisting of aldehydes, alkanes, alkenes, and fatty acid esters. Nest-searching queens and all groups of breeding females differed significantly in their odor bouquets. Furthermore, workers before the competition point (time point of colony development where workers start to develop ovaries and lay eggs) differed largely from queens and all other groups of workers. Breeding queens showed a unique bouquet of chemical compounds and certain queen-specific compounds, and the differences toward workers decrease with an increasing development of the workers’ ovaries, hinting the presence of a reliable fertility signal. Among the worker groups, the smallest differences were found after the competition point. Egg-laying females contained higher total amounts of chemical compounds and of relative proportions of wax-type esters and aldehydes than nest-searching queens and workers before the competition point. Therefore, these compounds may have a function as a fertility signal present in queens and workers.

Genetic divergence between Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae) populations.

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Tavares, Mara Garcia; Pietrani, Nathalia Teixeira; de Castro Durvale, Maxwell; Resende, Helder Canto; de Oliveira Campos, Lucio Antonio

2013-03-01

Melipona quadrifasciata is a stingless bee widely found throughout the Brazilian territory, with two recognized subspecies, M. quadrifasciata anthidioides, that exhibits interrupted metasomal stripes, and M. quadrifasciata quadrifasciata, with continuous metasomal stripes. This study aimed to estimate the genetic variability of these subspecies. For this purpose, 127 colonies from 15 Brazilian localities were analyzed, using nine species-specific microsatellite primers. At these loci, the number of alleles ranged from three to 15 (mean: 7.2), and the observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranged from 0.03-0.21, while the expected heterozygosity (He) ranged from 0.23-0.47. The genetic distances among populations ranged from 0.03-0.45. The FST multilocus value (0.23) indicated that the populations sampled were structured, and the clustering analysis showed the formation of two subgroups and two more distant populations. The first group contained the subspecies M. quadrifasciata quadrifasciata, and the other, the subspecies M. quadrifasciata anthidioides and the two M. quadrifasciata populations with continuous metasomal stripes from northern Minas Gerais. These results confirmed that the yellow metasomal stripes alone are not a good means for correctly identifying the different subspecies of M. quadrifasciata.

Genetic breeding on the bee Melipona scutellaris (Apidae, Meliponinae

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Barros José de Ribamar Silva

2006-01-01

Full Text Available A selection of queens of Melipona scutellaris through the most productive colonies were carried out during eight months in an orange honeyflow. Each of the colonies was evaluated by its production, that is, the gross weight production ( pollen, brood, geopropolis and wax of each hive. With this data a coefficient of repeatability was estimated by the intraclass correlation method, obtained r = 0.835 ± 0.071. The repeatibility is very high showing that the analysed data (production is repeatable. Selection was then carried out using the regression coefficient of each colony and the respective production gain. Using these data the colonies were divided into three groups according to the method Vencovsky and Kerr (1982: a with the colonies of highest productivity, b of least productivity, and c of intermediary productivity. Colonies with the highest production (Group a gave their queens to those of the lowest production (Group b after their queens were taken out and killed; while those of intermediate (Group c stayed with the same queens during the entire experiment both before and after the selection. The modifications in weight, that is, the genetic response was (R= 7.98 gr per day which indicated a selection gain. The estimate of the realized herdability is twice the rate of the response to selection (R by the selection differential (S2. That is then h²R=2(R/S2 then h²R= 0.166

Bees of the Azores: an annotated checklist (Apidae, Hymenoptera).

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Weissmann, Julie A; Picanço, Ana; Borges, Paulo A V; Schaefer, Hanno

2017-01-01

We report 18 species of wild bees plus the domesticated honeybee from the Azores, which adds nine species to earlier lists. One species, Hylaeus azorae , seems to be a single island endemic, and three species are possibly native ( Colletes eous , Halictus villosulus , and Hylaeus pictipes ). All the remaining bee species are most likely accidental introductions that arrived after human colonization of the archipelago in the 15 th century. Bee diversity in the Azores is similar to bee diversity of Madeira and Cape Verde but nearly ten times lower than it is in the Canary Islands.

Bees of the Azores: an annotated checklist (Apidae, Hymenoptera

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Julie A. Weissmann

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We report 18 species of wild bees plus the domesticated honeybee from the Azores, which adds nine species to earlier lists. One species, Hylaeus azorae, seems to be a single island endemic, and three species are possibly native (Colletes eous, Halictus villosulus, and Hylaeus pictipes. All the remaining bee species are most likely accidental introductions that arrived after human colonization of the archipelago in the 15th century. Bee diversity in the Azores is similar to bee diversity of Madeira and Cape Verde but nearly ten times lower than it is in the Canary Islands.

Effects of Apis mellifera adansonii, L. 1758 (Apidae: Hymenoptera ...

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pollination on yields of Cucumeropsis mannii (Naudin) in Kisangani, ... 1Unit of Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, University of Liège, ... number of fruits per plant, average weight of seeds extracted per fruit, ... enhance symbiotic interactions Apis mellifera with C. mannii in DRC. ..... Trends in Ecology and Evolution,.

Phenology and floral visitors of Erythrina crista-galli L. (Leguminosae: Faboideae in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

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Ana Beatriz Barros de Morais

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Erythrina crista-galli is a characteristic species of the Pampa biome also used as an ornament in urban arborization. Erythrina crista-galli flourishes more intensively from November to Decem¬ber. Anthesis starts around 7:00 am to 11:00 am, and flowers last five days. A total of 1,275 floral visits were registered over 57h of observations. Apidae bees (Trigona spinipes and Apis mellifera were the most frequent visitors (88.23%, followed by Muscidae flies (5.50%, Formicidae ants (2.35%, Vespidae wasps (1.56%, and Chrysomelidae beetles (1.56%. Trochilidae hummingbirds (Chlorostilbon aureoventris (0.79% also visited the flowers. Trigona spinipes was observed at throughout the daytime and behaved as a probable pollinator, along with A. mellifera and C. aureoventris. E. crista-galli is autocompatible, producing fruits and seeds after manual pollination and under natural conditions.

The bee tree of life: a supermatrix approach to apoid phylogeny and biogeography.

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Hedtke, Shannon M; Patiny, Sébastien; Danforth, Bryan N

2013-07-03

Bees are the primary pollinators of angiosperms throughout the world. There are more than 16,000 described species, with broad variation in life history traits such as nesting habitat, diet, and social behavior. Despite their importance as pollinators, the evolution of bee biodiversity is understudied: relationships among the seven families of bees remain controversial, and no empirical global-level reconstruction of historical biogeography has been attempted. Morphological studies have generally suggested that the phylogeny of bees is rooted near the family Colletidae, whereas many molecular studies have suggested a root node near (or within) Melittidae. Previous molecular studies have focused on a relatively small sample of taxa (~150 species) and genes (seven at most). Public databases contain an enormous amount of DNA sequence data that has not been comprehensively analysed in the context of bee evolution. We downloaded, aligned, concatenated, and analysed all available protein-coding nuclear gene DNA sequence data in GenBank as of October, 2011. Our matrix consists of 20 genes, with over 17,000 aligned nucleotide sites, for over 1,300 bee and apoid wasp species, representing over two-thirds of bee genera. Whereas the matrix is large in terms of number of genes and taxa, there is a significant amount of missing data: only ~15% of the matrix is populated with data. The placement of the root as well as relationships between Andrenidae and other bee families remain ambiguous, as several alternative maximum-likelihood estimates fall within the statistically credible set. However, we recover strong bootstrap support for relationships among many families and for their monophyly. Ancestral geographic range reconstruction suggests a likely origin of bees in the southern hemisphere, with Melittidae ancestrally located within Africa, and Halictidae, Colletidae, and Apidae within the New World. Our study affirms the monophyly of each bee family, sister-taxa relationships

Abelhas (Hymenoptera: Apoidea visitantes das flores do feijão guandu no Recôncavo Baiano, Brasil Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea on pigeonpea flowers in 'Recôncavo Baiano' region, Brazil

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Ruberval Leone Azevedo

2007-10-01

Full Text Available O feijão guandu Cajanus cajan L. é uma cultura comum, encontrada com freqüência em todo o Brasil, principalmente em pequenas propriedades rurais. Este trabalho teve por objetivo obter informações sobre a diversidade de abelhas visitantes das flores do feijão guandu, gerando informações sobre a estrutura da comunidade de abelhas e a importância desta leguminosa como fonte de recursos tróficos. As coletas foram feitas semanalmente, entre maio e outubro de 2005, na área experimental de Entomologia do Centro de Ciências Agrárias da UFBA, localizada no município de Cruz das Almas, Bahia, no intervalo entre as 6:00 e as 18:00 horas. Um total de 4.676 indivíduos foi coletado visitando as flores do feijão guandu. A família Apidae foi representada por 99,3% dos indivíduos e 76,2% das espécies amostradas. Os gêneros Xylocopa e Trigona foram os que apresentaram maior riqueza, com quatro e três espécies, respectivamente. Trigona spinipes foi a espécie mais abundante, com freqüência relativa igual a 83,1%, seguida de Nannotrigona testaceicornis (5,1%.Pigeonpea, Cajanus cajan L. is a common crop, frequently found throughout Brazil, mainly in small rural properties. This research was aimed at geting information on the diversity of visiting bees to flowers of pigeonpea, generating information on the structure of the bee community and the importance of this Leguminosae as source of food resources. Collections had been made weekly, between May and October 2005 in the Experimental area of the Center of Agrarian Sciences and Environmental of the UFBA, located in the Cruz das Almas, Bahia, in the interval between 6:00 AM and 06:00 PM. A total of 4.676 individuals was collected visiting the pigeonpea flowers. The Apidae family was represented by 99.25% of individuals and 76.19% of total species. The genera Xylocopa and Trigona were the ones that showed greater richness, with four and three species, respectively. Trigona spinipes was the most

Levantamento da fauna de abelhas silvestres na "zona da mata" de Minas Gerais: III. Mata secundária na região de Viçosa (Hymenoptera, Apoidea Survey of the wild bees of the "zona da mata" of Minas Gerais, Brazil: III. Secondary forest in Viçosa region (Hymenoptera, Apoidea

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José Ricardo Cure

1992-01-01

Full Text Available The outcome of a wild bee fauna survey in a secondary forest is reported. Sampling was carried out mainly on herbaceous and shrubby vegetation under and at the border of the forest. Results are compared with data collected with the same methodology from a previously surveyed grassland nearby. The secondary forest was richer in Anthophoridae and Apidae species, and less diverse in Megachilidae. Similarity between the two habitats was low. Several unidentified species of Ceratinula, Trichocerapis mirabilis and the stingless bees Melipona bicolor, M. quadrifasciata, M. marginata, Paratrigona subnuda, Scaptotrigona tubiba and S. xanthotricha, are among the species dependent on the forest environment to survive. Bee population densities in the forest understory are as large as the largest values found for open vegetation in Southeastern Brazil; species richness is also comparable to those of other areas in Southeastern Brazil. Sampling strategies are discussed.

Nontarget effects of aerial mosquito adulticiding with water-based unsynergized pyrethroids on honey bees and other beneficial insects in an agricultural ecosystem of north Greece.

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Chaskopoulou, Alexandra; Thrasyvoulou, Andreas; Goras, Georgios; Tananaki, Chrysoula; Latham, Mark D; Kashefi, Javid; Pereira, Roberto M; Koehler, Philip G

2014-05-01

We assessed the nontarget effects of ultra-low-volume (ULV) aerial adulticiding with two new water-based, unsynergized pyrethroid formulations, Aqua-K-Othrine (FFAST antievaporant technology, 2% deltamethrin) and Pesguard S102 (10% d-phenothrin). A helicopter with GPS navigation technology was used. One application rate was tested per formulation that corresponded to 1.00 g (AI)/ha of deltamethrin and 7.50 g (AI)/ha of d-phenothrin. Three beneficial nontarget organisms were used: honey bees (domesticated hives), family Apidae (Apis mellifera L.); mealybug destroyers, family Coccinellidae (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant); and green lacewings, family Chrysopidae (Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens)). No significant nontarget mortalities were observed. No bees exhibited signs of sublethal exposure to insecticides. Beehives exposed to the insecticidal applications remained healthy and productive, performed as well as the control hives and increased in weight (25-30%), in adult bee population (14-18%), and in brood population (15-19%).

Behavior genetics: Bees as model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nates Parra, Guiomar

2011-01-01

The honeybee Apis mellifera (Apidae) is a model widely used in behavior because of its elaborate social life requiring coordinate actions among the members of the society. Within a colony, division of labor, the performance of tasks by different individuals, follows genetically determined physiological changes that go along with aging. Modern advances in tools of molecular biology and genomics, as well as the sequentiation of A. mellifera genome, have enabled a better understanding of honeybee behavior, in particular social behavior. Numerous studies show that aspects of worker behavior are genetically determined, including defensive, hygienic, reproductive and foraging behavior. For example, genetic diversity is associated with specialization to collect water, nectar and pollen. Also, control of worker reproduction is associated with genetic differences. In this paper, I review the methods and the main results from the study of the genetic and genomic basis of some behaviors in bees.

Biologia de nidificação de Centris (Hemisiella trigonoides Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Centridini Nesting biology of Centris (Hemisiella trigonoides Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Centridini

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Cândida M. L. Aguiar

2006-06-01

Full Text Available O comportamento de nidificação de Centris (Hemisiella trigonoides Lepeletier, 1841, e o comportamento de seus cleptoparasitas foram estudados em Monte Santo, Bahia, Brasil. As abelhas construíram seus ninhos com uma mistura de solo e óleo, dentro de cavidades preexistentes na madeira de uma construção abandonada, assim como em gomos de bambu de 8 e 9 mm de diâmetro. Os ninhos completados tinham de uma a cinco células alongadas, arranjadas em uma série linear e orientadas horizontalmente. O tempo gasto para construir uma célula foi altamente variável, sendo em geral de 4,5 a 5,5 h. Após finalizar a construção da célula, as fêmeas fizeram uma ou duas viagens para coletar um líquido incolor, provavelmente óleo floral, usado para revestir as paredes internas da célula. Para aprovisionar uma célula foram realizadas de cinco a oito viagens de coleta para obtenção de pólen e néctar, e de quatro a seis viagens para coleta de óleo. Imediatamente após a oviposição, as fêmeas fecharam as células usando o solo que elas tinham coletado previamente. Três espécies cleptoparasitas pertencentes ao gênero Coelioxys Latreille, 1809 atacaram os ninhos. Entradas de cleptoparasitas dentro dos ninhos occorreram, na maioria dos casos, enquanto a fêmea hospedeira estava ausente do ninho. As fêmeas de C. (H. trigonoides apresentaram comportamentos defensivos para evitar parasitismo, tais como expulsar os parasitas e guardar os ninhos. Machos de C. (H. trigonoides usaram o local de nidificação como abrigo durante as horas mais quentes do dia, assim como para dormir. Eles deixavam as cavidades no dia seguinte entre 09:00 e 10:30 h. Isto sugere que machos e fêmeas têm padrões temporais de atividade distintos.The nesting behavior of Centris (Hemisiella trigonoides Lepeletier, 1841, and the behavior of their cleptoparasites were studied at Monte Santo, Bahia, Brazil. The females constructed their nests within preexisting holes in wood from an abandoned building as well as in bamboo canes of 8 and 9 mm in diameter, using a mixture of soil and oil. Completed nests had one to five elongated cells arranged in a linear series and oriented horizontally. The time spent to construct a cell was highly variable, but it was generally between 4.5 to 5.5 h. After finishing the construction of a cell, females made one or two trips to collect a colorless liquid, probably floral oil, used to line the inner cell walls. Five to eight pollen-nectar collecting trips and from four to six oil-collecting trips were made to provision one cell. Immediately after oviposition, the females closed the cells using soil that they had previously gathered. Three cleptoparasites species belonging to the genera Coelioxys Latreille, 1809 attacked the nests. Visits of cleptoparasites into the nests occurred mainly while the host female was absent from the nest. Centris (H. trigonoides females showed defensive behaviors to avoid parasitism, such as chasing the parasites and guarding the nests. Centris (H. trigonoides males used the nesting sites for shelter during the hottest hours of the day, as well as for sleeping. They would leave the cavities the following day between 09:00 and 10:30 a.m. That suggests that males and females have distinct temporal activity patterns.

Notas sobre a bionomia de Trichotrigona extranea Camargo & Moure (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini Notes on the bionomy of Trichotrigona extranea Camargo & Moure (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini

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João M. F. Camargo

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Três ninhos de T. extranea, encontrados nas matas de igapó, na localidade de Samaúma, foz do rio Daraã (64°45'35" W, 0°27'7" S, AM, Brasil, são descritos e ilustrados. Este é o único lugar onde esta espécie é conhecida. Todos os ninhos estavam em ocos de ramos secos de "Tanimbuca" - Buchenavia suaveolens Eichler (Combretaceae. Dois deles compartilhavam o oco com ninhos de Frieseomelitta sp. e um era solitário. Um ninho continha 46 células de cria, 43 operárias adultas e uma rainha fisogástrica; o segundo, 240 células, 117 operárias, 25 machos e uma rainha fisogástrica; o terceiro, 260 células, 163 operárias, uma rainha fisogástrica e uma pupa de rainha. As células são construídas na forma de cacho, como em Friseomelitta, e as células de rainha são do mesmo tamanho e forma que as de operária. Não há potes de alimento - este é o único Meliponini que se conhece que não armazena alimento. Supostamente, esta espécie tem hábitos cleptobióticos. Rainhas e machos são também descritos.Three nests of T. extranea, found in "igapó" forests in the locality of Samaúma, mouth of Daraã river (64°45'35" W, 0°27'7" S, AM, Brazil, are described and illustrated. This is the only place from where this species is known. All nests were located in hollow of dried branches of "Tanimbuca" - Buchenavia suaveolens Eichler (Combretaceae. Two of them were sharing the hollow with nests of Frieseomelitta sp. and one was solitary. One nest had 46 brood cells, 43 adult workers and one physogastric queen; the second one, 240 cells, 117 adult workers, 25 males and one physogastric queen; the third one, 260 cells, 163 workers, one physogastric queen and one queen pupa. The cells are arranged in clusters, like in Frieseomelitta, and the queen cells has the same shape and size as the worker ones. There are no food pots - this is the only known Meliponini that does not store food. Supposedly, this species is cleptobiotic. Queens and males are also described.

Does beekeeping reduce genetic variability in Melipona scutellaris (Apidae, Meliponini)?

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Carvalho-Zilse, G A; Costa-Pinto, M F F; Nunes-Silva, C G; Kerr, W E

2009-06-30

Many factors have contributed to reductions in wild populations of stingless bees, such as: deforestation, displacement and destruction of nests by honey gatherers, as well as use of insecticides and other agrochemicals. All of these can potentially affect the populational structure of native species. We analyzed genetic variability and populational structure of Melipona scutellaris, based on five microsatellite loci, using heterologous primers of M. bicolor. Samples were taken from 43 meliponaries distributed among 30 sites of four northeastern states of Brazil (Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, and Bahia). Thirty-one alleles were found to be well distributed among the populations, with sizes ranging from 85 to 146 bp. In general, there was a variable distribution and frequency of alleles among populations, with either exclusive and/or fixed alleles at some sites. The population of Pernambuco was the most polymorphic, followed by Bahia, Alagoas and Sergipe. The heterozygosity was Ho = 0.36 on average, much lower than what has been reported for M. bicolor (Ho = 0.65). Most populations were not under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. We found a higher variation within rather than among populations, indicating no genetic structuring in those bees maintained in meliponaries. This apparent homogenization may be due to intense beekeeping activity, including exchange of genetic material among beekeepers. Based on our findings, we recommend more studies of meliponaries and of wild populations in order to help orient management and conservation of these native pollinators.

Colony strength and queen replacement in Melipona marginata (Apidae: Meliponini

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A. de M. P. Kleinert

Full Text Available Physogastric queens of Melipona marginata were removed from their colonies in order to verify the acceptance of a new queen by workers. Colony strength was evaluated according to queen oviposition rate and comb diameters. Replacement was observed seven times. Its occurrence and speed related positively to colony strength, independently of queen's age. In weak colonies, queen replacement was observed only once, following colony population increase that occurred after introduction of combs from another colony. Worker oviposition after queen removal was observed three times: in a strong colony with virgin queens and males, and in two of the weak colonies. In the first two or three days of new queen oviposition, during which most of the eggs were eaten by the queen, worker oviposition preceded almost all provisioning and oviposition processes (POPs. After this period, worker oviposition decreased until it reached around 25% of the POPs. Daily oviposition rate of young queens decreased or was even interrupted by hatching of their first brood.

Diploid Male Production of Two Amazonian Melipona Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Izaura Bezerra Francini

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The diploid male has already been recorded for Melipona Illger, and herein, in Melipona seminigra merrillae Cockerell and Melipona interrupta manaosensis Schwarz. This paper was carried out at the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA, Manaus, AM, Brazil. We produced and monitored 31 new colonies of M. s. merrillae and 32 new colonies of M. i. manaosensis. We sampled 2,995 pupae of M. s. merrillae and 2,020 of M. i. manaosensis. In colonies with a 1 : 1 sex ratio, male diploidy was confirmed by cytogenetic analysis and workers’ behavior. We estimated 16 sex-determining alleles in M. s. merrillae and 22 in M. i. manaosensis. In colonies of M. i. manaosensis in a 1 : 1 sex ratio, workers killed the males and the queen that produced them soon after they emerged, as predicted. This behavior was not registered for M. s. merrillae, and sex ratios did not stay 1 : 1, indicating polyandry for this species.

Microsatellite loci for the stingless bee Melipona rufiventris (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

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Lopes, Denilce Meneses; D Silva, Filipe Oliveira; Fernandes Salomão, Tânia Maria; Campos, Lúcio Antônio D Oliveira; Tavares, Mara Garcia

2009-05-01

Eight microsatellite primers were developed from ISSR (intersimple sequence repeats) markers for the stingless bee Melipona rufiventris. These primers were tested in 20 M. rufiventris workers, representing a single population from Minas Gerais state. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 5 (mean = 2.63) and the observed and expected heterozygosity values ranged from 0.00 to 0.44 (mean = 0.20) and from 0.05 to 0.68 (mean = 0.31), respectively. Several loci were also polymorphic in M. quadrifasciata, M. bicolor, M. mandacaia and Partamona helleri and should prove useful in population studies of other stingless bees. © 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Bombus brasiliensis Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae infected with Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia

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Santiago Plischuk

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Heavy infections caused by a microsporidium were detected in midgut epithelium cells of two adult workers of the bumble bee Bombus brasiliensis Lepeletier collected near Puerto Iguazú, Misiones province, Argentina. Microsporidium rRNA (16S small subunit was amplified by 218MITOC primers and produced amplicons indicating presence of Nosema ceranae Fries et al., a virulent pathogen of more than 20 bee species, possibly involved in Apis mellifera L. Colony Collapse Disorder. Campaigns in search of B. brasiliensis between 2008 and 2015 have revealed a possible narrower range in the southeastern area of its known distribution. Effects of N. ceranae infections could be modulating their populations and should not be overlooked. In addition, the wide host range of this microsporidium makes it a potential threat to several endemic bees such as stingless (Meliponini and orchid bees (Euglossini.

Photoreceptor spectral sensitivity in the bumblebee, Bombus impatiens (Hymenoptera: Apidae.

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Peter Skorupski

Full Text Available The bumblebee Bombus impatiens is increasingly used as a model in comparative studies of colour vision, or in behavioural studies relying on perceptual discrimination of colour. However, full spectral sensitivity data on the photoreceptor inputs underlying colour vision are not available for B. impatiens. Since most known bee species are trichromatic, with photoreceptor spectral sensitivity peaks in the UV, blue and green regions of the spectrum, data from a related species, where spectral sensitivity measurements have been made, are often applied to B impatiens. Nevertheless, species differences in spectral tuning of equivalent photoreceptor classes may result in peaks that differ by several nm, which may have small but significant effects on colour discrimination ability. We therefore used intracellular recording to measure photoreceptor spectral sensitivity in B. impatiens. Spectral peaks were estimated at 347, 424 and 539 nm for UV, blue and green receptors, respectively, suggesting that this species is a UV-blue-green trichromat. Photoreceptor spectral sensitivity peaks are similar to previous measurements from Bombus terrestris, although there is a significant difference in the peak sensitivity of the blue receptor, which is shifted in the short wave direction by 12-13 nm in B. impatiens compared to B. terrestris.

An Early Miocene bumble bee from northern Bohemia (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Jakub Prokop

2017-10-01

Full Text Available A new species of fossil bumble bee (Apinae: Bombini is described and figured from Early Miocene (Burdigalian deposits of the Most Basin at the Bílina Mine, Czech Republic. Bombus trophonius sp. n., is placed within the subgenus Cullumanobombus Vogt and distinguished from the several species groups therein. The species is apparently most similar to the Nearctic B. (Cullumanobombus rufocinctus Cresson, the earliest-diverging species within the clade and the two may be related only by symplesiomorphies. The age of the fossil is in rough accordance with divergence estimations for Cullumanobombus.

A new subgenus of Heterotrigona from New Guinea (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

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Engel, Michael S.; Rasmussen, Claus

2017-01-01

A new subgenus is established within the Indomalayan stingless bee genus Heterotrigona Schwarz (Meliponini). Sahulotrigona Engel & Rasmussen, new subgenus, is distinguished from amongst other Heterotrigona, particularly the subgenus Platytrigona Moure, within which one of the two included species...... in the following new combinations: Heterotrigona (Platytrigona) flaviventris (Friese), H. (P.) hobbyi (Schwarz), H. (P.) keyensis (Friese), H. (P.) lamingtonia (Cockerell), H. (P.) planifrons (Smith), H. (Sundatrigona) lieftincki (Sakagami & Inoue), and H. (Su.) moorei (Schwarz). The stingless bees of Papuasia...

Note on glands present in meliponinae (Hymenoptera, Apidae bees legs

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Carminda da Cruz-Landim

1998-01-01

Full Text Available The present paper reports the presence of glandular structures in legs of some stingless bee species. The glands appear as: the epidermis transformation in a glandular epithelium as in basitarsus, an epithelial sac inside the segment as in the femur of queens or in the last tarsomere, as round glandular cells, scattered or forming groupments. The saculiform gland of femur is present only in queens, the other glands are present in males, queens and workers of the studied species, apparently without any type of polymorphism. This occurrence seems indicate that the function of these glands have not to do with the sociality or specific behavior of castes.

Extraction of genomic DNA from Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponinae)

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Waldschmidt, Ana Maria; Salomão, Tânia Maria Fernandes; Barros, Everaldo Gonçalves de; Campos, Lúcio de Antônio Oliveira

1997-01-01

The objective of the present study was to test three different procedures for DNA extraction of Melipona quadrifasciata based on existing methods for DNA extraction of Apis, plants and fungi. These methods differ in the concentrations of specific substances in the extraction buffer. The results demonstrate that the method used for Apis is not adequate for DNA extraction from M. quadrifasciata. On the other hand, with minor modifications this method and the methods for plants and fungi were ad...

Nesting biology of Centris (Centris aenea Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Centridini

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Cândida Maria Lima Aguiar

2003-12-01

Full Text Available Nesting activity of Centris aenea Lepeletier, 1841 was studied in two Brazilian habitats, Caatinga (Monte Santo, Bahia and Cerrado (Palmeiras, Bahia and Luiz Antônio, São Paulo. Nests were excavated in the ground and did not tend to be aggregated together at the two sites, but at Palmeiras, nests were in a large aggregation. Nest architecture consists of a single unbranched tunnel, sloping to vertical, which leads to a linear series of four cells, placed from 8 to 26 cm in depth. Cells are urn-shaped with a rounded base, and their cell caps have a central hollow process, as in other Centridini. Nest architecture of C. aenea was compared to other species of Centris Fabricius, 1804. Provisions are composed of a pollen mass covered by a thin liquid layer on which the egg is placed. Females were observed gathering oil on Mcvaughia bahiana W.R. Anderson flowers from October to March in the Caatinga, and on Byrsonima intermedia A.Juss. as well as other Malpighiaceae species from August to December in the Cerrado. Pollen is gathered by buzzing flowers of Solanaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Malpighiaceae, and Ochnaceae. Several nectar sources were recorded. There is indirect evidence that Mesoplia sp. parasitizes nests of C. aenea in the Cerrado.

An overview of cytogenetics of the tribe Meliponini (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

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Tavares, Mara Garcia; Lopes, Denilce Meneses; Campos, L A O

2017-06-01

The present study provides a comprehensive review of cytogenetic data on Meliponini and their chromosomal evolution. The compiled data show that only 104 species of stingless bees, representing 32 of the 54 living genera have been studied cytogenetically and that among these species, it is possible to recognize three main groups with n = 9, 15 and 17, respectively. The first group comprises the species of the genus Melipona, whereas karyotypes with n = 15 and n = 17 have been detected in species from different genera. Karyotypes with n = 17 are the most common among the Meliponini studied to date. Cytogenetic information on Meliponini also shows that although chromosome number, in general, is conserved among species of a certain genus, other aspects, such as chromosome morphology, quantity, distribution and composition of heterochromatin, may vary between them. This reinforces the fact that the variations observed in the karyotypes of different Meliponini groups cannot be explained by a single theory or a single type of structural change. In addition, we present a discussion about how these karyotype variations are related to the phylogenetic relationships among the different genera of this tribe.

New species of the stingless bee genus Schwarziana (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Gabriel A.R. Melo

2015-12-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Two new species of the stingless bee genus Schwarziana from Brazil are described and illustrated. Schwarziana bocainensis sp. nov. is described from Serra da Bocaina, in São Paulo, and S. chapadensis sp. nov. is described from Chapada dos Veadeiros, in Goiás. An identification key to workers of the known species of Schwarziana is provided.

Acceptance threshold hypothesis is supported by chemical similarity of cuticular hydrocarbons in a stingless bee, Melipona asilvai.

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Nascimento, D L; Nascimento, F S

2012-11-01

The ability to discriminate nestmates from non-nestmates in insect societies is essential to protect colonies from conspecific invaders. The acceptance threshold hypothesis predicts that organisms whose recognition systems classify recipients without errors should optimize the balance between acceptance and rejection. In this process, cuticular hydrocarbons play an important role as cues of recognition in social insects. The aims of this study were to determine whether guards exhibit a restrictive level of rejection towards chemically distinct individuals, becoming more permissive during the encounters with either nestmate or non-nestmate individuals bearing chemically similar profiles. The study demonstrates that Melipona asilvai (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) guards exhibit a flexible system of nestmate recognition according to the degree of chemical similarity between the incoming forager and its own cuticular hydrocarbons profile. Guards became less restrictive in their acceptance rates when they encounter non-nestmates with highly similar chemical profiles, which they probably mistake for nestmates, hence broadening their acceptance level.

Ultrastructure of the intramandibular gland of workers and queens of the stingless bee, Melipona quadrifasciata.

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Da Cruz-Landim, Carminda; Gracioli-Vitti, Luciana F; Abdalla, Fábio C

2011-01-01

The intramandibular glands of workers and queens of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apidae), at different ages and from different functional groups, were studied using light and transmission electron microscopy. The results demonstrated that these glands are composed of two types of secretory structures: 1.A hypertrophied epidermis on the dorsal side of the mandible that is an epithelial gland. 2. Free secretory cells filling the inner spaces of the appendices that constitute a unicellular gland. The epithelial gland is larger in the young (1-2-day-old workers), and the gland becomes involuted during the nurse worker stage. The unicellular glands of the workers posses some secretion during all of the studied phases, but secretory activity is more intensive in the foraging workers. Vesicles of secretion are absent in the unicellular glands of queens. These results demonstrate that these glands show functional adaptations in different castes corresponding to the functions of each caste.

The Nuclear and Mitochondrial Genomes of the Facultatively Eusocial Orchid Bee Euglossa dilemma

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Philipp Brand

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Bees provide indispensable pollination services to both agricultural crops and wild plant populations, and several species of bees have become important models for the study of learning and memory, plant–insect interactions, and social behavior. Orchid bees (Apidae: Euglossini are especially important to the fields of pollination ecology, evolution, and species conservation. Here we report the nuclear and mitochondrial genome sequences of the orchid bee Euglossa dilemma Bembé & Eltz. E. dilemma was selected because it is widely distributed, highly abundant, and it was recently naturalized in the southeastern United States. We provide a high-quality assembly of the 3.3 Gb genome, and an official gene set of 15,904 gene annotations. We find high conservation of gene synteny with the honey bee throughout 80 MY of divergence time. This genomic resource represents the first draft genome of the orchid bee genus Euglossa, and the first draft orchid bee mitochondrial genome, thus representing a valuable resource to the research community.

Trigona corvina: An Ecological Study Based on Unusual Nest Structure and Pollen Analysis

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David W. Roubik

2009-01-01

Full Text Available We found that the nest of Trigona corvina (Apidae; Meliponini consists mainly of pollen exines from bee excrement, forming a scutellum shield encasing the colony. A 20-year-old nest (1980–2000 from a lowland Panama forested habitat was sawed in half longitudinally, and a 95 cm transect was systematically sampled each 5 cm. Samples subjected to detailed pollen analysis held 72 botanical species belonging to 65 genera in 41 families. Over 90% of scutellum pollen volume was Cecropiaceae and Arecaceae, among >1013 grains. Potentially the oldest samples, in the middle of the nest, indicate that Mimosoideae, Euphorbiaceae, and Bombacaceae (now Malvaceae were lost when Africanized honey bee competitors colonized Panama in 1984. Cecropia deposited in the nest increased markedly after landscape-level vegetation disturbance. Pollen from Cavanillesia demonstrated that the foraging range encompassed 3 km2 and perhaps 500 plant species. Trigona corvina primarily foraged on plants with large inflorescences, consistent with foraging theory considering their aggressive behavior.

The activity of carbohydrate-degrading enzymes in the development of brood and newly emerged workers and drones of the Carniolan honeybee, Apis mellifera carnica.

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Żółtowska, Krystyna; Lipiński, Zbigniew; Łopieńska-Biernat, Elżbieta; Farjan, Marek; Dmitryjuk, Małgorzata

2012-01-01

The activity of glycogen Phosphorylase and carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes α-amylase, glucoamylase, trehalase, and sucrase was studied in the development of the Carniolan honey bee, Apis mellifera carnica Pollman (Hymenoptera: Apidae), from newly hatched larva to freshly emerged imago of worker and drone. Phosphorolytic degradation of glycogen was significantly stronger than hydrolytic degradation in all developmental stages. Developmental profiles of hydrolase activity were similar in both sexes of brood; high activity was found in unsealed larvae, the lowest in prepupae followed by an increase in enzymatic activity. Especially intensive increases in activity occurred in the last stage of pupae and newly emerged imago. Besides α-amylase, the activities of other enzymes were higher in drone than in worker broods. Among drones, activity of glucoamylase was particularly high, ranging from around three times higher in the youngest larvae to 13 times higher in the oldest pupae. This confirms earlier suggestions about higher rates of metabolism in drone broods than in worker broods.

[Importance of competition for pollination in formation of the entomophylous plants complex structure].

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Dlusskiĭ, G M

2013-01-01

Many species of entomophylous plants have a wide range of pollinators, and the same insects visit flowers of many plants. The competition for pollination leads to decreasing in seed production of competing species. However, there exists a variety of adaptations that allow plants to reduce the intensity of competition. A comparative analysis of pollinators spectra has allowed to designate groups (subcomplexes) of plants with regard to dominance of various groups of pollinators: myiophylous (flies from the superfamily Muscomorha dominate), syphidophylous (flies from the family Syrphidae dominate), psychophylous (butterflies dominate), cantharophylous (beetles dominate), nonspecialized and specialized melittophylous (Apidae, mainly bumblebees, dominate). The belonging of plants to a specific subcomplex is defined mainly by the structure of flowers and inflorescences. Modes of mechanical and attractive isolation are discussed that lead to restriction of pollinators composition. Competition abatement between species with similar spectra of pollinators and belonging to the same subcomplex is achieved mainly by spatial (ecological) and temporal (different timing of flowering) isolation.

Host location by ichneumonid parasitoids is associated with nest dimensions of the host bee species.

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Flores-Prado, L; Niemeyer, H M

2012-08-01

Parasitoid fitness depends on the ability of females to locate a host. In some species of Ichneumonoidea, female parasitoids detect potential hosts through vibratory cues emanating from them or through vibrational sounding produced by antennal tapping on the substrate. In this study, we (1) describe host location behaviors in Grotea gayi Spinola (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) and Labena sp. on nests of Manuelia postica Spinola (Hymenoptera: Apidae), (2) compare nest dimensions between parasitized and unparasitized nests, (3) correlate the length of M. postica nests with the number of immature individuals developing, and (4) establish the relative proportion of parasitized nests along the breeding period of M. postica. Based on our results, we propose that these parasitoids use vibrational sounding as a host location mechanism and that they are able to assess host nest dimensions and choose those which may provide them with a higher fitness. Finally, we discuss an ancestral host-parasitoid relationship between Manuelia and ichneumonid species.

Notas sobre a bionomia de Tetragonisca weyrauchi schwarz, 1943 (Apidae, MeliponinI Notes on the bionomy of The stingless bee Tetragonisca weyrauchi Schwarz, 1943 (Apidae, Meliponini

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Marilda Cortopassi-Laurino

2003-12-01

Full Text Available No Brasil, a abelha sem ferrão, Tetragonisca weyrauchi tem sua distribuição restrita à região Amazônica. Constrói ninhos aéreos freqüentemente em forquilhas inclinadas de árvores. Os ninhos, cilindróides e verticais, medem cerca de 60cm de circunferência na parte mais larga e 35cm de altura. A cobertura é de uma película fina e maleável com diferentes consistências. A maioria dos ninhos apresenta, na parte superior, um prolongamento com várias protuberâncias e aberturas, ou só aberturas, com diâmetros milimétricos variáveis ao longo do dia, denominado aqui de respiráculo. A morfologia do ninho, com a porta na parte inferior e o respiráculo na parte superior, parece estar bem adaptado ao ambiente tropical em que se encontra. As médias das temperaturas internas de um ninho habitado e outro vazio acompanharam as flutuações ambientais com alto valor de correlação (r=0,98. Os resultados sugerem que a estrutura física do ninho seria responsável por uma pequena parcela na retenção da energia calorífera. Se existe termorregulação, ela deve ser mais evidente acima dos 33ºC ambientais, temperatura onde ocorreu tendência de estabilidade. A grande quantidade de lamelas de cerume ao redor dos favos de cria horizontais, o tamanho dos potes ovóides de alimento ao redor de 1-2 cm de altura, a porcentagem de água no mel ao redor de 27.6%, o aspecto do tubo de entrada com pequenos orifícios, os valores de temperatura em que ocorre a abertura desse tubo pela manhã, entre 21-23ºC, e as coletas de néctar, predominantemente em Myrtacea, fazem com que seja atribuída grande semelhança física e comportamental entre T.weyrauchi e T. angustula. Os ninhos se adaptam bem em colônias tipo Paulo Nogueira-Neto. São abelhas agressivas quando manuseadas. Estima-se que seus ninhos tenham uma população de 2000-3000 indivíduos.In Brazil, the stingless bee Tetragonisca weyrauchi has its distribution restricted to the Amazonian region. It builts aerial nests frequently in trees branches. The nests are 60 cm wide by 35cm tall. The cover is a fine layer, flexible with different consistences. The majority of the nests present, in the upper part, a prolongation with protuberances and opennings, or only opennings, with millimetrical diameters that vary during the day. This structures are here named "respiráculo". The morphology of the nest, with the opening in the inferior part and the respiráculo in the upper part, seems well adapted to the tropical environment. The internal temperatures of the inhabited nest were compared to those of an empty nest. Both values followed the environment fluctuations with a high correlation (r =0.98. The results suggest that the physical structure of the nest would be responsible for the retention of a small parcel of the caloric energy. If termorregulation exists, it must be more evident above the air temperature of 33ºC due to a tendency of stability of these values. There are several characteristics in nest morphology and behaviour that are similar in Tetragonisca weyrauchi and T. angustula: the large amount of cerume layers around the horizontal combs, the oval food pots around 1-2 cm high and the percentage of water in the honey around 27,6%. The entrance tube with small openings in both species is completly open in the morning when the air temperature is 21-23ºC, and the nectar collection predominantely occurs in Myrtaceae. The bees adapt well in colonies idealized by Nogueira-Neto. They are aggressive when manipulated. Their nests have an estimated population of 2000-3000 bees.

Aspectos da biologia de nidificação de Euplusia mussitans (Fabricius (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini Aspects of nesting biology of Euplusia mussitans Fabricius (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini

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Blandina Felipe Viana

2001-12-01

Full Text Available The architecture and biology of Euplusia mussitans (Fabricius, 1787 nests were investigated, using trap nests made by wood, which were randomly distributed in a fragment of a coastal sand dunes, in Salvador, Bahia. Brazil (12º56'S and 38º21'W. 10 nests were found in cavities with 1.5 cm in diameter. From them emerged 10 females and 16 males (Sex ratio = 0,38. The nest cells were made of small pieces of bark cemented together with resin. The number of cells in the nests varied from 2 to 4, with females cells at the inner end and males cells towards the entrance. No significant difference was observed (t= 0.7274, P > 0.05 between the medium size for males (6.3 mm ± 0.16 and for females (6.4 mm ± 0.29. The development time of females was longer than males.

Nidificação e forrageamento de Centris (Ptilotopus maranhensis Ducke (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Centridini Nesting biology and foraging of Centris (Ptilotopus maranhensis Ducke (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Centridini

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Marina Ramos

2007-12-01

Full Text Available As abelhas pertencentes à tribo Centridini possuem distribuição neotropical e são consideradas os principais polinizadores de diversas espécies vegetais em diferentes biomas. Apesar disso, dados sobre a biologia da maioria das espécies ainda são escassos. Este trabalho relata observações sobre a biologia de Centris (Ptilotopus maranhensis Ducke, 1910, uma espécie que ocorre no Nordeste do Brasil. O estudo foi conduzido em uma área de cerrado no Estado do Maranhão durante o período de atividade dos adultos. Fêmeas foram observadas nidificando em termiteiros epígeos e em visita às flores de Byrsonima umbellata Mart. (Malpighiaceae para coleta de óleo. O comportamento foi registrado diretamente e através de filmagens. Os ninhos foram escavados, raspando-se o substrato até as células serem encontradas. Um ninho completo foi aberto para exame das estruturas internas e análise do conteúdo das células. A estrutura geral apresentava um túnel principal com células descendentes dispostas linearmente. Foram encontradas células (n = 5 com larvas em diferentes estágios de desenvolvimento e uma massa de pólen de consistência firme e pastosa formada por uma grande quantidade de grãos de Byrsonima.The bees belonging to the tribe Centridini possess distribution neotropical and are considered the main pollinators of different plant species in different biomas. Despite of this the biology data of the majority of species remain scarce. This work is about observations of biology of Centris (Ptilotopus maranhensis Ducke, 1910, specie that occurs in the Northeast of Brazil. The study was made in a cerrado area in the State of Maranhão during a period of adult activity. Females were seen nesting at epigeous termite nests and visiting Byrsonima umbellata Mart. (Malpighiaceae flowers for oil collection. The behavior was directly registered and shooted. The nests were excavated being scraped the substratum until the cells were found. A complete nest was opened for examination of the internal structures and analysis of cells content. The general structure presented a main tunnel with cells descending linearly. Cells (n = 5 with larvae in different periods of development were found. A firmly pollen paste was seen where a huge Byrsonima grains was verified.

Visitantes florales diurnos del girasol (Helianthus annuus, Asterales: Asteraceae en la Argentina Diurnal floral visitors of sunflower (Helianthus annuus, Asterales: Asteraceae in Argentina

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Juan P. Torretta

2010-06-01

Full Text Available El girasol (Helianthus annuus L. es un importante cultivo oleaginoso en la Argentina. Durante tres campañas agrícolas, se determinaron la diversidad y la abundancia del elenco de los visitantes florales diurnos de capítulos de girasol, en ocho sitios que cubren gran parte del área cultivada en Argentina. Setenta y seis morfo-especies de visitantes florales, pertenecientes a ocho órdenes, fueron capturados sobre capítulos de este cultivo. El principal orden fue Hymenoptera, con 37 especies o morfoespecies, de las cuales 32 fueron abejas (Apoidea. Las familias de abejas más representadas fueron Apidae (13, Megachilidae (11 y Halictidae (7. La abeja doméstica (Apis mellifera L. realizó el 93% de las visitas. La composición del elenco de visitantes no mostró un patrón de variación identificable a lo largo del día, ni con respecto a la distancia al borde del cultivo, pero varió entre sitios de muestreo. Se concluye que la abeja doméstica es el principal polinizador del girasol en la Argentina, aunque varias especies nativas de abejas (Melissodes tintinnans (Holmberg, M. rufithorax Brèthes, Melissoptila tandilensis Holmberg, y Megachile spp. podrían ser consideradas como potenciales polinizadores del cultivo.Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. is an important oilseed crop in Argentina. During three agricultural years, the diversity and abundance of diurnal floral visitors of sunflower heads were determined in eight sites spanning much of this crop's cultivation area in Argentina. Seventysix morpho-species of floral visitors, belonging to eight orders, were captured on sunflower. The principal order was Hymenoptera, with 37 species or morpho-species, of which 32 were bees (Apoidea. The most represented bee families were Apidae (13, Megachilidae (11 and Halictidae (7. The domestic bee (Apis mellifera L. accounted for 93% of the visits. Floral visitor composition did not show an identifiable variation pattern either throughout the day or

Suscetibilidade de operárias e larvas de abelhas sociais em relação à ricinina Susceptibility of workers and larvae of social bees in relation to ricinine

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Débora C. Rother

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Muitas substâncias de origem vegetal podem ser tóxicas ou apresentar potencial inseticida. Com o objetivo de diminuir a problemática da poluição ambiental alguns estudos vêm tentando substituir os inseticidas artificiais pelos inseticidas botânicos. Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae apresenta uma grande variedade de substâncias sendo a ricinina o principal componente tóxico. Considerando que as abelhas são insetos benéficos por atuarem como agentes polinizadores das plantas, este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar o efeito tóxico da ricinina para as operárias e larvas de Apis mellifera (Linnaeus, 1758 (Hymenoptera, Apidae e Scaptotrigona postica (Latreille, 1907 (Hymenoptera, Meliponini. Para isso, foram realizados testes de ingestão em operárias confinadas recebendo ricinina incorporada à dieta e testes de aplicação tópica com a substância solubilizada em metanol e aplicada no pronoto das abelhas com auxílio de uma microseringa. Para as larvas foram realizados testes de ingestão e calculada sua taxa de mortalidade. Os resultados mostram atividade tóxica significativa (p Many substances of vegetal origin can be toxic or present an insecticidal potential. With the aim of decreasing the environment pollution problem, a few studies are trying to substitute synthetic insecticides with botanical ones. Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae presents a great variety of substances, being the ricinine the main toxic component. Considering that bees are useful as pollinator agents of plants, this study evaluates toxicity potential of ricinine on workers and larvae of Apis mellifera (Linnaeus, 1758 (Hymenoptera, Apidae and Scaptotrigona postica (Latreille, 1907 (Hymenoptera, Meliponini. In order to determine ricinine toxicity, ingestion tests were carried out with isolated workers bees that received ricinine on its diet. Furthermore, for topic tests, solutions of ricinine in methanol were applied on pronotum of worker bees with an "Agla" brand

Ecologia da polinização da amoreira-preta (Rubus sp (Rosaceae em Timbó-SC, Brasil

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Leônidas João de Mello Junior

2011-09-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho verificou experimentalmente a ecologia da polinização da amoreira-preta (Rubus sp.. Objetivou-se confirmar a síndrome de polinização de Rubus sp., por meio de análise de seu sistema reprodutivo, quantificação da produção diária de néctar, levantamento da entomofauna que visita as flores da amoreira na área de estudo e análise do seu comportamento polinizador. Os experimentos foram realizados em uma área de cultivo de amoreira-preta, no mês de dezembro de 2005, município de Timbó (SC. Constatou-se que a maior taxa de frutificação (48,3 % ± 3,2 ocorreu via polinização livre, onde os insetos não foram excluídos. Foi verificada a ocorrência de autopolinização, porém com taxa inferior de frutificação (12,2% ± 4,9. A anemofilia não foi constatada na espécie. A avaliação da produção de néctar em Rubus sp. resultou em valores compatíveis com a síndrome de melitofilia. Os visitantes florais coletados e observados sobre as flores de Rubus sp. foram predominantemente abelhas da ordem Hymenoptera (97%, que iniciam, em menor número, a atividade de forrageamento às 8h, com pico de atividade às 12h e declinando até às 16h. As coletas resultaram numa amostragem de 1.360 abelhas, divididas em quatro famílias e 13 espécies. A família com maior riqueza de espécies (N = 7 foi Halictidae e a mais abundante foi Apidae, com 1.288 indivíduos. Em Apidae, houve o predomínio da espécie exótica Apis mellifera, cuja representação na amostra foi de 1.246 indivíduos. Os dados da abundância e as observações naturalísticas do seu comportamento da flor apontaram A. mellifera como o principal polinizador de Rubus sp., mas confirmam que as demais espécies de abelhas também participam na polinização de Rubus sp.

Long-term ecology of euglossine orchid-bees (Apidae: Euglossini) in Panama.

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Roubik, D W; Ackerman, J D

1987-09-01

Abundance patterns during 6-7 years and orchid visitation were determined for 51 species of the 57 local euglossine bees. Male bees were counted at 3 chemical attractants presented in the same manner each month. Sites were separated by 75 km but included wet Atlantic forest at 500 m elevation, moist forest at 180 m near Barro Colorado Island, and cloud forest at 900 m near the Pacific ocean. 1. From 15 to 30 euglossine species of 4 genera were active in each month and site; monthly species number and general bee abundance were positively correlated. Many species had 3 annual abundance peaks (range 1-4) and were active throughout the year, but peak annual abundances rarely occurred during late wet or early dry seasons. In contrast, Eufriesea generally were present as adults only 1-2 months in a year. 2. Euglossine populations were exceptionally stable. Species at each site were more stable than any known insect population, and stability and abundance were positively associated. However, year-to-year population stability and the degree of seasonality were not correlated. Among the three sites, the more diverse (species rich) bee assemblages displayed lower stability; these were the wetter and upland sites. 3. The most abundant bees visited more orchid species. Eg. and El. each visited and average of 4 orchid species (range 0-13); Ex. and Ef. visited 0-3. Stable populations did not visit more or fewer orchid species than did unstable populations. 4. Less than 68% of species at each site visited orchid flowers; less than a few dozen of the 100-800 bees counted in a day carried orchid pollinaria. Over 20% of the euglossine species never were seen with pollinaria at any site and probably seldom visit orchids in central Panama. 5. Most bee species visited 1 or no fragrance orchids in a given habitat. Orchids tended to utilize common pollinators that seldom included more than 1 species, and they utilized stable or unstable, seasonal or aseasonal bees. However, the most stable and abundant bee, Eg. imperialis, rarely pollinated orchids; fewer than 10 of ca. 20000 bees carried pollinaria. 6. Orchids may interact primarily with discrete seasonal bee population peaks-probably the emerging adults. Although specialized orchid preferences are implicated for species that visit few or no local orchids but pollinate other species and carry pollinaria in other areas, euglossine bees do not need orchids to survive or reproduce.

Insights into the Melipona scutellaris (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) fat body transcriptome.

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de Sousa, Cristina Soares; Serrão, José Eduardo; Bonetti, Ana Maria; Amaral, Isabel Marques Rodrigues; Kerr, Warwick Estevam; Maranhão, Andréa Queiroz; Ueira-Vieira, Carlos

2013-07-01

The insect fat body is a multifunctional organ analogous to the vertebrate liver. The fat body is involved in the metabolism of juvenile hormone, regulation of environmental stress, production of immunity regulator-like proteins in cells and protein storage. However, very little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved in fat body physiology in stingless bees. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptome of the fat body from the stingless bee Melipona scutellaris. In silico analysis of a set of cDNA library sequences yielded 1728 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and 997 high-quality sequences that were assembled into 29 contigs and 117 singlets. The BLAST X tool showed that 86% of the ESTs shared similarity with Apis mellifera (honeybee) genes. The M. scutellaris fat body ESTs encoded proteins with roles in numerous physiological processes, including anti-oxidation, phosphorylation, metabolism, detoxification, transmembrane transport, intracellular transport, cell proliferation, protein hydrolysis and protein synthesis. This is the first report to describe a transcriptomic analysis of specific organs of M. scutellaris. Our findings provide new insights into the physiological role of the fat body in stingless bees.

Morphogenetic Alterations in Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Associated with Pesticides.

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Prado-Silva, Arlete; Nunes, Lorena Andrade; Dos Santos, Jádilla Mendes; Affonso, Paulo Roberto Antunes de Mello; Waldschmidt, Ana Maria

2018-05-01

Bees are major pollinators of both native flora and cultured crops. Nonetheless, despite their key functional role in ecosystems and agriculture, bee populations have been affected worldwide by deforestation and contamination by insecticides. Conversely, little is known about the effects of pesticides on morphogenetic development of neotropical stingless bees. We compared the fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in newly emerged bees and foragers of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides exposed to pesticides (experimental greenhouse and cultivated field). In addition, visitation behavior of foragers was inferred from pollen analyses and direct observation. A significant increase of FA (P < 0.001) was detected in bees from the greenhouse. Even though pesticides might affect their development, foragers seem to avoid contaminated plants whenever possible, as confirmed by pollen and visitation analyses. Consequently, the conservation of natural forests in agricultural landscapes is essential to ensure the health of colonies in stingless bees.

Predatory behavior in a necrophagous bee Trigona hypogea (Hymenoptera; Apidae, Meliponini)

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Mateus, Sidnei; Noll, Fernando B.

Although most bees feed on nectar and pollen, several exceptions have been reported. The strangest of all is the habit found in some neotropical stingless bees, which have completely replaced pollen-eating by eating animal protein from corpses. For more than 20 years, it was believed that carrion was the only protein source for these bees. We report that these bees feed not only off dead animals, but on the living brood of social wasps and possibly other similar sources. Using well developed prey location and foraging behaviors, necrophagous bees discover recently abandoned wasps' nests and, within a few hours, prey upon all immatures found there.

A review of the albidohirta group of Ptilothrix (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Emphorini

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Arturo ROIG ALSINA

2007-01-01

Full Text Available El grupo albidohirta de Ptilothrix Smith incluye tres especies: Ptilothrix albidohirta Brèthes, P. concolor sp. nov. y P. nemoralis sp. nov. Este grupo se conoce del oeste y norte de la Argentina y del centro de Bolivia. Una de sus especies, P. albidohirta, llega hasta los 3.600 m s.n.m. en la cordillera de los Andes, en tanto que las otras dos especies habitan en el llano. Se caracteriza el grupo y se describen e ilustran las especies.

Observaciones sobre algunos comportamientos de Trigona (Tetragonisca angustula. Iliiger (Hym. Apidae.

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Morales Soto Gilberto

1999-12-01

Full Text Available Las abejas sin aguijón del género Trigona constituyen uno de los grupos de insectos más amplios v diversos de la región tropical. Aunque su origen parece haber sido África, su mayor especiación ocurrió en el Trópico Americano, con cerca de 300 especies. En la región Neotropical, estas abejas son el grupo más importante de polinizadores de muchas plantas ornamentales, frutales y maderables. La interdependencia entre dichas plantas y las abejas, es en muchos casos altamente compleja y la ruptura de esa estrecha asociación por la intervención errónea del hombre, podría implicar la desaparición de unas otras respectivamente. Existen estudios sobre los hábitos de nidifación y arquitectura de los nidos de las trigonas y se posee conocimientos al respecto sobre la especia Trigona (Tetragonisca angustula Illiger. Sin embargo, los trabajos sobre comportamiento e importancia económica de este grupo de insectos son muy escasos y en el medio prácticamente inexistentes.

TUMBUHAN YANG DIKUNJUNGI LEBAH PEKERJA Apis (Hymenoptera: Apidae DI SUMATERA BARAT

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Jasmi Jasmi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Research about plant visited by Apis forager was conducted at altitude < 500 m and 600-1400 m of West Sumatra from December 2009-July 2010. The plant visited by forager was collected at radius 500 m from nests in fruits cropping, coffea and cinnamom plantation and forest edge. Honeybee from genus Apisvisit on plant consisted of four species, those are A. andreniformis, A. cerana, A. dorsata and A. koschevnikovi. Plant visited by forager Apis consisted of 61 species belong to 26 families. The number of 36 plant species found at lowland and highland, 20 species only at lowland and five species at highland. Most of plant species visited by Apis forager are Asteraceae and Leguminoceae. About 29 plant species visited by Apis were agriculture crop and 32 species of non agriculture. Apis andreniformis visited 29 plant species, A. cerana 56 species, A. dorsata 57 species and A. koschevnikovi one plant species. Cucumis sativus was visited by four bee species, Galiansoga farviflora was visited only by A. cerana. Five plant species (Rorippa indica, Cinnamomum burmanii, Nasturrium indicum, Rorippa indica and Eryngium foetidum were visited by only A. dorsata. Other three plants species (Mangifera indica, Cytrus aurantifoliaand Oryza sativa were visited by A. cerana and A. andreniformis, 31 plant species were visited by A. cerana and A. dorsata, 21 species were visited by A. andreniformis, A. cerana and A. dorsata. Keywords: lebah madu, Apis forager, food source plant, visit

The apid cuckoo bees of the Cape Verde Islands (Hymenoptera, Apidae).

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Straka, Jakub; Engel, Michael S

2012-01-01

The apid cuckoo bees of the Cape Verde Islands (Republic of Cape Verde) are reviewed and five species recognized, representing two genera. The ammobatine genus Chiasmognathus Engel (Nomadinae: Ammobatini), a specialized lineage of cleptoparasites of nomioidine bees is recorded for the first time. Chiasmognathus batelkaisp. n. is distinguished from mainland African and Asian species. The genus Thyreus Panzer (Apinae: Melectini) is represented by four species - Thyreus denoliisp. n., Thyreus batelkaisp. n., Thyreus schwarzisp. n., and Thyreus aistleitnerisp. n. Previous records of Thyreus scutellaris (Fabricius) from the islands were based on misidentifications.

Application of a modified selection index for honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

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van Engelsdorp, D; Otis, G W

2000-12-01

Nine different genetic families of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) were compared using summed z-scores (phenotypic values) and a modified selection index (Imod). Imod values incorporated both the phenotypic scores of the different traits and the economic weightings of these traits, as determined by a survey of commercial Ontario beekeepers. Largely because of the high weight all beekeepers place on honey production, a distinct difference between line rankings based on phenotypic scores and Imod scores was apparent, thereby emphasizing the need to properly weight the traits being evaluated to select bee stocks most valuable for beekeepers. Furthermore, when beekeepers who made >10% of their income from queen and nucleus colony sales assigned relative values to the traits used in the Imod calculations, the results differed from those based on weightings assigned by honey producers. Our results underscore the difficulties the North American beekeeping industry must overcome to devise effective methods of evaluating colonies for breeding purposes.

Stingless Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini in Oriental Mountains Cementeries from Colombia

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Guiomar Nates-Parra

2006-01-01

Full Text Available In 11 cemeteries of Cundinamarca and Meta (Colombia departments we found 203 nests of stingless bees pertaining to 15 species. The majority of the found nests (61% belong to genus Nannotrigona Cokerell, 1922. Nannotrigona mellaria was the specie with the greater nests number and higher population; Trigona (Tetragonisca angustula was found in all cemeteries, but in a smaller percentage that N. mellaria (29% of the total. In the Tena (Cundinamarca cemetery was found the nest highest density (118 nest/ha, with a tombs occupation percentage of 13.9%. We discussed the importance of cemeteries as an alternative for wild bees nesting sites conservation in urban areas.

The body size of the oil-collecting bee Tetrapedia diversipes (Apidae)

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Pinto da Silva,Carlos; Silva,Adriana; Duran Cordeiro,Guaraci; Alves dos Santos ,Isabel

2015-01-01

The body size of bees can affect their fitness in many ways. There is an indirect relationship between the size of the mother and the size of her progeny. This is so because large mothers use larger nests and brood cells and have higher foraging capacity than small mothers, and consequently large mothers supply a larger amount of food to their larvae, which grow larger. We analyzed the relationship between body size of individual oil-collecting bees of the species Tetrapedia diversipes and th...

Inbreeding and building up small populations of stingless bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Paulo Nogueira-Neto

2002-12-01

Full Text Available A study of the viability of small populations of Hymenoptera is a matter of importance to gain a better zoological, ethological, genetical and ecological knowledge of these insects, and for conservation purposes, mainly because of the consequences to the survival of colonies of many species of bees, wasps, and ants. Based on the Whiting (1943 principle, Kerr & Vencovski (1982 presented a hypothesis that states that viable populations of stingless bees (Meliponini should have at least 40 colonies to survive. This number was later extended to 44 colonies by Kerr (1985. This would be necessary to avoid any substantial amount of homozygosis in the pair of chromosomic sexual loci, by keeping at least six different sexual gene alleles in a reproductive population. In most cases this would prevent the production of useless diploid males. However, several facts weigh against considering this as a general rule. From 1990 to 2001, 287 colony divisions were made, starting with 28 foundation colonies, in the inbreeding and population experiments with the Meliponini reported here. These experiments constitute the most extensive and longest scientific research ever made with Meliponini bees. In ten different experiments presented here, seven species (one with two subspecies of Meliponini bees were inbred in five localities inside their wide-reaching native habitats, and in two localities far away from these habitats. This was done for several years. On the whole, the number of colonies increased and the loss of colonies over the years was small. In two of these experiments, although these populations were far (1,000 km and 1,200 km from their native habitat, their foundation colonies were multiplied successfuly. It was possible to build up seven strong and three expanding medium populations, starting with one, two, three or even five colonies. However, in six other cases examined here, the Whiting (1943 principle and the hypothesis of Kerr & Vencovski (1982 and Kerr (1985, possibly hold up. In two other cases, the results are still unclear. Outside native habitats, most inbreeding experiments failed, possibly because of conditions that cause ecological stress. Although much more data are still needed, a new working hypothesis on the molecular level was presented to explain the results of the experiments described here. In the absence of any considerable stress, and in the eventuality of a good nutritive situation, even individual bees that are homozygous in the pair of chromosomic sexual locus would produce a sufficient amount of a sex determining substance. Therefore, the female genes of all the diploid individuals of a colony, both homozygous and heterozygous, would be activated. However, situations of considerable stress would cause a poor physiological and nutritive condition. This, together with homozygosis in the pair of chromosomic sexual locus, would lead to a smaller production of the sex determining substance. When this happens in the diploid homozygous individuals of a colony, in relation to sex, only male genes are activated. As a result, all such homozygous diploid bees of the colony become useless males. However, when there is a heterozygous situation in the chromosomic sexual locus of all bees of a colony, all diploid individuals would produce a high amount of the sex determining substance. Consequently, all diploid individuals of such a colony would become females (queens and workers. Stresses, including ecological stress, as well as the nutritive condition and the genetic situation in the chromosomic sexual loci, will have a key influence in the life and behavior of the Meliponini, including sex determination. In relation to genetic factors, hybrid vigour may often cause a greater production of biological substances. This may be due to the presence of a greater number of copies of allelic genes when there is heterozygosis. This is a hypothesis requiring further research. However, in the experiments presented here, this hypothesis seems to apply well to the production of a sex determining substance in bees (Apoidea and other Hymenoptera.

JENIS LEBAH TRIGONA (APIDAE: MELIPONINAE PADA KETINGGIAN TEMPAT BERBEDA DI BALI

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Niko Susanto Putra

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the of trigona species (stingless bee live in different altitude in Bali. Samples were collected using purposive sampling technique, following earlier field observations to determine the location of the colonies. Samples were collected from three different locations, those were at Mawang and Taro Village at Gianyar Regency with the altitude of 750,87 m asl. Tua Village in Tabanan Regency with the altitude of 493,007 m asl, and Ngis Village in Karangase Regency with the altitude of 166,18 m asl, Species identifications were based on the morphological characters of nest entrance, the coloration of the body, wing venations, and the structure of bristle of hind tibia. Species identification were referred to Michener (2007, Schwarz (1939, Sakagami (1979, Sakagami and Inoue (1985, and Rassmusen and Cameron (2010. The result shows that out of 13 colonies collected from different altitude, ony 1 species was identified that was Trigona laeviceps. Keywords: Altitude, nest entrance, morphology, Trigona laeviceps

Multifemale nests and social behavior in Euglossa melanotricha (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini

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Aline Andrade-Silva

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The nesting biology and social behavior of the euglossine bee species Euglossa melanotricha was analyzed based on the monitoring of eight nests found in man-made cavities and transferred to observation boxes. Euglossa melanotricha females usually construct their nests in cavities in the ground, in buildings, or in mounds. In this study, we present new data on the nesting biology of E. melanotricha. The process of reactivation of nests was commonly observed with one to three females participating in the reactivation. The duration of the process of reactivation ranged from 10 to 78 days (n = 31 and were longer during the rainy season. Time spent (in days for provisioning, oviposition and closing a single cell was higher in reactivations that occurred during the dry period.151 emergences were observed (39 males and 112 females. 90 (80.3% of the emerged females returned to the natal nest, but only 35 (38.9% remained and actively participated in the construction and provisioning of cells. The other 55 abandoned the nests after several days without performing any work in the nest. Matrifilial nest structure was regulated by dominance-subordinate aggressive behavior among females, where the dominant female laid almost all eggs. Task allocation was recognized by behavioral characteristics, namely, agonism and oophagy in cells oviposited by other females. Euglossa melanotricha is multivoltine and its nesting is asynchronous with respect to season. Our observations suggest a primitively eusocial organization. These observations of E. melanotricha provide valuable information for comparison with other species of Euglossa in an evolutionary context.

Hive Relocation Does Not Adversely Affect Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae Foraging

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Fiona C. Riddell Pearce

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Honey bees, Apis mellifera, face major challenges including diseases and reduced food availability due to agricultural intensification. Additionally, migratory beekeeping may subject colonies to a moving stress, both during the move itself and after the move, from the bees having to forage in a novel environment where they have no knowledge of flower locations. This study investigated the latter. We moved three colonies housed in observation hives onto the campus from a site 26 km away and compared their foraging performance to three similarly sized colonies at the same location that had not been moved. We obtained data on (1 foraging performance by calculating distance by decoding waggle dances, (2 hive foraging rate by counting forager departure rate, (3 forage quality by assessing sugar content of nectar from returning foragers, and (4 forager success by calculating the proportion of bees returning to the nest entrance with nectar in their crop. We repeated this 3 times (August 2010, October 2010, and June 2011 to encompass any seasonal effects. The data show no consistent difference in foraging performance of moved versus resident hives. Overall the results suggest that moving to a new location does not adversely affect the foraging success of honey bees.

Systematics and biology of Xylocopa subgenus Schonnherria (Hymenoptera, Apidae) in Argentina.

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Lucia, Mariano; Gonzalez, Victor H; Abrahamovich, Alberto H

2015-01-01

Biological information on the species of the large carpenter bee Xylocopa subgenus Schonnherria occurring in Argentina is revised. Based on the appraisal of museum specimens, the study of type material, and field surveys conducted across 15 provinces between 2007 and 2011, the following seven species are recognized for the country: Xylocopa bambusae Schrottky, Xylocopa chrysopoda Schrottky, Xylocopa macrops Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau, Xylocopa simillima Smith Xylocopa splendidula Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau, Xylocopa pulchra Smith, and Xylocopa viridis Smith. Previous literature records of Xylocopa dimidiata Latreille, Xylocopa subcyanea Pérez, and Xylocopa varians Smith for the province of Misiones appear to have been misidentified specimens, although the presence of these species in Argentina cannot be entirely ruled out given the proximity of this province to Brazil and Paraguay where they occur; Xylocopa boops Maidl was described from a male specimen with unusually enlarged eyes and is newly synonymized under Xylocopa macrops. Males and females of all species are diagnosed, described, and figured, including details of the male genitalia. Taxonomic comments, data on the geographical distribution and nesting substrates, and identification keys to all Argentinean species of Schonnherria are provided. The nesting biologies of Xylocopa splendidula and Xylocopa viridis are documented.

Polimorfismo enzimático em populações de Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponinae Enzymatic polymorphism in Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lepeletier populations (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponinae

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Davi S. Aidar

2001-06-01

Full Text Available Them aim scope of this study is to characterize the enzymatic polymorphism found in the Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier, 1936 populations from Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo and Espírito Santo, Brazil and its hybrids. Samples from each colony (about 52 were prepared for starch gel electrophoresis in order to investigate the genetic variation of the following enzimes: esterase (EST, isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH, malic enzyme (ME, phosphoglucomutase (PGM, superoxide desmutase (SOD, α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (αPGD, malate dehydrogenase (MDH, leucine aminopeptidase (LAP, hexokinase (HK and phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI. The analysis showed that LAP and HK did not show enzymatic activity and EST showed two alleles(est-sand and est-f while all the others were shown to be monomorphic. The allele EST-S showed a frequency of 82,6%.

The use of polliniferous resources by Melipona capixaba, an endangered stingless bee species.

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Serra, Bruna Danielle Vieira; da Luz, Cynthia Fernandes Pinto; Campos, Lucio Antonio de Oliveira

2012-01-01

Abstract Pollen types present in samples from corbiculae of Melipona capixaba (Moure and Camargo) (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponina) worker bees were analyzed, as well as pollen samples from food pots inside the hives in three sites located at the bees' original habitat. The aim was to find out the sources used as a trophic resource by this species. The dominant pollen grains in the spectrum of the samples belonged to the families Myrtaceae and Melastomataceae. Eucalyptus was the most frequent pollen type in the corbiculae in Conceição do Castelo municipality; Eucalyptus, Myrcia, and Melastomatacea/Combretaceae in the Fazenda do Estado district; and Eucalyptus and Myrcia in the São Paulo de Aracê district, both in the Domingos Martins municipality. Eucalyptus and Melastomataceae/Combretaceae were the predominant pollen types in the food pots. Eucalyptus was the most prevalent type all year round or most of the year. The most common pollen types in the months that Eucalyptus was not present or dominant in the samples were of remaining native forest species, "ruderal" (field) plants, fruit-bearing plants, and introduced ornamental plants.

Impact of bifenthrin on honeybees and Culex quinquefasciatus.

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Qualls, Whitney A; Xue, Rui-De; Zhong, He

2010-06-01

The impact of bifenthrin on honeybees, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) was evaluated in both laboratory and semifield assays. Ten serial dilutions of bifenthrin and an acetone control using the bottle bioassay protocol were used in the laboratory to determine killing time after 15-, 30-, and 60-min honeybee exposure. Both dose and exposure time significantly affected honeybee mortality (df = 6, F = 10.9, P Bifenthrin was applied at 9.7 ml/liter, 19.5 ml/liter, and 29.5 ml/liter of water to common landscape vegetation, Melampodium paludosum Melanie (show star) and Duranta erecta L. (golden dewdrop); a water control was also used. Bee mortality was significantly higher (P < 0.05, df = 2, F = 20.8) at 29.5 ml/liter compared to the mortality at 19.5-ml/liter and 9.7-ml/liter application rates after 24-h exposure to the treated vegetation. Mortality of Culex quinquefasciatus exposed to treated vegetation was significantly (P < 0.05, df = 10, F = 114) different by week and by application rate.

Generalist Bee Species on Brazilian Bee-Plant Interaction Networks

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Astrid de Matos Peixoto Kleinert

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Determining bee and plant interactions has an important role on understanding general biology of bee species as well as the potential pollinating relationship between them. Bee surveys have been conducted in Brazil since the end of the 1960s. Most of them applied standardized methods and had identified the plant species where the bees were collected. To analyze the most generalist bees on Brazilian surveys, we built a matrix of bee-plant interactions. We estimated the most generalist bees determining the three bee species of each surveyed locality that presented the highest number of interactions. We found 47 localities and 39 species of bees. Most of them belong to Apidae (31 species and Halictidae (6 families and to Meliponini (14 and Xylocopini (6 tribes. However, most of the surveys presented Apis mellifera and/or Trigona spinipes as the most generalist species. Apis mellifera is an exotic bee species and Trigona spinipes, a native species, is also widespread and presents broad diet breath and high number of individuals per colony.

Inhibitory effect of indole analogs against Paenibacillus larvae, the causal agent of American foulbrood disease.

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Alvarado, Israel; Margotta, Joseph W; Aoki, Mai M; Flores, Fernando; Agudelo, Fresia; Michel, Guillermo; Elekonich, Michelle M; Abel-Santos, Ernesto

2017-09-01

Paenibacillus larvae, a Gram-positive bacterium, causes American foulbrood (AFB) in honey bee larvae (Apis mellifera Linnaeus [Hymenoptera: Apidae]). P. larvae spores exit dormancy in the gut of bee larvae, the germinated cells proliferate, and ultimately bacteremia kills the host. Hence, spore germination is a required step for establishing AFB disease. We previously found that P. larvae spores germinate in response to l-tyrosine plus uric acid in vitro. Additionally, we determined that indole and phenol blocked spore germination. In this work, we evaluated the antagonistic effect of 35 indole and phenol analogs and identified strong inhibitors of P. larvae spore germination in vitro. We further tested the most promising candidate, 5-chloroindole, and found that it significantly reduced bacterial proliferation. Finally, feeding artificial worker jelly containing anti-germination compounds to AFB-exposed larvae significantly decreased AFB infection in laboratory-reared honey bee larvae. Together, these results suggest that inhibitors of P. larvae spore germination could provide another method to control AFB. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

Inhibitory effect of gut bacteria from the Japanese honey bee, Apis cerana japonica, against Melissococcus plutonius, the causal agent of European foulbrood disease

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Wu, Meihua; Sugimura, Yuya; Iwata, Kyoko; Takaya, Noriko; Takamatsu, Daisuke; Kobayashi, Masaru; Taylor, DeMar; Kimura, Kiyoshi; Yoshiyama, Mikio

2014-01-01

Abstract European foulbrood is a contagious bacterial disease of honey bee larvae. Studies have shown that the intestinal bacteria of insects, including honey bees, act as probiotic organisms. Microbial flora from the gut of the Japanese honey bee, Apis cerana japonica F. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) , were characterized and evaluated for their potential to inhibit the growth of Melissococcus plutonius corrig. (ex White) Bailey and Collins (Lactobacillales: Enterococcaceae) , the causative agent of European foulbrood. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences from 17 bacterial strains isolated by using a culture-dependent method revealed that most isolates belonged to Bacillus, Staphylococcus, and Pantoea. The isolates were screened against the pathogenic bacterium M. plutonius by using an in vitro growth inhibition assay, and one isolate (Acja3) belonging to the genus Bacillus exhibited inhibitory activity against M. plutonius. In addition, in vivo feeding assays revealed that isolate Acja3 decreased the mortality of honey bee larvae infected with M plutonius, suggesting that this bacterial strain could potentially be used as a probiotic agent against European foulbrood. PMID:25368073

Hymenoptera Stings and the Acute Kidney Injury

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Yashad Dongol

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Hymenoptera stings are a health concern. Apidae (bees, Vespidae (hornets, yellow jackets and wasps and Formicidae (ants are medically-important stinging insects under the order Hymenoptera. Clinical features from simple skin manifestations to severe and fatal organ injury are due to the hypersensitivity reactions and/ or the toxic effects of the venom inoculated. Here we discuss on Hymenoptera stings involving apids (honey bees and vespids (wasps, hornets and yellow jackets and their effect on renal function and associated morphological changes in the kidney. Despite the differences in venom composition and quantity released per sting in two insect groups, both lead to similar medical consequences, such as localised normal allergic reactions, mild to severe anaphylaxis and shock and multiple organ and tissue injury leading to multiple organ failure. Acute kidney injury (AKI is one of the unusual complications of Hymenoptera stings and has the basis of both immune-mediated and toxic effects. Evidence has proven that supportive therapy along with the standard medication is very efficient in completely restoring the kidney function without any recurrence.

Comunidade de insetos visitantes florais de Ocimum selloi Benth (Lamiaceae em Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brasil

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Karine Schoeninger

2011-10-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2012v25n1p55 Este trabalho objetivou listar a comunidade de visitantes florais de Ocimum selloi, indicar os potenciais polinizadores e seus padrões de visitação. A coleta dos visitantes florais ocorreu no ano de 2007, em área antropofizada, sendo analisada a constância e a dominância dos táxons. Coletou-se um total de 653 insetos, pertencentes a sete ordens; Hymenoptera, com 370 indivíduos, foi o grupo mais representativo. Foram identificadas 36 famílias, sendo 12 de Hymenoptera e oito de Diptera, as mais diversas. Apidae foi a família com maior constância e dominância compreendida, principalmente, pela abelha Apis mellifera L., 1758 (n = 223, seguida de Halictidae (n = 107. A maior atividade forrageira foi observada no horário entre as 9h e 11h da manhã. Constatou-se que A. mellifera foi o principal visitante floral e potencial polinizador de O. selloi.

Espectro polínico de mel de tiúba (Melipona fasciculata Smith, 1854, Hymenoptera, Apidae Pollen spectrum of honey of "tiúba" (Melipona fasciculata Smith, 1854, Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Adriana Cecília Lima Martins

2011-01-01

Full Text Available O espectro polínico do mel de Melipona fasciculata Smith foi analisado com o objetivo de identificar os recursos nectaríferos utilizados por essa espécie. A identificação das plantas visitadas foi realizada com base na análise dos tipos polínicos encontrados em 12 amostras de mel coletadas, mensalmente, em uma colônia localizada no município de Palmeirândia, na área da Baixada Ocidental Maranhense (02º40'47,6S, 44º52'39,8"W, Brasil. As análises quantitativas e qualitativas foram realizadas com o objetivo de determinar as porcentagens e classes de frequência dos tipos polínicos presentes nas amostras de mel. Foram encontrados 45 tipos polínicos, sendo Pontederia parviflora Alexander (Pontederiaceae, espécie mais frequente em todo o período de amostragem (38,6%, pólen dominante em Outubro (86%, Junho (85%, Julho (76%, Agosto (49% e Setembro (51% e pólen acessório em Dezembro, Janeiro e Março. Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth (Mimosaceae foi a segunda espécie mais frequente (22,8% sendo pólen dominante em Novembro (46%, Abril (74% e Maio (72%. Myrcia eximia DC (Myrtaceae foi considerada pólen isolado importante. As famílias mais representativas no espectro polínico das amostras de mel foram Pontederiaceae e Mimosaceae. 50% dos méis foram biflorais, havendo também méis monoflorais (41,7% e heteroflorais (8,3%.The pollen spectrum of honey of the Melipona fasciculata was analyzed aiming to elucidate the nectariferous resources used by this species. The identification of the visited plants was based upon the analysis of the pollen spectrum of 12 honey samples collected in one meliponarium located in Palmeirândia county, lowland area of Maranhão State, Brazil (02º40'47,6S, 44º52'39,8"W. The quantitative and qualitative analysis of honey samples was conducted in order to determine the pollen type percentages and frequency classes. Forty-five pollen types were found, being Pontederia parviflora Alexander (Pontederiaceae the most frequent species during period of sampling (38.6% and considered dominant pollen in October (86%, June (85%, July (76%, August (49% and September (51% and accessory pollen in December, January and March. Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth (Mimosaceae was the second most frequent species (22.8% and was a dominant pollen in November (46%, April (74% and May (72%. Myrcia eximia DC. (Myrtaceae was considered important isolated pollen. The most representative families found in the pollen spectrum of the honey samples were Pontederiaceae and Mimosaceae. 50% of honey samples was bifloral, but there were also monofloral (41.7% and heterofloral (8.3% honeys.

Sistema reprodutivo e polinização de Lepidagathis sessilifolia (Pohl Kameyama ex Wassh. & J.R.I. Wood (Acanthaceae, em remanescente florestal da região sudoeste de Mato Grosso, Brasil Breeding system and pollination of Lepidagathis sessilifolia (Pohl Kameyama Wassh ex. & J.R.I.Wood (Acanthaceae in remnant forest in the southwest region of Mato Grosso, Brazil

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Celice Alexandre Silva

2012-09-01

Full Text Available O gênero Lepidagathis apresenta distribuição pantropical com cerca de 100 espécies. No Brasil ocorrem 16 espécies, a maioria nas regiões Centro - Oeste e Sudeste. O estudo foi realizado em sub - bosque de remanescente florestal do município de Tangará da Serra - MT e teve como objetivo analisar a fenologia de floração, descrever a morfologia e biologia floral, verificar os visitantes florais e avaliar o sistema e o sucesso reprodutivo por meio de polinizações manuais. Lepidagathis sessilifolia apresenta inflorescências espiciformes, terminais, com cálice de cor rósea vistosa e corola de coloração branco-rósea. A floração ficou restrita aos meses de março a abril, durante a estação chuvosa. A senescência floral ocorreu após 24 ou 48 horas. A viabilidade dos grãos de pólen foi elevada (92,5%. O único polinizador observado visitando as flores de L. sessilifolia foi a abelha Partamona nhambiquara (Apidae - Meliponini. O sistema reprodutivo misto da espécie é caracterizado pela formação de frutos por meio de agamospermia, autopolinização e polinização cruzada. Esse sistema reprodutivo flexível é vantajoso, pois, garante a manutenção da espécie na área de estudo mesmo na ausência de polinizadores.The genus Lepidagathis has pantropical distribution and about 100 species, 16 occurring in Brazil, mostly in the Midwest and Southeast regions. The research was carried out to evaluate in the understory of a forest remnant in Tangará da Serra County - MT to examine the flowering phenology, describe the floral morphology and biology and verify the floral visitors to evaluate the system and reproductive success through hand pollination tests. Lepidagathis sessilifolia shows spiciform and terminal inflorescence with calyx of pink color and corolla whitish-pink. Flowering was restricted from March to April, during the rainy season. Floral senescence occurred after 24 or 48 hours. The viability of pollen grains was high

Differentially displayed expressed sequence tags in Melipona scutellaris (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) development.

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Santana, Flávia A; Nunes, Francis M F; Vieira, Carlos U; Machado, Maria Alice M S; Kerr, Warwick E; Silva, Wilson A; Bonetti, Ana Maria

2006-03-01

We have compared gene expression, using the Differential Display Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (DDRT-PCR) technique, by means of mRNA profile in Melipona scutellaris during ontogenetic postembryonic development, in adult worker, and in both Natural and Juvenile Hormone III-induced adult queen. Six, out of the nine ESTs described here, presented differentially expressed in the phases L1 or L2, or even in both of them, suggesting that key mechanisms to the development of Melipona scutellaris are regulated in these stages. The combination HT11G-AP05 revealed in L1 and L2 a product which matches to thioredoxin reductase protein domain in the Clostridium sporogenes, an important protein during cellular oxidoreduction processes. This study represents the first molecular evidence of differential gene expression profiles toward a description of the genetic developmental traits in the genus Melipona.

Occurrence and biogeographic aspects of Melipona quinquefasciata in NE Brazil (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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LIMA-VERDE L. W.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available The stingless bee Melipona quinquefasciata is not included among the nine bee species of Melipona described in literature of NE Brazil. However, reports of some farmers raised suspicion on the occurrence of M. quinquefasciata in the state of Ceará, in NE Brazil. Investigations were carried out from July 1997 to September 2000, by means of trips to the areas of probable occurrence of this bee species. Results confirmed the presence of M. quinquefasciata in Ceará and determined its habitat along the chapada do Araripe (Araripe plateau and all extension of planalto da Ibiapaba (Ibiapaba plateau, in altitudes between 600 and 900 m. Melipona quinquefasciata lives in the phytocoenosis of cerrado (Brazilian savanna, cerradão (savanna forest and carrasco (montane deciduous shrub vegetation on the top of Araripe plateau, and only carrasco in the Ibiapaba plateau. Due to pressures caused by reduction of the area covered with native vegetation, large use of agrochemicals in anthropic areas and generalised predatory hunting of honey and beeswax, M. quinquefasciata is in risk of disappearing from the ecosystems of Araripe and Ibiapaba plateaus within a few years.

Karyotypes and heterochromatin variation (C-bands in Melipona species (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponinae

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Rocha Marla Piumbini

1998-01-01

Full Text Available We describe the karyotypes of eight bee species of the genus Melipona and compare them in terms of heterochromatin content and location (C-banding technique. All species had 2n = 18 (females and n = 9 (males chromosomes, but a wide variation in heterochromatin content was detected among karyotypes. On the basis of these differences, the species were divided into two functional groups, one of them comprising species with a karyotype having a low heterochromatin content (M. bicolor bicolor, M. quadrifasciata, M. marginata, and M. asilvai, and the other species with a high heterochromatin content (M. seminigra fuscopilosa, M. capixaba, M. scutellaris, and M. captiosa. In the species with high heterochromatin content, heterochromatin occupied practically the entire extent of all chromosomes, with euchromatin being limited to the extremities, a fact that prevented observation of the centromere. In contrast, in the species with karyotypes having a low heterochromatin content, heterochromatin was visualized only in some chromosomes. In the chromosomes in which it was present, heterochromatin was located in the centromere or on the short arm. M. bicolor bicolor had the smallest heterochromatin content with only three chromosome pairs presenting heterochromatin in females. Increased heterochromatin content may be explained by interstitial and pericentromeric growth.

Differentially displayed expressed sequence tags in Melipona scutellaris (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini development

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Santana Flávia A.

2006-01-01

Full Text Available We have compared gene expression, using the Differential Display Reverse Transcriptase - Polymerase Chain Reaction (DDRT-PCR technique, by means of mRNA profile in Melipona scutellaris during ontogenetic postembryonic development, in adult worker, and in both Natural and Juvenile Hormone III-induced adult queen. Six, out of the nine ESTs described here, presented differentially expressed in the phases L1 or L2, or even in both of them, suggesting that key mechanisms to the development of Melipona scutellaris are regulated in these stages. The combination HT11G-AP05 revealed in L1 and L2 a product which matches to thioredoxin reductase protein domain in the Clostridium sporogenes, an important protein during cellular oxidoreduction processes. This study represents the first molecular evidence of differential gene expression profiles toward a description of the genetic developmental traits in the genus Melipona.

Ultrastructure of the midgut endocrine cells in Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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C. A. Neves

Full Text Available In this study we describe the ultrastructure of the endocrine cells observed in the midgut of M. quadrifasciata anthidioides. This bee has two types of endocrine cells, which are numerous on the posterior midgut region. Cells of the closed type are smaller and have irregular secretory granules with lower electrondensity than those of the open cell type. The open cell type has elongated mitochondria mainly on the basal area, where most of the secretory granules are also found. Besides the secretion granules and mitochondria, endocrine cells in this species have well-developed autophagic vacuoles and Golgi complex elements.

Antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of propolis from Melipona orbignyi (Hymenoptera, Apidae).

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Campos, Jaqueline Ferreira; dos Santos, Uilson Pereira; Macorini, Luis Fernando Benitez; de Melo, Adriana Mary Mestriner Felipe; Balestieri, José Benedito Perrella; Paredes-Gamero, Edgar Julian; Cardoso, Claudia Andrea Lima; de Picoli Souza, Kely; dos Santos, Edson Lucas

2014-03-01

Propolis from stingless bees is well known for its biologic properties; however, few studies have demonstrated these effects. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of propolis from the stingless bee Melipona orbignyi, found in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The chemical composition of the ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) indicated the presence of aromatic acids, phenolic compounds, alcohols, terpenes and sugars. The EEP was active against the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and the fungus Candida albicans. The EEP showed antioxidant activity by scavenging free radicals and inhibiting hemolysis and lipid peroxidation in human erythrocytes incubated with an oxidizing agent. Additionally, EEP promoted cytotoxic activity and primarily necrotic death in K562 erythroleukemia cells. Taken together, these results indicate that propolis from M. orbignyi has therapeutic potential for the treatment and/or prevention of diseases related to microorganism activity, oxidative stress and tumor cell proliferation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Agricultural Landscape and Pesticide Effects on Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Biological Traits.

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Alburaki, Mohamed; Steckel, Sandra J; Williams, Matthew T; Skinner, John A; Tarpy, David R; Meikle, William G; Adamczyk, John; Stewart, Scott D

2017-06-01

Sixteen honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies were placed in four different agricultural landscapes to study the effects of agricultural landscape and exposure to pesticides on honey bee health. Colonies were located in three different agricultural areas with varying levels of agricultural intensity (AG areas) and one nonagricultural area (NAG area). Colonies were monitored for their performance and productivity for one year by measuring colony weight changes, brood production, and colony thermoregulation. Palynological and chemical analyses were conducted on the trapped pollen collected from each colony and location. Our results indicate that the landscape's composition significantly affected honey bee colony performance and development. Colony weight and brood production were significantly greater in AG areas compared to the NAG area. Better colony thermoregulation in AG areas' colonies was also observed. The quantities of pesticides measured in the trapped pollen were relatively low compared to their acute toxicity. Unexplained queen and colony losses were recorded in the AG areas, while colony losses because of starvation were observed in the NAG area. Our results indicate that landscape with high urban activity enhances honey bee brood production, with no significant effects on colony weight gain. Our study indicates that agricultural crops provide a valuable resource for honey bee colonies, but there is a trade-off with an increased risk of exposure to pesticides. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Pollination of Greenhouse Tomatoes by the Mexican bumblebee Bombus ephippiatus (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Carlos Hernan Vergara

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The Mexican native bumblebee Bombus ephippiatus Say was evaluated as a potential pollinator of greenhouse tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicon L.. The experiments were performed at San Andrés Cholula, Puebla, Mexico, from June to December 2004 in two 1 000 m2 greenhouses planted with tomatoes of the cultivar Mallory (Hazera ®. For the experiments, we used two colonies of Bombus ephippiatus, reared in the laboratory from queens captured in the field. Four treatments were applied to 20 study plants: pollination by bumble bees, manual pollination, pollination by mechanical vibration and no pollination (bagged flowers, no vibration. We measured percentage of flowers visited by bumble bees, number of seeds per fruit, maturing time, sugar content, fruit weight and fruit shape. All available flowers were visited by bumblebees, as measured by the degree of anther cone bruising. The number of seeds per fruit was higher for bumble bee-pollinated plants as compared with plants pollinated mechanically or not pollinated and was not significantly different between hand-pollinated and bumble bee-pollinated plants. Maturation time was significantly longer and sugar content, fresh weight and seed count were significantly higher for bumblebee pollinated flowers than for flowers pollinated manually or with no supplemental pollination, but did not differ with flowers pollinated mechanically.

Workers dominate male production in the neotropical bumblebee Bombus wilmattae (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Vandame Rémy

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cooperation and conflict in social insects are closely linked to the genetic structure of the colony. Kin selection theory predicts conflict over the production of males between the workers and the queen and between the workers themselves, depending on intra-colonial relatedness but also on other factors like colony efficiency, sex ratios, cost of worker reproduction and worker dominance behaviour. In most bumblebee (Bombus species the queen wins this conflict and often dominates male production. However, most studies in bumblebees have been conducted with only a few selected, mostly single mated species from temperate climate regions. Here we study the genetic colony composition of the facultative polyandrous neotropical bumblebee Bombus wilmattae, to assess the outcome of the queen-worker conflict over male production and to detect potential worker policing. Results A total of 120 males from five colonies were genotyped with up to nine microsatellite markers to infer their parentage. Four of the five colonies were queen right at point of time of male sampling, while one had an uncertain queen status. The workers clearly dominated production of males with an average of 84.9% +/- 14.3% of males being worker sons. In the two doubly mated colonies 62.5% and 96.7% of the male offspring originated from workers and both patrilines participated in male production. Inferring the mother genotypes from the male offspring, between four to eight workers participated in the production of males. Conclusions In this study we show that the workers clearly win the queen-worker conflict over male production in B. wilmattae, which sets them apart from the temperate bumblebee species studied so far. Workers clearly dominated male production in the singly as well the doubly mated colonies, with up to eight workers producing male offspring in a single colony. Moreover no monopolization of reproduction by single workers occurred.

Nesting biology of four Tetrapedia species in trap-nests (Hymenoptera:Apidae:Tetrapediini

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Evandro Camillo

2005-06-01

Full Text Available The nests used in this study were obtained from trap-nests (tubes of cardboard and cut bamboo stems placed on Santa Carlota Farm (Itaoca Section-IS, Santana Section-SS and Cerrado-Ce, Cajuru, SP, Brazil. The number of nests and corresponding species obtained were as follows: 516 nests of T. curvitarsis, 104 of T. rugulosa, 399 of T. diversipes and 98 of T. garofaloi. The most abundant species from SS and Ce was T.curvitarsis, and from IS it was T. diversipes. In general, most nests were collected during the hot and wet season (September to April. The nests were constructed with sand and an oily substance, and a single female established them. The cells were constructed in a linear series, sometimes followed by a vestibular cell. The number of brood cells ranged from 1 to 10 in T. curvitarsis (n=200, and in T. garofaloi (n=51, from 1 to 8 (n=30 in T. rugulosa, and from 1 to 6 (n=37 in T. diversipes. The pollen mass (pollen + oily substance contained a hollow, sometimes divided by a transverse ridge, on the exposed face of the pollen mass. The egg was vertically positioned in the lower part of the hollow. At times, the closing of a cell was initiated before provisioning was completed, with a construction of a collar at the cell limit. In some nests the final cellular partition also acted as a closure plug. Females began activities at 6:18 a.m.and ended between 3:31 and 6:26 p.m. Some females (T. curvitarsis , T. rugulosa and T. garofaloi did not spend the nights at their nests, returning to them only the following morning with additional material. In general, the development period (for males and females was greater in nests collected near the end of the hot and wet season than it was for nests collected in other months. Sex ratios for each species were as follows: T. curvitarsis, 1:1; T. rugulosa , 1.6:1 female; T. diversipes, 1.9:1; T. garofaloi, 2.8:1. Males and females of T. diversipes exhibited statistically similar sizes and in the other three species the females were larger than the males. The mortality rates were statistically similar: 33.2% for T. curvitarsis, 25.8% for T. rugulosa, 26.8% for T. diversipes and 38.2% for T. garofaloi. The parasitoids were: Coelioxoides exulans, Leucospis cayenensis, Anthrax sp., Coelioxys sp., Coelioxoides sp. and individuals of the family Meloidae. Rev. Biol. Trop.53(1-2:175-186. Epub 2005 Jun 24Los nidos usados en este estudio fueron obtenidos de nidos de trampa (tubos de cartón y tallos cortados de bambú localizados en la finca Santa Carlota (Itaoca Sección-IS, Santana Sección-SS y Cerrado-Ce, Cajuru, SP, Brasil. El número de nidos y las especies correpondientes obtenidas fueron:516 nidos de T. curvitarsis, 104 de T. rugulosa, 399 de T. diversipes y 98 de T. garofaloi. La especie más abundante en SS y Ce fue T. curvitarsis, y la de IS fue T.diversipes. En general, la mayoría de los nidos fueron recolectados durante la estación caliente y húmeda (septiembre a abril. Los nidos fueron construidos con arena y una sustancia aceitosa, y una hembra solitaria se estableció en ellos. Las celdas fueron contruidas en una serie lineal, algunas veces contiguo a una celda vestibular. El número de celdas amplias se distribuyó desde 1 a 10 en T. curvitarsis (n=200, y en T. garofaloi (n=51, de 1 a 8 (n=30 en T. rugulosa, y de 1 a 6 (n=37 en T. diversipes. Las masas de polen (polen más sustancia aceitosa contenían una depresión, algunas veces dividida por una carina transversal, sobre la cara expuesta de la masa de polen. Los huevos fueron puestos en la parte inferior de la depresión. A veces, el cierre de una celda fue iniciada antes de que el aprovicionamiento estuviera completo, con la construcción de un collar en el borde de la celda. En algunos nidos la partición final de las celdas también actuaba como un tapón. Las hembras empiezan sus actividades a las 6:18 a.m. y terminan entre 3:31 y 6:26 p.m. Algunas hembras (T. curvitarsis, T. rugulosa y T. garofaloi no pasan las noches en sus nidos, regresando a ellos solamente la mañana siguiente con material adicional. En general, el periodo de desarrollo (para machos y hembras fue mayor en nidos recolectados cerca del fin de la estación cálida y humeda que respecto a los nidos recolectados en otros meses. La proporción de sexos para cada especie fue: T. curvitarsis, 1:1; T. rugulosa, 1.6:1 hembras; T. diversipes, 1.9:1; T. garofaloi, 2.8:1. Machos y hembras de T. diversipes exhibieron tamaños estadísticamente similares y en las otras especies las hembras fueron más grandes que los machos. Las tasas de mortalidad fueron similares estadísticamente: 33.2% para T. curvitarsis, 25.8% para T. rugulosa, 26.8% para T. diversipes y 38.2% para T. garofaloi. Los parasitoides fueron Coelioxoides exulans, Leucospis cayenensis, Anthrax sp., Coelioxys sp., Coelioxoides sp.e individuos de la familia Meloidae

Occurrence and biogeographic aspects of Melipona quinquefasciata in NE Brazil (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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L. W. LIMA-VERDE

Full Text Available The stingless bee Melipona quinquefasciata is not included among the nine bee species of Melipona described in literature of NE Brazil. However, reports of some farmers raised suspicion on the occurrence of M. quinquefasciata in the state of Ceará, in NE Brazil. Investigations were carried out from July 1997 to September 2000, by means of trips to the areas of probable occurrence of this bee species. Results confirmed the presence of M. quinquefasciata in Ceará and determined its habitat along the chapada do Araripe (Araripe plateau and all extension of planalto da Ibiapaba (Ibiapaba plateau, in altitudes between 600 and 900 m. Melipona quinquefasciata lives in the phytocoenosis of cerrado (Brazilian savanna, cerradão (savanna forest and carrasco (montane deciduous shrub vegetation on the top of Araripe plateau, and only carrasco in the Ibiapaba plateau. Due to pressures caused by reduction of the area covered with native vegetation, large use of agrochemicals in anthropic areas and generalised predatory hunting of honey and beeswax, M. quinquefasciata is in risk of disappearing from the ecosystems of Araripe and Ibiapaba plateaus within a few years.

Cytogenetic characterization of two species of Frieseomelitta Ihering, 1912 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini

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Antônio F. Carvalho

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The cytogenetic analysis of Frieseomelitta dispar and F. francoi revealed the chromosome numbers 2n = 30 and n = 15 and a karyotypic formula 2K = 4M+2Mt+4A+20A M. The number of chromosomes observed was consistent with those reported for other Frieseomelitta species. The occurrence of the Mt chromosome and other features of the karyotype formulae suggest a close relationship between F. dispar, F. francoi and F. varia. Nevertheless, it was possible to differentiate the karyotypes of the species by DAPI/CMA3 staining, which revealed GC-rich regions on two chromosome pairs of F. dispar: one acrocentric and one pseudoacrocentric. In F. francoi, the same kinds of regions were observed on a pair of metacentrics and on a pair of acrocentrics. Our analysis also confirmed the chromosome number conservation in Frieseomelitta and suggests that infrequent pericentric inversion could constitute a synapomorphy for the group including F. dispar, F. francoi, and F. varia.

Fluctuating asymmetry in Apis mellifera(Hymenoptera: Apidae as bioindicator of anthropogenic environments

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Lorena Andrade Nunes

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The successful distribution of A. melliferais due to their ability to adjust to seasonal variations, considerable control over their internal physical environment and exploration of different resources. However, their populations have experienced different forms and levels of environmental pressure. This research aimed to verify the phenotypic plasticity in both size and shape of wings in A. melliferausing fluctuating asymmetry, based on geometric morphometrics from apiaries located in sites with high and low levels of anthropization. We sampled 16 locations throughout all five geographic regions of Brazil. At each site, samples were collected from 20 beehives installed in apiaries: 10 installed near high anthropogenic environments (Cassilàndia - MS, Fortaleza - CE, Maringá - PR, Aquidauana - MS, Rolim de Moura - RO, Riachuelo - SE, Ubirata - PR and Piracicaba - SP, and 10 in sites with low levels of human disturbance (Cassilàndia - MS, Itapiúna CE, Uniao da Vitoria - PR, Aquidauana - MS, Rolim de Moura - RO, Pacatuba - SE, Erval Seco - RS, Rio Claro - SP. A sample of 10 individuals was taken in each hive, totaling 200 per location, for a total of 1 600 individuals. We used fluctuating asymmetry (FA in size and shape of the forewing through geometric morphometrics. The FA analysis was conducted in order to check bilateral differences. The indexes of size and shape were submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA, where the characters evaluated were used as factors to verify the size and shape differences. The results indicated an asymmetry on the shape of the wing (P < 0.001 but no asymmetry was observed on wing size. Considering FA as an environmental response and high and low impacted areas as a fixed factor, we observed significant differences (P < 0.05. The results for the wing shape in A. melliferademonstrated that this feature undergoes more variation during ontogeny compared to the variation in size. We concluded that bee samples collected from colonies with higher levels of human disturbance had higher wing-shape asymmetry; the variation of fluctuating asymmetry in the wing shape of honeybees can be used as an indicator of the degree of environmental anthropization.

Foraging behavior of stingless bee Heterotrigona itama (Cockerell, 1918) (Hymenoptera : Apidae : Meliponini)

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Jaapar, Mohd Fahimee; Jajuli, Rosliza; Mispan, Muhamad Radzali; Ghani, Idris Abd

2018-04-01

A study to investigate the foraging behavior of Heterotrigona itama (Cockerell, 1918) was conducted on three colonies between January 2016 and June 2016. A digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) with macro lens attached, and action camera (SJCAM) was used to record foraging behavior of H. itama in its colonies for 5 min per hour between 0800 to 1700 h for a day per 6 months. In addition, three data loggers (Watchdog B100 2K) has been installed adjacent to the observation nest for collect temperature and humidity in the study areas. Result showed that the numbers of return foragers was significantly different from January to June also with outgoing forager. The returning forager between hours showed significant different from 8 am to 5 pm also for outgoing forager. The ideal temperature related to foraging behavior for H. itama was 29°C to 32 °C Our finding also, helps to guide researcher to expand the knowledge in foraging behavior by stingless bee as well as encouraging more small farmers to start rearing at least for their own consumption. In addition, these findings also guide the farmers to manage their chemical toxic inside the meliponiculture.

Espectro polínico de amostras de mel de Melipona mandacaia Smith, 1863 (Hymenoptera: Apidae = Pollen spectrum from honey samples of Melipona mandacaia Smith, 1863 stingless bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Rogério Marcos de Oliveira Alves

2006-01-01

Full Text Available O espectro polínico de amostras de mel da abelha Melipona mandacaia foi analisado com objetivo de elucidar os recursos alimentares utilizados por essa espécie. A identificação das plantas visitadas foi realizada com base na análise dos tipos polínicos encontrados nas amostras de mel coletadas em 11 colônias localizadas no município de São Gabriel, em área de caatinga do Estado da Bahia, Brasil (11º14’S e 41º52’W. As análises quantitativas e qualitativas foram realizadas com o objetivo de determinar as porcentagens e classes de freqüência dos tipos polínicos presentes nas amostras de mel. Foram encontrados 26 tipos polínicos, sendo o tipo Piptadenia rigida (Mimosaceae considerado dominante. Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae, Mimosa verrucata (Mimosaceae e M. arenosa (Mimosaceae foram considerados pólen isolado importante. As famílias mais representativas no espectro polínico das amostras de mel foram Mimosaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Asteraceae e Anacardiaceae.The pollen spectrum from honey samples of Melipona mandacaia stingless bee was analyzed aiming at elucidating the alimentaryresources used by that species. The identification of the visited plants was based on the analysis of pollen from honey samples collected in 11 hives located in São Gabriel county, in the semiarid area of Bahia State, Brazil (11º14’S and 41º52’W. The quantitative and qualitative analyses of honey samples were conducted in order to determine the pollen types percentages and frequency classes. Twenty-six pollen types were found, being the Piptadenia rigida type (Mimosaceae considered dominant. Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae, Mimosa verrucata (Mimosaceae and M. arenosa (Mimosaceae were considered important isolated pollen. The most representative families found in the pollen spectrum of the honey samples were Mimosaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Asteraceae and Anacardiaceae.

Ácidos fenólicos, flavonoides e atividade antioxidante em méis de Melipona fasciculata, M. flavolineata (Apidae, Meliponini e Apis mellifera (Apidae, Apini da Amazônia

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Patricia Sertão Oliveira

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Honey produced by three stingless bee species (Melipona flavolineata, M. fasciculata and Apis mellifera from different regions of the Amazon was analyzed by separating phenolic acids and flavonoids using the HPLC technique. Data were subjected to multivariate statistical analysis (PCA, HCA and DA. Results showed the three species of honey samples could be distinguished by phenolic composition. Antioxidant activity of the honeys was determined by studying the capacity of inhibiting radicals using DPPH assay. Honeys with higher phenolic compound contents had greater antioxidant capacity and darker color.

Primeiro registro de Eufriesea laniventris (Ducke, 1902 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini no Amazonas, Brasil First record of Eufriesea laniventris (Ducke, 1902 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini in the state of Amazonas, Brazil

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Eliana Fernandez Storti

2004-01-01

Full Text Available É registrada pela primeira vez a ocorrência de Eufriesea laniventris no Amazonas. No ano 2000, foram coletados seis exemplares na região de Manaus (2º 36' S e 60º 02' W atraídos pelas substâncias odoríferas 1,8 cineol e salicilato de metila.The first record of Eufriesea laniventris in the state of Amazonas is here reported. Attracted to 1.8 cineole and methyl salicylate fragrances, six specimens were colected in the region of Manaus (2º 36' S 60º 02' W during the year 2000.

Proboscis conditioning experiments with honeybees, Apis mellifera caucasica, with butyric acid and DEET mixture as conditioned and unconditioned stimuli.

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Abramson, Charles I; Giray, Tugrul; Mixson, T Andrew; Nolf, Sondra L; Wells, Harrington; Kence, Aykut; Kence, Meral

2010-01-01

Three experiments are described investigating whether olfactory repellents DEET and butyric acid can support the classical conditioning of proboscis extension in the honeybee, Apis mellifera caucasica (Hymenoptera: Apidae). In the first experiment DEET and butyric acid readily led to standard acquisition and extinction effects, which are comparable to the use of cinnamon as a conditioned stimulus. These results demonstrate that the odor of DEET or butyric acid is not intrinsically repellent to honey bees. In a second experiment, with DEET and butyric acid mixed with sucrose as an unconditioned stimulus, proboscis conditioning was not established. After several trials, few animals responded to the unconditioned stimulus. These results demonstrate that these chemicals are gustatory repellents when in direct contact. In the last experiment a conditioned suppression paradigm was used. Exposing animals to butyric acid or DEET when the proboscis was extended by direct sucrose stimulation or by learning revealed that retraction of the proboscis was similar to another novel odor, lavender, and in all cases greatest when the animal was not permitted to feed. These results again demonstrate that DEET or butyric acid are not olfactory repellents, and in addition, conditioned suppression is influenced by feeding state of the bee.

Interaction between visiting bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) and flowers of Ludwigia elegans (Camb.) hara (Onagraceae) during the year in two different areas in São Paulo, Brazil.

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Gimenes, M

2003-11-01

This study was designed to characterize the interactions between Ludwigia elegans flowers and visiting bees during two years in two areas 200 km apart, at the same latitude (approximately 22 masculine 48'S) but at different altitudes (Alumínio, 600 m, and Campos do Jordão, 1500 m), in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. As these flowers open simultaneously in the morning and lose their petals by sunset, interaction with bees occurs only during the photophase. Flowers of L. elegans were mainly visited by bees, the most frequent species being: Tetraglossula anthracina (Michener, 1989) (Colletidae), Rhophitulus sp. (Andrenidae), and Pseudagapostemon spp. (Halictidae), all considered specialized bees for collecting pollen and nectar from these flowers, as well as the generalist bee Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 (Apidae). The specialist bees were temporally adjusted to the opening schedule of the flower, which occurs primarily in the morning, but shows a circannual variation. T. anthracina appears in both study areas, but only between December and April. The annual activity patterns of these specialist bees are synchronized to the phenology of L. elegans. Photoperiod and temperature cycles are suggested as the main synchronizers of both bees and plants.

Building Walkways: Observation on Nest Duplication of Stingless Bee Trigona iridipennins Smith (1854

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Preeti S. Virkar

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Beekeeping for honey and other bee products is an age old practice. Besides the popular honeybees, Apis cerana and Apis mellifera, stingless bees belonging to the tribe Meliponini, subfamily Apinae and family Apidae (Michener, 2007 are also reared for honey, having high medicinal value. Stingless bees are exclusive to tropics and their size ranges from 2mm to slightly bigger than the popular honeybee A. mellifera (O'Toole & Raw, 1999. The practice of keeping stingless bees is called meliponiculture, and once it was an integral part of the culture of indigenous people of South and Central America. It held a social and religious significance in the meso-American culture, mainly the ancient Mayans (Sommeijer, 1999. Stingless bee products such as honey, wax and propolis formed a small-scale economy in their livelihood as well (Cortopassi-Laurino et al., 2006. Although least explored, meliponiculture is an age old practice in India also. Kani tribe in Western Ghats is the only reported reference, keeping stingless bees (Kumar et al., 2012. Trigona iridipennis is the widespread stingless bee species in the Indian subcontinent and used for meliponiculture.

Chemical Ecology of Stingless Bees.

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Leonhardt, Sara Diana

2017-04-01

Stingless bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae: Meliponini) represent a highly diverse group of social bees confined to the world's tropics and subtropics. They show a striking diversity of structural and behavioral adaptations and are important pollinators of tropical plants. Despite their diversity and functional importance, their ecology, and especially chemical ecology, has received relatively little attention, particularly compared to their relative the honeybee, Apis mellifera. Here, I review various aspects of the chemical ecology of stingless bees, from communication over resource allocation to defense. I list examples in which functions of specific compounds (or compound groups) have been demonstrated by behavioral experiments, and show that many aspects (e.g., queen-worker interactions, host-parasite interactions, neuronal processing etc.) remain little studied. This review further reveals that the vast majority of studies on the chemical ecology of stingless bees have been conducted in the New World, whereas studies on Old World stingless bees are still comparatively rare. Given the diversity of species, behaviors and, apparently, chemical compounds used, I suggest that stingless bees provide an ideal subject for studying how functional context and the need for species specificity may interact to shape pheromone diversification in social insects.

A new technique in the excavation of ground-nest bee burrows (Hymenoptera: Apoidea

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Diego Marinho

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Bees have a diversified natural history, thus the methods applied to study such diversity are varied. When it comes to studies of nesting biology, bees which nest in pre-existing cavities have been reasonably well studied since researchers started using trap-nests. However, bees whose nests are built underground are poorly studied due to the difficulty of finding natural nesting areas and the absence of a method that facilitates bee nest excavation. The latter is evidenced by the lack of accurate descriptions in literature of how nests are excavated. In this study we tested cylindrical rubber refills of eraser pen as a new material to be used as a tracer of underground nest galleries in a natural nesting area of two species of Epicharis Klug, 1807 (Apidae. We compared this technique directly with plaster in powder form mixed with water and our results with other methodological studies describing alternative methods and materials. The rubber refill technique overcame the main issues presented by materials such as plaster, molten metal alloys and bioplastic, namely: death of the organisms by high temperatures and/or formation of plugs and materials unduly following the roots inside the galleries.

Revisão das espécies de Melipona do grupo fuliginosa (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Apidae, Meliponini Revision of the species of Melipona of the fuliginosa group (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Apidae, Meliponini

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João M. F. Camargo

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Três espécies são reconhecidas: Melipona (Michmelia fuliginosa Lepeletier, 1836, de larga distribuição, do Suriname e Guiana Francesa até o sudeste do Brasil e noroeste da Argentina, M. (Michmelia titania Gribodo, 1893 (revalidado, endêmica do oeste da Amazônia, e M. (Michmelia fallax sp. nov., do noroeste do Equador até a América Central. Melipona fuliginosa distingue-se pela pilosidade dos tergos metassomáticos II-V, tanto do macho como da operária, densa e plumosa, e pelo primeiro tarsômero da perna III do macho mais largo que longo. Em M. titania e M. fallax sp. nov., a pilosidade dos tergos II-V é escassa e simples, não-plumosa, e o primeiro tarsômero tão longo quanto largo ou mais longo que largo. Operárias de Melipona titania e M. fallax sp. nov. separam-se pela forma do penicilo, que é fortemente sinuoso em M. titania, e nos machos de M. fallax sp. nov. as órbitas internas dos olhos são paralelas, enquanto em M. titania as órbitas são convergentes embaixo. Novos registros geográficos, dados bionômicos e uma chave para identificação das espécies são apresentados. Adicionalmente, são feitos comentários sobre o padrão biogeográfico e sobre as glândulas tergais das rainhas.Three species are recognized: Melipona (Michmelia fuliginosa Lepeletier, 1836, widely distributed, from Suriname and French Guiana to southeastern Brazil and northwestern Argentina, M. (Michmelia titania Gribodo, 1893 (revalidated, endemic to western Amazon and M. (Michmelia fallax sp. nov., from northwestern Ecuador to Central America. Melipona fuliginosa differs from the other species by the pilosity of metasomal terga II-V, dense and plumose, in both male and workers, and the first tarsomere of leg III of the male wider than long. In M. titania and M. fallax sp. nov., the pilosity of terga II-V is scarce and simple, non-plumose, and the first tarsomere of leg III of the male is as long as wide or longer. Workers of Melipona titania and M. fallax sp. nov. differ by the shape of the penicillum, which is strongly sinuous in M. titania, and in the males of M. fallax sp. nov. the internal orbits of the eyes are parallel, while in M. titania the orbits are convergent below. New geographic records, bionomic data and an identification key for the species are presented. In addition, comments are given on geographic patterns and tergal glands of the queens.

Adding Biotic Interactions into Paleodistribution Models: A Host-Cleptoparasite Complex of Neotropical Orchid Bees.

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Daniel Paiva Silva

Full Text Available Orchid bees compose an exclusive Neotropical pollinators group, with bright body coloration. Several of those species build their own nests, while others are reported as nest cleptoparasites. Here, the objective was to evaluate whether the inclusion of a strong biotic interaction, such as the presence of a host species, improved the ability of species distribution models (SDMs to predict the geographic range of the cleptoparasite species. The target species were Aglae caerulea and its host species Eulaema nigrita. Additionally, since A. caerulea is more frequently found in the Amazon rather than the Cerrado areas, a secondary objective was to evaluate whether this species is increasing or decreasing its distribution given South American past and current climatic conditions. SDMs methods (Maxent and Bioclim, in addition with current and past South American climatic conditions, as well as the occurrences for A. caerulea and E. nigrita were used to generate the distribution models. The distribution of A. caerulea was generated with and without the inclusion of the distribution of E. nigrita as a predictor variable. The results indicate A. caerulea was barely affected by past climatic conditions and the populations from the Cerrado savanna could be at least 21,000 years old (the last glacial maximum, as well as the Amazonian ones. On the other hand, in this study, the inclusion of the host-cleptoparasite interaction complex did not statistically improve the quality of the produced models, which means that the geographic range of this cleptoparasite species is mainly constrained by climate and not by the presence of the host species. Nonetheless, this could also be caused by unknown complexes of other Euglossini hosts with A. caerulea, which still are still needed to be described by science.

Pollination of euglossinophylic epiphytic orchids in agroecosystems and forest fragments in southeast Mexico

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Anne Damon

2012-09-01

Full Text Available To determine the reproductive status of the native orchids of the biodiversity “hotspot”, Biological Corridor Tacaná-Boquerón, in the region of Soconusco, southeast Mexico, which are suffering the effects of habitat degradation, unsustainable exploitation and potentially, climate change, we analysed the species richness, abundance, habitat and abiotic preferences, pollinaria transport and relation to orchid populations, of male Euglossine bees (Hymenoptera: Apidea: Euglossini in agroecosystems and forest fragments within the region. Using volatile baits we trapped 2,480 bees, consisting of 14 species, during a total of 256 hours, of which 284 individuals (11.5% had pollinaria of 18 orchid species adhered to their bodies. Three species of Eufriesia (E. caerulescens, E. mexicana, E. rugosa and one species of Euglossa (E. villosa were recorded for the first time. We report Eulaema meriana as the pollinator of the recently rediscovered Plectrophora alata. We did not detect habitat preferences for the species of Euglossini captured, and they were frequent, or even more frequent, in intensive coffee plantations, as are many of the orchid species, which can be classified as a disturbed habitat. Bees tended to be more abundant with increasing light intensity and decreasing humidity at each site. There was little indication of pollinator specificity and the position of the pollinaria of each orchid species on the bodies of the bees was also variable. We did not recover any pollinaria from various euglossinophylic, epiphytic orchid species present in the region and three bee species showed signs of population decline. However, our results indicate that many species of orchids with this pollination syndrome are receiving pollination service within an increasingly fragmented and disturbed environment, suggesting that both the orchids and the bees are adapting to the changes.

Morphometry of the midgut of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Lepeletier) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) during metamorphosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, L C; Araújo, V A; Dolder, H; Araújo, A P A; Serrão, J E; Neves, C A

2011-01-01

In Hymenoptera, midgut changes begin in the last instar. At this stage, the larval epithelial digestive cells degenerate, leaving only the basal membrane and the regenerative cells which will develop into a new epithelium during the pupal stage and in the adult. Epithelium renewal is followed by changes in volume and shape of the midgut. Morphometric analysis of digestive cells and total midgut volume of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Lepeletier) were conducted to verify whether cell volume increase are sufficient to account for the total midgut volume increase that occurs during metamorphosis. An increase in midgut volume was verified in spite of the scarcity of cell proliferation found during metamorphosis. At the end of metamorphosis, the increase in cell volume was not sufficient to explain the increase in volume of the midgut, indicating that an increase in the number of digestive cells is apparently necessary. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which regenerative cells reconstitute the epithelium during metamorphosis remains unknown.

Floral Preference of Melipona eburnea Friese (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in a Colombian Andean Region.

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Obregon, D; Nates-Parra, G

2014-02-01

Melipona eburnea Friese is a stingless bee kept in some regions of Colombia, where it is reported to be vulnerable to extinction due to habitat disturbance. To contribute to raising conservation strategies, the aim of this study was to identify the floral preferences of this species using melissopalynological analysis. A total of 31 pollen pot samples and 37 honey samples were taken from March 2009 through March 2010 from four colonies in Fusagasuga, Colombia. We found 92 pollen types: 17 from pollen pot samples, 39 from honey samples (indicating the sources of nectar), and 36 in both types of samples. The most frequent pollen types in the pollen pot samples were Myrcia type (100%), Eucalyptus globulus (96.9%), and Fraxinus uhdei (96.9%). The most frequent pollen types in honey samples were E. globulus (97.4%) and Myrcia type (94.9%). The pollen types corresponded mainly to native plants (68%), trees (44.5%), plants whose sexual system is hermaphroditic (56.5%), and plants with inflorescences (76.2%). The most frequent shapes of the flowers were brush-like (type Myrtaceae) and dish-like (type Asteraceae), and the preferred flower colors were white or cream (52.2%). In general, we found that M. eburnea showed a strong preference for trees of the family Myrtaceae to obtain nectar and pollen, including native and introduced species. Some other families are contributing significantly, such as Melastomataceae for pollen collection and Asteraceae for nectar. These results highlight the key plant species for the diet of M. eburnea.

Por que Melipona scutellaris (Hymenoptera, Apidae forrageia sob alta umidade relativa do ar?

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Marília D. e Silva

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Há evidências de que a temperatura do ar e a umidade relativa afetam a atividade de voo de espécies de abelhas sociais Meliponini. Em particular, as espécies grandes do gênero Melipona Illiger, 1806 responderiam de maneira mais estreita à variação na umidade relativa. Neste estudo defende-se o argumento de que a umidade relativa seja uma variável de confusão. Nesta linha de argumentação, também foi analisado o papel da coleta de pólen sobre o ritmo diário de forrageio. A robusta Melipona scutellaris (Latreille, 1811 foi usada como modelo e a atividade diária de voo e de forrageio de pólen foi medida em 12 colônias (4 colônias/hábitat, em três tipos de hábitats, que variam principalmente quanto à pluviosidade, na área de distribuição natural desta espécie (Floresta Pluvial, Floresta Sazonal e Transição Floresta Tropical-Cerrados. A maioria da atividade de voo acontece durante a manhã. A atividade de forrageio das colônias foi mais elevada nas primeiras horas do alvorecer, quando a umidade relativa também era alta, frequentemente associada a picos de coleta de pólen. A atividade de voo decresceu abruptamente durante as temperaturas altas ao redor do meio dia. A relação da atividade de voo com a umidade relativa foi altamente significativa e linear, contrastando com a relação significativa e unimodal com a temperatura. Na relação com o forrageio de M. scutellaris, a umidade relativa se configura como uma variável contingente, em hábitats tropicais úmidos, considerando os padrões diários de variação do microclima e de forrageio de pólen. Este último padrão também sustenta a hipótese de partição temporal de fontes florais de pólen.

Techniques for the In Vitro Production of Queens in Stingless Bees (Apidae, Meliponini)

OpenAIRE

Baptistella, Ana Rita; Souza, Camila C. M.; Santana, Weyder Cristiano; Egea Soares, Ademilson Espencer

2012-01-01

Considering the ecological importance of stingless bees as caretakers and pollinators of a variety of native plants makes it necessary to improve techniques which increase of colonies' number in order to preserve these species and the biodiversity associated with them. Thus, our aim was to develop a methodology of in vitro production of stingless bee queens by offering a large quantity of food to the larvae. Our methodology consisted of determining the amount of larval food needed for the dev...

Toxicity of Imidacloprid to the Stingless Bee Scaptotrigona postica Latreille, 1807 (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, Hellen Maria; Jacob, Cynthia Renata Oliveira; Carvalho, Stephan Malfitano; Nocelli, Roberta Cornélio Ferreira; Malaspina, Osmar

2015-06-01

The stingless bee Scaptotrigona postica is an important pollinator of native and cultivated plants in Brazil. Among the factors affecting the survival of these insects is the indiscriminate use of insecticides, including the neonicotinoid imidacloprid. This work determined the toxicity of imidacloprid as the topical median lethal dose (LD50) and the oral median lethal concentration (LC50) as tools for assessing the effects of this insecticide. The 24 and 48 h LD50 values were 25.2 and 24.5 ng of active ingredient (a.i.)/bee, respectively. The 24 and 48 h LC50 values were 42.5 and 14.3 ng a.i./µL of diet, respectively. Ours results show the hazard of imidacloprid and the vulnerability of stingless bees to it, providing relevant toxicological data that can used in mitigation programs to ensure the conservation of this species.

Age-dependent attractivity of males’ sexual pheromones in Bombus terrestris (L.) [Hymenoptera, Apidae

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Coppée, Audrey; Mathy, T.; Cammaerts, M.; Verheggen, F. J.; Terzo, M.; Iserbyt, S.; Valterová, Irena; Rasmont, P.

2011-01-01

Roč. 21, č. 2 (2011), s. 75-82 ISSN 0937-7409 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/09/1446 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : Bombus terrestris * sexual pheromones * age-dependent variation * behavioural tests Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 1.556, year: 2011

Nest structure and communal nesting in Euglossa (Glossura annectans Dressler (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini

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Carlos Alberto Garófalo

1998-01-01

Full Text Available Three nests of Euglossa (Glossura annectans Dressier, 1982 were obtained from trap nests at Serra do Japi, Jundiai, São Paulo State, Brazil. The bees nested in bamboo cane (one nest and in wooden-boxes (two nests. Solitary (two cases and pleometrotic (one case foundations were observed. Two nests were re-used once by two females working in each of them. Re-using females that shared the nests were of the same generation and each built, provisioned and oviposited in her own cells, characterizing a communal association. The brood development period was related to climatic conditions. Natural enemies included Anthrax oedipus oedipus Fabricius, 1805 (Bombyliidae, Coelioxys sp. (Megachilidae and Melittobia sp. (Eulophidae.

Taxonomic notes on stingless bee Trigona (Tetragonula iridipennis Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae from India

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K. Vijayakumar

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Stingless Bees are a large and diverse taxon and more than 500 species are recorded worldwide.  Based on the previous reports, totally seven species are reported from India.  The present study reports male and female morphological characteristics of Tetragonula iridipennis belonging to Tetragonula subgenus in Nellithurai Village, Tamil Nadu, India.  The species of Tetragonula group are extremely similar in the external morphology of the workers. The glabrous bands on mesoscutum of female bees and structure and arrangement of gonostylus and the penis valve of male bees are used to separate T. iridipennis from other species in this group.  The identity of T. iridipennis is made based on the male and female key morphological characteristics in the previous literature.

Effects of clothianidin on Bombus impatiens (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colony health and foraging ability.

Science.gov (United States)

Franklin, Michelle T; Winston, Mark L; Morandin, Lora A

2004-04-01

We conducted laboratory experiments to investigate the lethal and sublethal effects of clothianidin on bumble bee, Bombus impatiens Cresson, colony health and foraging ability. Bumble bee colonies were exposed to 6 ppb clothianidin, representing the highest residue levels found in field studies on pollen, and a higher dose of 36 ppb clothianidin in pollen. Clothianidin did not effect pollen consumption, newly emerged worker weights, amount of brood or the number of workers, males, and queens at either dose. The foraging ability of worker bees tested on an artificial array of complex flowers also did not differ among treatments. These results suggest that clothianidin residues found in seed-treated canola and possibly other crops will not adversely affect the health of bumble bee colonies or the foraging ability of workers.

Expression of varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH) in commercial VSH honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

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We tested six commercial sources of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) that were bred to include the trait of varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH). VSH confers resistance to the parasitic mite Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman. Queens from these sources were established in colonies which later were measure...

Proteomic analysis in the Dufour's gland of Africanized Apis mellifera workers (Hymenoptera: Apidae.

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Aparecida das Dores Teixeira

Full Text Available The colony of eusocial bee Apis mellifera has a reproductive queen and sterile workers performing tasks such as brood care and foraging. Chemical communication plays a crucial role in the maintenance of sociability in bees with many compounds released by the exocrine glands. The Dufour's gland is a non-paired gland associated with the sting apparatus with important functions in the communication between members of the colony, releasing volatile chemicals that influence workers roles and tasks. However, the protein content in this gland is not well studied. This study identified differentially expressed proteins in the Dufour's glands of nurse and forager workers of A. mellifera through 2D-gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. A total of 131 spots showed different expression between nurse and forager bees, and 28 proteins were identified. The identified proteins were categorized into different functions groups including protein, carbohydrate, energy and lipid metabolisms, cytoskeleton-associated proteins, detoxification, homeostasis, cell communication, constitutive and allergen. This study provides new insights of the protein content in the Dufour's gland contributing to a more complete understanding of the biological functions of this gland in honeybees.

Lethal and sublethal effects of azadirachtin on the bumblebee Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

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Barbosa, Wagner Faria; De Meyer, Laurens; Guedes, Raul Narciso C; Smagghe, Guy

2015-01-01

Azadirachtin is a biorational insecticide commonly reported as selective to a range of beneficial insects. Nonetheless, only few studies have been carried out with pollinators, usually emphasizing the honeybee Apis mellifera and neglecting other important pollinator species such as the bumblebee Bombus terrestris. Here, lethal and sublethal effects of azadirachtin were studied on B. terrestris via oral exposure in the laboratory to bring out the potential risks of the compound to this important pollinator. The compound was tested at different concentrations above and below the maximum concentration that is used in the field (32 mg L(-1)). As most important results, azadirachtin repelled bumblebee workers in a concentration-dependent manner. The median repellence concentration (RC50) was estimated as 504 mg L(-1). Microcolonies chronically exposed to azadirachtin via treated sugar water during 11 weeks in the laboratory exhibited a high mortality ranging from 32 to 100 % with a range of concentrations between 3.2 and 320 mg L(-1). Moreover, no reproduction was scored when concentrations were higher than 3.2 mg L(-1). At 3.2 mg L(-1), azadirachtin significantly inhibited the egg-laying and, consequently, the production of drones during 6 weeks. Ovarian length decreased with the increase of the azadirachtin concentration. When azadirachtin was tested under an experimental setup in the laboratory where bumblebees need to forage for food, the sublethal effects were stronger as the numbers of drones were reduced already with a concentration of 0.64 mg L(-1). Besides, a negative correlation was found between the body mass of male offspring and azadirachtin concentration. In conclusion, our results as performed in the laboratory demonstrated that azadirachtin can affect B. terrestris with a range of sublethal effects. Taking into account that sublethal effects are as important as lethal effects for the development and survival of the colonies of B. terrestris, this study confirms the need to test compounds on their safety, especially when they have to perform complex tasks such as foraging. The latter agrees with the recent European Food Safety Authority guidelines to assess 'potentially deleterious' compounds for sublethal effects on behavior.

Geographical and Botanical Origin of Apis mellifera (Apidae) Honey in four Colombian Departments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nates Parra, Guiomar; Montoya, Paula Maria; Chamorro, Fermin J; Ramirez, Nedy; Giraldo, Catalina; Obregon, Diana

2013-01-01

The aim of this work was to find palynological markers which permit differentiate honeys from the departments of Boyaca, Cundinamarca, Santander and Magdalena, by its geographical and botanical origin. Melissopalynological analyses were made of 184 honey samples obtained from 131 localities. A discriminant analysis and comparisons between the species composition of honey samples were made to find geo-graphical and botanical origin differences. A total of 297 pollen species distributed in 69 families was found, being Mimosa sp., Cecropia sp., Eucalyptus sp., Piper sp. and Quercus humboldtii the most representatives. The major families were Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Myrtaceae, Rubiaceae, Fagaceae and Melastomataceae. Six honey groups differentiated by its geographical origin were found: Altiplano Cundiboyacense, Medio Chicamocha, Sumapaz, Bajo Chicamocha, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Comunera Province. In a broader scale, honeys from the Andean and sub-Andean regions could be differentiated as well. Between the honey types differentiated by its botanical origin, the most important were monofloral honeys of Trifolium pratense, Coffea arabica, Eucalyptus sp., Inga sp. and Heliocarpus americanus, Asteraceae oligofloral honeys and mixtures of Q. humboldtii honeydew and floral nectar (Eucalyptussp., Brassicaceae Type, Asteraceae). This information in addition to the obtained by physico-chemical and sensorial analysis, may be the basis to acquire honeys' origin denomination.

Species of Euglossa of the analis group in the Atlantic forest (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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Luiz R. R. Faria

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The species of Euglossa Latreille, 1802 of the analis group inhabiting the Brazilian Atlantic forest are revised and identification keys for males and females are provided. Five species are recognized in the Atlantic forest: Euglossa cognata Moure, 1970, Euglossa marianae Nemésio, 2011, Euglossa roderici Nemésio, 2009 and two new species described here, Euglossa botocuda sp. nov. and Euglossa calycina sp. nov. These two new species have been misidentified by previous authors as Atlantic forest populations of, respectively, Euglossa iopyrrha Dressler, 1982 and Euglossa mixta Friese, 1899. Relevant morphological features are illustrated and distribution maps are also provided. Notes on the analis group are included and an additional available name, Euglossa aureiventris Friese, 1899, is placed in this species group.

Drifting bumble bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) workers in commercial greenhouses may be social parasites

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Birmingham, A.L.; Hoover, S.E.; Winston, M.L.; Ydenberg, R.C.

2004-01-01

Commercial greenhouses require high densities of managed bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis Greene, 1858 and Bombus impatiens Cresson, 1863) colonies to pollinate crops such as tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Miller). We examined drifting, a behavioural consequence of introducing closely aggregated

Proteomic analysis in the Dufour's gland of Africanized Apis mellifera workers (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Teixeira, Aparecida das Dores; Games, Patricia D; Katz, Benjamin B; Tomich, John M; Zanuncio, José C; Serrão, José Eduardo

2017-01-01

The colony of eusocial bee Apis mellifera has a reproductive queen and sterile workers performing tasks such as brood care and foraging. Chemical communication plays a crucial role in the maintenance of sociability in bees with many compounds released by the exocrine glands. The Dufour's gland is a non-paired gland associated with the sting apparatus with important functions in the communication between members of the colony, releasing volatile chemicals that influence workers roles and tasks. However, the protein content in this gland is not well studied. This study identified differentially expressed proteins in the Dufour's glands of nurse and forager workers of A. mellifera through 2D-gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. A total of 131 spots showed different expression between nurse and forager bees, and 28 proteins were identified. The identified proteins were categorized into different functions groups including protein, carbohydrate, energy and lipid metabolisms, cytoskeleton-associated proteins, detoxification, homeostasis, cell communication, constitutive and allergen. This study provides new insights of the protein content in the Dufour's gland contributing to a more complete understanding of the biological functions of this gland in honeybees.

Methods for species delimitation in bumblebees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombus): towards an integrative approach

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Lecocq, T.; Dellicour, S.; Michez, D.; Dehon, M.; Dewulf, A.; De Meulemeester, T.; Brasero, N.; Valterová, Irena; Rasplus, J. Y.; Rasmont, P.

2015-01-01

Roč. 44, č. 3 (2015), s. 281-297 ISSN 0300-3256 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : bumblebee taxonomy * genetic analysis * pheromone composition Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 2.733, year: 2015

ECOLOGICAL IMPACT ON NATIVE BEES BY THE INVASIVE AFRICANIZED HONEY BEE

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DAVID ROUBIK

2009-05-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Very little effort has been made to investigate bee population dynamics among intact wilderness areas. The presence of newly-arrived feral Africanized honey bee (AHB, Apis mellifera (Apidae, populations was studied for 10-17 years in areas previously with few or no escaped European apiary honey bees. Here I describe and interpret the major results from studies in three neotropical forests: French Guiana, Panama and Yucatan, Mexico (5° to 19° N. latitude. The exotic Africanized honey bees did not produce a negative effect on native bees, including species that were solitary or highly eusocial. Major differences over time were found in honey bee abundance on flowers near habitat experiencing the greatest degree of disturbance, compared to deep forest areas. At the population level, sampled at nest blocks, or at flower patches, or at light traps, there was no sudden decline in bees after AHB arrival, and relatively steady or sinusoidal population dynamics. However, the native bees shifted their foraging time or floral species. A principal conclusion is that such competition is silent, in floristically rich habitats, because bees compensate behaviorally for competition. Other factors limit their populations. Key words: Africanized honey bee, native bees, competition, population dynamics, neotropical forests RESUMEN Pocos estudios han considerado la dinámica de poblaciones de abejas en bosques o hábitats no alterados por el hombre. La presencia de abejas silvestres Africanizadas de Apis mellifera (Apidae fue estudiado por 10-17 años en áreas previamente sin esta especie. Aquí presento e interpreto resultados de tres bosques neotropicales: Guyana Francesa, Panamá y Yucatán, México (5° a 19° N. latitud. La abeja Africanizada exótica no produjo efecto negativo en las abejas nativas, incluyendo especies altamente sociales y solitarias. Diferencias mayores a través del tiempo fueron encontradas en la abundancia de las abejas de miel

Captura de enxames de abelhas sem ferrão (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponinae sem destruição de árvores Capturing stingless bee nests (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponinae without destroying the trees

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Alexandre Coletto-Silva

2005-09-01

Full Text Available No Brasil a criação racional de abelhas sem ferrão é denominada meliponicultura. As abelhas sem ferrão possuem diferentes comportamentos de nidificação, com ninhos internos (cavidades naturais ou não e externos. Um dos principais problemas apresentados na meliponicultura é a captura de uma colônia com o objetivo de iniciar um meliponário sem "destruir as árvores" ou mesmo as próprias colônias durante a captura. O presente trabalho apresenta um método alternativo para captura de colônias de abelhas sem ferrão, especialmente, do gênero Melipona Illiger, 1806, que são as espécies mais utilizadas para produção de mel e pólen, na região Amazônica. O método consiste em abrir uma janela na árvore, coletar o material e fechar a abertura utilizando a resina vegetal conhecida como breu.Meliponiculture is the name for stingless beekeeping in Brazil. Stingless bees have different nest behaviors showing external and internal nests (natural cavities or not. One of the main problems of meliponiculture is the capture of a colony in order to begin a meliponary without destroying trees or the colonies during the capture. A new alternative method for the capture of stingless bee colonies is presented for the genus Melipona Illiger, 1806, which are the species mostly used for producing honey and pollen. The method is to open the tree, collect the colony, and then close the tree with natural resins known as "breu".

Pollen storages in nests of bees of the genera Partamona, Scaura and Trigona (Hymenoptera, Apidae Pólen estocado nos ninhos de abelhas dos gêneros Partamona, Scaura e Trigona (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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André Rodrigo Rech

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Bees and angiosperms established a mutualistic relationship along the evolutionary time. The aim of this study is to contribute for the understanding of this relation analyzing pollen stored by stingless bees colonies distributed along the Rio Negro. Fourteen species of Meliponini from the genera Partamona, Scaura, and Trigona were studied with regard to the content of pollen pots. The pollen material was removed from the pollen pots, homogenized, and prepared according to the usual acetolysis technique. The overlap of the trophic niche and the grouping of species by similarity of niches was calculated. The identification revealed 78 pollen types belonging to 36 families, being 37 types attractive and 16 considered as promoters of a temporary specialization event. With the results, it was possible to indicate a list of important plants for meliponiculture in the Amazon.Abelhas e plantas estabeleceram ao longo do tempo evolutivo uma relação mutualística. Buscando contribuir para o entendimento dessa relação, foi analisado o pólen estocado por colônias de abelhas-sem-ferrão distribuídas ao longo do rio Negro. Foram estudados potes de pólen de 14 espécies de Meliponini dos gêneros Partamona, Scaura e Trigona. O material polínico foi retirado dos potes de pólen, homogeneizado e preparado segundo técnica usual de acetólise. Foram calculados a sobreposição de nicho trófico e o agrupamento das espécies pela similaridade de nichos. Foi identificado o total de 78 tipos polínicos, pertencentes a 36 famílias, sendo 37 destes, considerados atrativos, enquanto 16 foram promotores de eventos de especialização temporária. Com os resultados obtidos foi possível indicar uma lista de plantas de importância para a meliponicultura na Amazônia.

Partamona nigrilabris Pedro & Camargo, 2003, um novo sinônimo de P. nigrior (Cockerell, 1925 (Hymenoptera, Apidae Partamona nigrilabris Pedro & Camargo, 2003, a new synonym of P. nigrior (Cockerell, 1925 (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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João M. F. Camargo

2003-01-01

Full Text Available P. nigrilabris was described based on specimens wrongly labelled as from "Salvador-BA, Brasil". It is considered as a new synonym: Partamona nigrior (Cockerell, 1925 = P. nigrilabris Pedro & Camargo, 2003, syn. nov.

Antiviral Action of Hydromethanolic Extract of Geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica against Antiherpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1).

Science.gov (United States)

Coelho, Guilherme Rabelo; Mendonça, Ronaldo Zucatelli; Vilar, Karina de Senna; Figueiredo, Cristina Adelaide; Badari, Juliana Cuoco; Taniwaki, Noemi; Namiyama, Gisleine; de Oliveira, Maria Isabel; Curti, Suely Pires; Evelyn Silva, Patricia; Negri, Giuseppina

2015-01-01

The studies on chemical composition and biological activity of propolis had focused mainly on species Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae). There are few studies about the uncommon propolis collected by stingless bees of the Meliponini tribe known as geopropolis. The geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica was collected in the region of Barra do Corda, Maranhão state, Brazil. The chemical analysis of hydromethanolic extract of this geopropolis (HMG) was carried out through HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS and the main constituents found were pyrrolizidine alkaloids and C-glycosyl flavones. The presence of alkaloids in extracts of propolis is detected for the first time in this sample. The antiviral activity of HMG was evaluated through viral DNA quantification experiments and electron microscopy experiments. Quantification of viral DNA from herpes virus showed reduction of about 98% in all conditions and concentration tested of the HMG extract. The results obtained were corroborated by transmission electron microscopy, in which the images did not show particle or viral replication complex. The antiviral activity of C-glycosyl flavones was reported for a variety of viruses, being observed at different points in the viral replication. This work is the first report about the antiviral activity of geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica, in vitro, against antiherpes simplex virus (HSV).

Stingless bees (Melipona scutellaris) learn to associate footprint cues at food sources with a specific reward context.

Science.gov (United States)

Roselino, Ana Carolina; Rodrigues, André Vieira; Hrncir, Michael

2016-10-01

Foraging insects leave chemical footprints on flowers that subsequent foragers may use as indicators for recent flower visits and, thus, potential resource depletion. Accordingly, foragers should reject food sources presenting these chemical cues. Contrasting this assumption, experimental studies in stingless bees (Apidae, Meliponini), so far, demonstrated an attractive effect of footprints. These findings lead to doubts about the meaning of these chemical cues in natural foraging contexts. Here, we asked whether foragers of stingless bees (Melipona scutellaris) use footprints according to the previously experienced reward level of visited food sources. Bees were trained to artificial flower patches, at which the reward of a flower either decreased or, alternatively, increased after a visit by a forager. Individuals were allowed a total of nine foraging bouts to the patch, after which their preference for visited or unvisited flowers was tested. In the choice tests, bees trained under the decreasing reward context preferred unvisited flowers, whereas individuals trained under the increasing reward context preferred visited flowers. Foragers without experience chose randomly between visited and unvisited flowers. These results demonstrate that M. scutellaris learns to associate unspecific footprint cues at food sources with differential, specific reward contexts, and uses these chemical cues accordingly for their foraging decisions.

Interaction between visiting bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea and flowers of Ludwigia elegans (Camb. hara (Onagraceae during the year in two different areas in São Paulo, Brazil

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M. Gimenes

Full Text Available This study was designed to characterize the interactions between Ludwigia elegans flowers and visiting bees during two years in two areas 200 km apart, at the same latitude (approximately 22º48'S but at different altitudes (Alumínio, 600 m, and Campos do Jordão, 1500 m, in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. As these flowers open simultaneously in the morning and lose their petals by sunset, interaction with bees occurs only during the photophase. Flowers of L. elegans were mainly visited by bees, the most frequent species being: Tetraglossula anthracina (Michener, 1989 (Colletidae, Rhophitulus sp. (Andrenidae, and Pseudagapostemon spp. (Halictidae, all considered specialized bees for collecting pollen and nectar from these flowers, as well as the generalist bee Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 (Apidae. The specialist bees were temporally adjusted to the opening schedule of the flower, which occurs primarily in the morning, but shows a circannual variation. T. anthracina appears in both study areas, but only between December and April. The annual activity patterns of these specialist bees are synchronized to the phenology of L. elegans. Photoperiod and temperature cycles are suggested as the main synchronizers of both bees and plants.

Melanic variation underlies aposematic color variation in two hymenopteran mimicry systems.

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Heather M Hines

Full Text Available The stinging hymenopteran velvet ants (Mutillidae and bumble bees (Apidae: Bombus spp. have both undergone extensive diversification in aposematic color patterns, including yellow-red hues and contrasting dark-light body coloration, as a result of Müllerian mimicry. Understanding the genetic and developmental mechanisms underlying shifts in these mimetic colors requires characterization of their pigmentation. In this study, a combination of solubility, spectrophotometry, and melanin degradation analysis are applied to several color forms and species of these lineages to determine that orange-red colors in both lineages are comprised of primarily dopamine-derived pheomelanins. Until a few recent studies, pheomelanins were thought not to occur in insects. These results support their potential to occur across insects and particularly among the Hymenoptera. Shifts between black and orange-red colors, such as between mimetic color forms of bumble bee Bombus melanopygus, are inferred to involve modification of the ratios of dark eumelanins to red pheomelanins, thus implicating the melanin pathway in mimetic diversification. This discovery highlights the need to focus on how pheomelanins are synthesized in the insect melanin pathway and the potential for new pigments to be found even in some of our most well-known insect systems.

Portable digital video surveillance system for monitoring flower-visiting bumblebees

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Thorsdatter Orvedal Aase, Anne Lene

2011-08-01

Full Text Available In this study we used a portable event-triggered video surveillance system for monitoring flower-visiting bumblebees. The system consist of mini digital recorder (mini-DVR with a video motion detection (VMD sensor which detects changes in the image captured by the camera, the intruder triggers the recording immediately. The sensitivity and the detection area are adjustable, which may prevent unwanted recordings. To our best knowledge this is the first study using VMD sensor to monitor flower-visiting insects. Observation of flower-visiting insects has traditionally been monitored by direct observations, which is time demanding, or by continuous video monitoring, which demands a great effort in reviewing the material. A total of 98.5 monitoring hours were conducted. For the mini-DVR with VMD, a total of 35 min were spent reviewing the recordings to locate 75 pollinators, which means ca. 0.35 sec reviewing per monitoring hr. Most pollinators in the order Hymenoptera were identified to species or group level, some were only classified to family (Apidae or genus (Bombus. The use of the video monitoring system described in the present paper could result in a more efficient data sampling and reveal new knowledge to pollination ecology (e.g. species identification and pollinating behaviour.

Cytochrome c oxidase I primers for corbiculate bees: DNA barcode and mini-barcode.

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Françoso, E; Arias, M C

2013-09-01

Bees (Apidae), of which there are more than 19 900 species, are extremely important for ecosystem services and economic purposes, so taxon identity is a major concern. The goal of this study was to optimize the DNA barcode technique based on the Cytochrome c oxidase (COI) mitochondrial gene region. This approach has previously been shown to be useful in resolving taxonomic inconsistencies and for species identification when morphological data are poor. Specifically, we designed and tested new primers and standardized PCR conditions to amplify the barcode region for bees, focusing on the corbiculate Apids. In addition, primers were designed to amplify small COI amplicons and tested with pinned specimens. Short barcode sequences were easily obtained for some Bombus century-old museum specimens and shown to be useful as mini-barcodes. The new primers and PCR conditions established in this study proved to be successful for the amplification of the barcode region for all species tested, regardless of the conditions of tissue preservation. We saw no evidence of Wolbachia or numts amplification by these primers, and so we suggest that these new primers are of broad value for corbiculate bee identification through DNA barcode. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Antiviral Action of Hydromethanolic Extract of Geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica against Antiherpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1

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Guilherme Rabelo Coelho

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The studies on chemical composition and biological activity of propolis had focused mainly on species Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae. There are few studies about the uncommon propolis collected by stingless bees of the Meliponini tribe known as geopropolis. The geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica was collected in the region of Barra do Corda, Maranhão state, Brazil. The chemical analysis of hydromethanolic extract of this geopropolis (HMG was carried out through HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS and the main constituents found were pyrrolizidine alkaloids and C-glycosyl flavones. The presence of alkaloids in extracts of propolis is detected for the first time in this sample. The antiviral activity of HMG was evaluated through viral DNA quantification experiments and electron microscopy experiments. Quantification of viral DNA from herpes virus showed reduction of about 98% in all conditions and concentration tested of the HMG extract. The results obtained were corroborated by transmission electron microscopy, in which the images did not show particle or viral replication complex. The antiviral activity of C-glycosyl flavones was reported for a variety of viruses, being observed at different points in the viral replication. This work is the first report about the antiviral activity of geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica, in vitro, against antiherpes simplex virus (HSV.

Potential pollinators of Comolia ovalifolia DC Triana (Melastomataceae) and Chamaecrista ramosa (Vog.) H.S. Irwin and Barneby var. ramosa (Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae), in restinga, Bahia, Brazil.

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Oliveira-Rebouças, P; Gimenes, M

2011-05-01

Comolia ovalifolia DC Triana (Melastomataceae) and Chamaecrista ramosa (Vog.) H.S. Irwin and Barneby var. ramosa (Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae) are tropical plant species found in restinga (herbaceous-shrubby, sandy costal ecosystems). They have flowers with poricidal anthers and are pollinated by bees. The study sought to analyse potential pollinators of both plants during visits to their flowers in a restinga area in Bahia. The flowering displayed by both species was considered continuous and long duration, constantly providing pollen to floral visitors. C. ovalifolia was visited by 17 species of bees and C. ramosa by 16 species, predominantly from the Apidae family (with a similarity index of 74%). The behavior displayed by these visiting bees was of vibrating anthers. The small-sized Euglossa sp. Latreille, 1802 and Florilegus similis Urban, 1970 bees played less of a role as pollinators, since they rarely touched the flower stigma during harvests and were thus considered opportunist visitors or casual pollinators. Centris decolorata Lepetier, 1841 (= C. leprieuri) and Xylocopa subcyanea Perez, 1901 are large bees and were considered efficient pollinators of C. ovalifolia and C. ramosa because of the higher frequency and constancy of their visits, and their favourable behaviour and size for pollen transfer between flowers, which guarantees the survival of these native restinga plant species.

Elaiophores: their taxonomic distribution, morphology and functions

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Clivia Carolina Fiorilo Possobom

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Elaiophores are floral glands that secrete non-volatile oils as a reward for their pollinators. Their secretions mediate a specialized interaction between oil-producing plants and a few species of oil-collecting bees - Apidae and Melittidae. The present review focuses on the morphological and functional aspects of these secretory structures. We also provide information on their chemistry and pollination ecology. Our survey is organized taxonomically among the plant families for which elaiophore occurrence has been confirmed -for the monocots, Iridaceae and Orchidaceae, and for the eudicots, Calceolariaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Krameriaceae, Malpighiaceae, Plantaginaceae, Primulaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Solanaceae and Stilbaceae. Most oil flowers are zygomorphic, bisexual, nectarless and present their elaiophores on the protective whorls or on the androecium. Trichomal elaiophores are reported in all of these families except Krameriaceae and Malpighiaceae, and they vary in the density and morphology of the trichomes. Epithelial elaiophores occur in some monocot representatives and in Krameriaceae and Malpighiaceae, and are similar among species. An intermediate type of elaiophore is reported in some species of Orchidaceae. Regardless of elaiophore type, these glands have similar subcellular features and secretion-release mechanisms. Finally, we note the dearth of information on elaiophore ultrastructure and functioning for several plant families.

Positive and Negative Impacts of Non-Native Bee Species around the World.

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Russo, Laura

2016-11-28

Though they are relatively understudied, non-native bees are ubiquitous and have enormous potential economic and environmental impacts. These impacts may be positive or negative, and are often unquantified. In this manuscript, I review literature on the known distribution and environmental and economic impacts of 80 species of introduced bees. The potential negative impacts of non-native bees include competition with native bees for nesting sites or floral resources, pollination of invasive weeds, co-invasion with pathogens and parasites, genetic introgression, damage to buildings, affecting the pollination of native plant species, and changing the structure of native pollination networks. The potential positive impacts of non-native bees include agricultural pollination, availability for scientific research, rescue of native species, and resilience to human-mediated disturbance and climate change. Most non-native bee species are accidentally introduced and nest in stems, twigs, and cavities in wood. In terms of number of species, the best represented families are Megachilidae and Apidae, and the best represented genus is Megachile . The best studied genera are Apis and Bombus , and most of the species in these genera were deliberately introduced for agricultural pollination. Thus, we know little about the majority of non-native bees, accidentally introduced or spreading beyond their native ranges.

Positive and Negative Impacts of Non-Native Bee Species around the World

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Laura Russo

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Though they are relatively understudied, non-native bees are ubiquitous and have enormous potential economic and environmental impacts. These impacts may be positive or negative, and are often unquantified. In this manuscript, I review literature on the known distribution and environmental and economic impacts of 80 species of introduced bees. The potential negative impacts of non-native bees include competition with native bees for nesting sites or floral resources, pollination of invasive weeds, co-invasion with pathogens and parasites, genetic introgression, damage to buildings, affecting the pollination of native plant species, and changing the structure of native pollination networks. The potential positive impacts of non-native bees include agricultural pollination, availability for scientific research, rescue of native species, and resilience to human-mediated disturbance and climate change. Most non-native bee species are accidentally introduced and nest in stems, twigs, and cavities in wood. In terms of number of species, the best represented families are Megachilidae and Apidae, and the best represented genus is Megachile. The best studied genera are Apis and Bombus, and most of the species in these genera were deliberately introduced for agricultural pollination. Thus, we know little about the majority of non-native bees, accidentally introduced or spreading beyond their native ranges.

Diversity of Wild Bees along Elevational Gradient in an Agricultural Area in Central Java, Indonesia

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Imam Widhiono

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Increases in mean temperature affect the diversity and abundance of wild bees in agricultural ecosystems. Pollinator community composition is expected to change along an elevational gradient due to differences in the daily ambient temperature. This study investigated the diversity and abundance of wild bees in an agricultural area along an elevational gradient in Central Java, Indonesia. Wild bees were collected using a sweep net in 40 green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris cultivation sampling locations at seven different elevations (8, 108, 224, 424, 644, 893, and 1017 m above sea level. Species diversity was determined using the Shannon–Wiener diversity index. We identified 932 individuals from 8 species of wild bee belonging to 3 families. The family Apidae was predominant, with 6 species, while only 1 species was found from each of Megachilidae and Halictidae. Across the study sites, diversity increased with increasing elevation (H′ = 1.4, D = 0.25, and E = 0.78 at low elevation to H′ = 2.04, D = 0.13, and E = 0.96 at high elevation, and higher numbers of species were found at middle and high elevations. Species richness and abundance increased linearly with increasing elevation, and species diversity was highest at middle elevations.

Stingless bees damage broccoli inflorescences when collecting fibers for nest building

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Adriano Jorge Nunes dos Santos

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The stingless bee Trigona spinipes (Fabricius, 1793 (Hymenoptera: Apidae is an important pollinator for various crops, but constitutes an occasional pest of other plant species since it causes injury to leaves, stems, flowers and fruits while collecting nest materials. The aim of the present study was to determine the damage caused by T. spinipes to a broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica, Brassicaceae growing on an organic farm. A significant number of plants (72.5 % presented damaged inflorescences, while 39% of all of the inflorescences suffered some degree of injury. The activities of T. spinipes caused scarifications on the stems of the inflorescences, and these typically evolved to epidermal cicatrices up to 10 mm wide. In some cases, the lesions were sufficiently deep to cause partial destruction of the vascular tissues, and this lead to thinner (< 5 mm diameter floral stems that may collapse. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report concerning the attack of broccoli plants by T. spinipes. The results obtained should serve to highlight the possibility that stingless bees could be responsible for direct and/or indirect damage to vegetable crops, and to stimulate the development of control strategies for these incidental pests.

El subgénero Trigona S. Str. Jurine 1808 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponinae) en Colombia

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Édgar Javier Hernández Martínez; Guiomar Nates Parra

2004-01-01

Para Colombia se registran 28 de los 29 taxones descritos para el subgénero Trigona s. str. T. (T.) albipennis Almeida, 1992; T. (T.) amalthea Olivier, 1789; T. (T.) hyalinata var. amazonensis Ducke, 1916; T. (T.) hyalinata var. branneri Cockerell, 1912; T. (T.) chanchamayoënsis Schwarz, 1948; T. (T.) cilipes Fabricius, 1804; T. (T.) corvina Cockerell, 1913; T. (T.) crassipes Fabricius, 1793; T. (T.) dallatorreana Friese, 1900; T. (T.) dimidiata var. venezuelana Schwarz, 1948; T. (T.) dimi...

El subgénero Trigona S. Str. Jurine 1808 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponinae) en Colombia

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Hernández Martínez Édgar Javier; Nates Parra Guiomar

2004-01-01

Para Colombia se registran 28 de los 29 taxones descritos para el subgénero Trigona s. str. T. (T.) albipennis Almeida, 1992; T. (T.) amalthea Olivier, 1789; T. (T.) hyalinata var. amazonensis
Ducke, 1916; T. (T.) hyalinata var. branneri Cockerell, 1912; T. (T.) chanchamayoënsis Schwarz, 1948; T. (T.) cilipes Fabricius, 1804; T. (T.) corvina Cockerell, 1913; T. (T.) crassipes Fabricius, 1793; T. (T.) dallatorreana Friese, 1900; T. (T.) dimidiata var. venezuelana Schwarz, 1948; T. (...

[Visitation of orchid by Melipona capixaba Moure & Camargo (Hymenoptera: Apidae), bee threatened with extinction].

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Resende, Helder C; Barros, Fábio de; Campos, Lúcio A O; Fernandes-Salomão, Tânia M

2008-01-01

The stingless bee Melipona capixaba Moure & Camargo is a species restricted to the Atlantic forest in the Domingos Martins, Conceição do Castelo, Venda Nova do Imigrante and Afonso Cláudio County, in the Espírito Santo State, Brazil. Despite its cological importance as pollinator few studies have examined the ecology and biology of this bee. This note relates a case of the M. capixaba workers carrying pollinarium attached to the scuttellum. The pollinaria were identified as belonging to the orchid subtribe Maxillariinae species possibly of the genus Maxillaria sensu lato or Xylobium.

Organization of the cysts in bee (Hymenoptera, Apidae testis: number of spermatozoa per cyst

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Cruz-Landim Carminda da

2001-01-01

Full Text Available The morphology of the cyst cells in Apis mellifera Linné, 1758, Scaptotrigona postica Latreille, 1804, and Melipona bicolor bicolor Lepeletier, 1836 testis, as well as the average number of spermatic cells are reported. The data indicates a supporting and nourrishing role of the cyst cells to the developing cystocytes. The counts of immature spermatozoa in the cysts show an average of 202.8 ± 21.2 spermatozoa for A. mellifera, 117.4 ± 8.68 for S. postica and 88.8 ± 15.57 for M. bicolor, which predict the occurrence of 8 mitotic cycles in the cystocytes of A. mellifera and 7 in the meliponines, considering that only one spermatozoom originates of each final spermatogonium.

Nesting habits of Centris (Hemisiella) dichrootricha (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the Northern Cerrado of Brazil.

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Carvalho, Gracy C A; Carreira, Léa M M; Rêgo, Márcia M C; Albuquerque, Patricia M C

2016-09-01

The Neotropical bee Centris (Hemisiella) dichrootricha is a solitary bee that nests in pre-existing cavities that occur in the rain forest. This study describes the nesting biology of C. dichrootricha and its preference for nesting in Cerrado and gallery forest habitats. The study was conducted from January 2012 and December 2013, in Mirador State Park in the municipality of Formosa da Serra Negra, Maranhão State, Brazil. For this, wooden trap-nests of 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 mm in diameter were used; a total of 300 trap-nests were placed in the gallery forest and Cerrado areas, respectively. Traps were monitored monthly and all completed nests were collected and replaced with empty ones. The nests were then taken to the laboratory to analyze bee development and emergence, nests characteristics and parasites presence. The species used 29 of the trap-nests, which had diameters of 8, 10, 12 and 14 mm. A total of 87 C. dichrootricha specimens emerged. The nests were parasitized by two bee species, Mesocheira bicolor (Apinae) and Coelioxys sp. (Megachilinae), and one fly species, Antrax sp. (Diptera). The highest nesting incidence of 72.4 % was observed in the gallery forest, whereas only 27.6 % in the Cerrado; this difference in habitat use was significant (χ² = 5.56; p pollen types that belonged to six families. Pollen of the family Malpighiaceae was most frequently used, with four species represented (Byrsonima crassifolia, B. rotunda, B. spicata and Heteropterys sp.). C. dichrootricha showed a preference for nesting in cavities of various diameters in gallery forest sites. The present study provides a novel description of the nesting habits and biology of C. dichrootricha in habitats of Central/Southern Maranhão. C. dichrootricha primarily used resources from the Cerrado, including soil to build their nests, pollen and floral oils; we concluded that gallery forest and Cerrado areas are intrinsically related to the maintenance of local populations of this species.

Worker life tables, survivorship, and longevity in colonies of Bombus (Fervidobombus atratus (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Eunice Vieira da Silva-Matos

2000-06-01

Full Text Available Survivorship curves and longevity of workers were studied in two queenright and two queenless colonies of Bombus (Fervidobombus atratus. Survivorship curves for workers of all colonies were, in general, convex, indicating an increasing mortality rate with increasing age. The mean longevity for the workers from queenright colonies, 24.3 days and 17.6 days, was not significantly different from that in queenless colonies, 21.2 days and 20.2 days. In all colonies workers started foraging activities when aged 0-5 days, and the potential forager rates rose progressively with increasing age. Mortality rates within each age interval were significantly correlated with the foraging worker rates in all colonies. Only in two of the colonies (one queenright and one queenless longevity was significantly correlated with worker size. The duration of brood development period seems to be one of the most important factors influencing adult worker longevity in this bumble bee species.

MORPHOLOGICAL CONSTRAINTS AND NECTAR ROBBING IN THREE ANDEAN BUMBLE BEE SPECIES (HYMENOPTERA, APIDAE, BOMBINI

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RIVEROS ANDRE J.

2006-06-01

Full Text Available We report differences in foraging behavior of three Andean bumblebee species onflowers of Digitalis purpurea (Scrophulariaceae. Bombus atratus was a potentialpollinator while B. hortulanus and B. rubicundus collected nectar by robbing throughholes. We attribute behavioral differences to physical constraints. B. atratus has alonger glossa and a larger body size and is able to reach the nectaries, whereas B.hortulanus and B. rubicundus have shorter glossae and smaller bodies and probablymust rob nectar through holes at the base of flowers.

Plastic nesting behavior of Centris (Centris) flavifrons (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Centridini) in an urban area

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Martins , Celso; Peixoto , Marcella; Aguiar , Cândida

2014-01-01

International audience; Centris flavifrons is a ground-nesting solitary bee species that has an important role in crop and native plant species pollination in the Neotropical region. However, the nesting biology and ecology of this species are little understood. We studied the nesting biology of C. flavifrons by observing 287 nests in an urban garden. Females built nests only during the dry season from September to March and exhibit notable flexibility in the amount of time each nest is activ...

Critical Structure for Telescopic Movement of Honey bee (Insecta: Apidae) Abdomen: Folded Intersegmental Membrane.

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Zhao, Jieliang; Yan, Shaoze; Wu, Jianing

2016-01-01

The folded intersegmental membrane is a structure that interconnects two adjacent abdominal segments; this structure is distributed in the segments of the honey bee abdomen. The morphology of the folded intersegmental membrane has already been documented. However, the ultrastructure of the intersegmental membrane and its assistive role in the telescopic movements of the honey bee abdomen are poorly understood. To explore the morphology and ultrastructure of the folded intersegmental membrane in the honey bee abdomen, frozen sections were analyzed under a scanning electron microscope. The intersegmental membrane between two adjacent terga has a Z-S configuration that greatly influences the daily physical activities of the honey bee abdomen. The dorsal intersegmental membrane is 2 times thicker than the ventral one, leading to asymmetric abdominal motion. Honey bee abdominal movements were recorded using a high-speed camera and through phase-contrast computed tomography. These movements conformed to the structural features of the folded intersegmental membrane. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

The Synergistic Effects of Almond Protection Fungicides on Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Forager Survival.

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Fisher, Adrian; Coleman, Chet; Hoffmann, Clint; Fritz, Brad; Rangel, Juliana

2017-06-01

The honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) contributes ∼$17 billion annually to the United States economy, primarily by pollinating major agricultural crops including almond, which is completely dependent on honey bee pollination for nut set. Almond growers face constant challenges to crop productivity owing to pests and pathogens, which are often controlled with a multitude of agrochemicals. For example, fungicides are often applied in combination with other products to control fungal pathogens during almond bloom. However, the effects of fungicides on honey bee health have been so far understudied. To assess the effects of some of the top fungicides used during the 2012 California almond bloom on honey bee forager mortality, we collected foragers from a local apiary and exposed them to fungicides (alone and in various combinations) at the label dose, or at doses ranging from 0.25 to 2 times the label dose rate. These fungicides were Iprodione 2SE Select, Pristine, and Quadris. We utilized a wind tunnel and atomizer set up with a wind speed of 2.9 m/s to simulate field-relevant exposure of honey bees to these agrochemicals during aerial application in almond fields. Groups of 40-50 foragers exposed to either untreated controls or fungicide-laden treatments were monitored daily over a 10-d period. Our results showed a significant decrease in forager survival resulting from exposure to simulated tank mixes of Iprodione 2SE Select, as well as synergistic detrimental effects of Iprodione 2SE Select in combination with Pristine and Quadris on forager survival. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of cage designs and feeding regimes for honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) laboratory experiments.

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Huang, Shao Kang; Csaki, Tamas; Doublet, Vincent; Dussaubat, Claudia; Evans, Jay D; Gajda, Anna M; Gregorc, Alex; Hamilton, Michele C; Kamler, Martin; Lecocq, Antoine; Muz, Mustafa N; Neumann, Peter; Ozkirim, Asli; Schiesser, Aygün; Sohr, Alex R; Tanner, Gina; Tozkar, Cansu Ozge; Williams, Geoffrey R; Wu, Lyman; Zheng, Huoqing; Chen, Yan Ping

2014-02-01

The aim of this study was to improve cage systems for maintaining adult honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) workers under in vitro laboratory conditions. To achieve this goal, we experimentally evaluated the impact of different cages, developed by scientists of the international research network COLOSS (Prevention of honey bee COlony LOSSes), on the physiology and survival of honey bees. We identified three cages that promoted good survival of honey bees. The bees from cages that exhibited greater survival had relatively lower titers of deformed wing virus, suggesting that deformed wing virus is a significant marker reflecting stress level and health status of the host. We also determined that a leak- and drip-proof feeder was an integral part of a cage system and a feeder modified from a 20-ml plastic syringe displayed the best result in providing steady food supply to bees. Finally, we also demonstrated that the addition of protein to the bees' diet could significantly increase the level ofvitellogenin gene expression and improve bees' survival. This international collaborative study represents a critical step toward improvement of cage designs and feeding regimes for honey bee laboratory experiments.

Intraspecific variation of the cephalic labial gland secretions in Bombus terrestris (L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Coppée, A.; Terzo, M.; Valterová, Irena; Rasmont, P.

2008-01-01

Roč. 5, č. 12 (2008), s. 2654-2661 ISSN 1612-1872 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : bumblebees * labial gland secretions * pheromones * male-marking pheromones * Bombus terrestris Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 1.659, year: 2008

Notes on adults of Euglossa townsendi Cockerell (Apidae: Euglossini) reared from a trap nest

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Peruquetti, Rui C.

1998-01-01

A partir de um ninho fundado em ninho armadilha e mantido em gaiola de observação em laboratório, estudou-se parâmetros biológicos de Euglossa townsendi Cockerell . A razão sexual foi 3 fêmeas: 1 macho; a longevidade foi de 18,0 dias para as fêmeas e 12,6 dias para os machos e o tempo de desenvolvimento foi de 29,3 dias para as fêmeas e de 31,7 dias para machos.

Meliponini neotropicais: o gênero Partamona Schwarz, 1939 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apinae - bionomia e biogeografia

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Camargo João M. F.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available This work, dedicated to the study of nesting habits of the species of the Neotropical genus Partamona Schwarz, is a sequence to the taxonomic revision recently published elsewhere. A total of 214 nests and nest aggregations of 18 species [Partamona epiphytophila Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. testacea (Klug, 1807; P. mourei Camargo, 1980; P. vicina Camargo, 1980; P. auripennis Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. combinata Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. chapadicola Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. nhambiquara Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. ferreirai Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. pearsoni (Schwarz, 1938; P. gregaria Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. batesi Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. ailyae Camargo, 1980; P. cupira (Smith, 1863; P. mulata Moure in Camargo, 1980; P. seridoensis Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. criptica Pedro & Camargo, 2003; P. helleri (Friese, 1900] were studied , including data about habitat, substrate, structural characteristics, construction materials and behavior. The descriptions of the nests are illustrated with 48 drawings. Partial data of the nests of P. bilineata (Say, 1837, P. xanthogastra Pedro & Camargo, 1997, P. orizabaensis (Strand, 1919, P. peckolti (Friese, 1901, P. aequatoriana Camargo, 1980, P. musarum (Cockerell, 1917 and P. rustica Pedro & Camargo, 2003 are also presented. Nests of P. grandipennis (Schwarz, 1951, P. yungarum Pedro & Camargo, 2003, P. subtilis Pedro & Camargo, 2003, P. vitae Pedro & Camargo, 2003, P. nigrior (Cockerell, 1925, P. sooretamae Pedro & Camargo, 2003 and P. littoralis Pedro & Camargo, 2003 are unknown. The species of Partamona build notable nest entrance structures, with special surfaces for incoming / exiting bees; some of them are extremely well-elaborated and ornamented, serving as flight orientation targets. All species endemic to western Ecuador to Mexico with known nesting habits (P. orizabaensis, P. peckolti, P. xanthogastra, P. bilineata, P. aequatoriana and P. musarum build their nests in several substrates, non-associated with termitaria, such as cavities and crevices in walls, among roots of epiphytes and in bases of palm leaves, in abandoned bird nests, under bridges, and in other protected places, except P. peckolti that occasionally occupies termite nests. In South America, on the eastern side of the Andes, only P. epiphytophila and P. helleri nest among roots of epiphytes and other substrates, non-associated with termitaria. All other species studied (P. batesi, P. gregaria, P. pearsoni, P. ferreirai, P. chapadicola, P. nhambiquara, P. vicina, P. mourei, P. auripennis, P. combinata, P. cupira, P. mulata, P. ailyae, P. seridoensis, P. criptica and P. rustica nest inside active termite nests, whether epigeous or arboreous. The only species that builds obligate subterranean nests, associated or not with termite or ant nests (Atta spp. is P. testacea. Nests of Partamona have one vestibular chamber (autapomorphic for the genus closely adjacent to the entrance, filled with a labyrinth of anastomosing pillars and connectives, made of earth and resins. One principal chamber exists for food and brood, but in some species one or more additional chambers are filled with food storage pots. In nests of P. vicina, there is one atrium or "false nest", between the vestibule and the brood chamber, which contains involucral sheaths, cells and empty pots. All structures of the nest are supported by permanent pillars made of earth and resins (another autapomorphy of the genus. The characters concerning nesting habits were coded and combined with morphological and biogeographic data, in order to hypothesize the evolutive scenario of the genus using cladistic methodology. The phylogenetic hypothesis presented is the following: (((((P. bilineata (P. grandipennis, P. xanthogastra (P. orizabaensis, P. peckolti (P. aequatoriana, P. musarum P. epiphytophila, P. yungarum, P. subtilis, P. vitae (((((P. testacea (P. mourei, P. vicina (P. nigrior (P. auripennis, P. combinata (P. ferreirai (P. pearsoni (P. gregaria (P. batesi (P. chapadicola, P. nhambiquara ((((P. ailyae, P. sooretamae P. cupira, P. mulata P. seridoensis P. criptica, P. rustica, P. littoralis P. helleri. One area cladogram is presented. Dates of some vicariance / cladogenesis events are suggested. For bilineata / epiphytophila group, which inhabits the Southwestern Amazonia and the Chocó-Mexican biogeographical components, the origin of ancestral species is attributed to the Middle Miocene, when the transgressions of the Maracaibo and Paranense seas isolated the tropical northwestern South America from the eastern continental land mass. The next cladogenic event in the history of the bilineata / epiphytophila group is attributed to the Plio-Pleistocene, when the Ecuadorian Andes reached more than 3000 m, and the ancestral species was fragmented in two populations, one occupying the western Andes (ancestral species of the bilineata subgroup and other the southwestern Amazon (ancestral species of the epiphytophila subgroup. Other aspects of the history of Partamona are also discussed.

New methods and media for the centrifugation of honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) drone semen.

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Wegener, Jakob; May, Tanja; Kamp, Günter; Bienefeld, Kaspar

2014-02-01

Centrifugation of Apis mellifera L. drone semen is a necessary step in the homogenization of semen pools for the enlargement of the effective breeding population, as well as in the collection of semen by the so-called washing technique. It is also of interest for the removal of cryoprotectants after cryopreservation. The adoption of methods involving semen centrifugation has been hampered by their damaging effect to sperm. Here, we tested four new diluents as well as three additives (catalase, hen egg yolk, and a protease inhibitor), using sperm motility and dual fluorescent staining as indicators of semen quality. Three of the new diluents significantly reduced motility losses after centrifugation, as compared with the literature standard. Values of motility and propidium iodide negativity obtained with two of these diluents were not different from those measured with untreated semen. The least damaging diluent, a citrate-HEPES buffer containing trehalose, was then tested in an insemination experiment with centrifuged semen. Most queens receiving this semen produced normal brood, and the number of sperm reaching the storage organ of the queen was not significantly different from that in queens receiving untreated semen. These results could improve the acceptance of techniques involving the centrifugation of drone semen. The diluent used in the insemination experiment could also serve as semen extender for applications not involving centrifugation.

Uma espécie nova de Schwarzula da Amazônia (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini

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Camargo João M. F.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Schwarzula coccidophila sp. nov., a tiny Amazonian stingless bee, that attends scale insects (Cryptostigma Ferris, 1922, Coccidae in its nest, is described. It is distinguished from Schwarzula timida (Silvestri, 1902, the only other species of the genus, mainly by the malar area longer than diameter of 3rd flagellomere, and the denser plumose pilosity. Additional records of S. timida is presented.

El subgénero Trigona S. Str. Jurine 1808 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponinae en Colombia

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Édgar Javier Hernández Martínez

2004-07-01

basada en las características de la arquitectura externa de los nidos. Se discute la presencia de una especie nueva dentro del grupo Fulviventris. Se estableció una colección de referencia y una base de datos para el subgénero en el Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Abejas del departamento de Biología (LABUN de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá.

Número de alelos XO em uma população de Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponinae Number of XO alleles in a population of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponinae

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Davi S. Aidar

2001-12-01

Full Text Available The number of xo alleles of a population of stingless bees can be estimated by observing the male proportion of the first brood comb produced by a new queen (about 40 Fl bees and the total number of colonies. A proportion of 50% diploid males indicates insemination of the queen by a single male with some xo sex allele: 25% diploid male would indicate insemination by two males (one with some xo as the queen and another with different one. Diploidy was confirmed by cytology of the testis. The original population (78 colonies of Ribeirão Preto, State S. Paulo, Brazil, had 8 xo sex alleles. From this population, 10 colonies were orphaned and taken to the Serra do Mar (Sea Mountains at Espirito Santo State (1200 km far in order that the virgin queen of each colony would cross with males of this region. Ten days after the nine hives (one was lost were brought back to Ribeirão Preto. No one of them produced diploid males. New samples took from all the Meliponary revealed that the number of xo sex alleles to have increased to 17,3. Than, this methodology can be used to increase the genetic variability of the stingless bees populations.

Características físico-químicas de amostras de mel de Melipona mandacaia Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae Physico-chemical characteristics of honey samples of stingless bee Melipona mandacaia Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Rogério Marcos de Oliveira Alves

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Análises de amostras de mel da abelha Melipona mandacaia provenientes do município de São Gabriel, região semi-árida do Estado da Bahia, foram realizadas com o objetivo de contribuir para o conhecimento das características físico-químicas desse produto. Os parâmetros analisados foram: Umidade (%; Hidroximetilfurfural (mg.kg-1; Açúcares Redutores (%; Sacarose (%; Viscosidade (mPa. s; Condutividade Elétrica (µS; pH; Acidez (meq.kg-1; Índice de Formol (mL.kg-1; e Cor. A maioria dos parâmetros físico-químicos apresentou valores médios adequados para o consumo humano, o que possibilita a exploração desse produto pelas comunidades rurais da região semi-árida da Bahia. Contudo, o teor de umidade elevado é um aspecto que requer uma maior atenção por parte do produtor, que deverá ter maiores cuidados com a higiene na manipulação do mel durante a coleta e no processo de armazenamento, evitando a sua contaminação por microrganismos que causam a depreciação do produto.Honey samples of the Melipona mandacaia stingless bee collected in the São Gabriel county, semi-arid region of the State of Bahia, Brazil, were analyzed with the objective of contributing for the knowledge of the characteristics physico-chemical of that product. The parameters analyzed were: Moisture (%; Hydroxymethylfurfural (mg.kg-1; Reducing Sugars (%; Sucrose (%; Viscosity (mPa.s; Electrical Conductivity (µS; pH; Acidity (meq.kg-1; Formol Index (mL.kg-1; and Color. Most of the physico-chemical parameters showed values adequated for the human consumption, facilitating the exploration of the product by rural communities of the semi-arid area of Bahia. However, the high moisture content is an aspect that deserves a greater attention by the part of producers, who should have concern with hygiene cares when manipulating the honey during the collection and the storage processes, avoiding its contamination with microorganisms that may cause depreciation of the product.

Determinação das castas em Scaptotrigona postica (Latreille) (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini): diferenciação do ovário Caste determination in Scaptotrigona postica (Latreille) (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini): the ovarian differentiation

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Thaís da Cruz Alves dos Santos; Carminda da Cruz-Landim

2002-01-01

Both castes of Scaptotrigolia postica (Latreille, 1804) possess four ovarioles in each ovary. Queen and workers have the same ovarian development during the larvallife, but in lhe late larval stage the queen ovary beco me larger. During pupation a higher rate of cell division is observed in queen ovarioles and a higher rale of cell death in workers. Newly emerged workers have short ovarioles with differenriatcd germarium and vitellarium while queens have very long ovarioles with only germariu...

Determinação das castas em Scaptotrigona postica (Latreille (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini: diferenciação do ovário Caste determination in Scaptotrigona postica (Latreille (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini: the ovarian differentiation

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Thaís da Cruz Alves dos Santos

2002-09-01

Full Text Available Both castes of Scaptotrigolia postica (Latreille, 1804 possess four ovarioles in each ovary. Queen and workers have the same ovarian development during the larvallife, but in lhe late larval stage the queen ovary beco me larger. During pupation a higher rate of cell division is observed in queen ovarioles and a higher rale of cell death in workers. Newly emerged workers have short ovarioles with differenriatcd germarium and vitellarium while queens have very long ovarioles with only germarium. Caste deterrnination in rhis species of bee is trophic, but lhe food does not differ in quality, only in quantiry. The food differences only beco me effecri ve by the end of larval stage when the queen larvae have lhe opportunity of eat more. In this way lhe ovary differentiation, between workers and queens. In this species, only occurs frorn lhe end of larval stage, mainly during pupation. Although the ovaries of workers are smaller, they are precocious in relation to queens, since nurse workers, 5 10 20 days, old may lay eggs. The eggs laid by the workers may be trophic or functional. These eggs may be distinguished by lhe aspect ofthe yolk. Older forager workers have degenerated ovaries.

Variação no número de glândulas e produção de óleo em flores de Stigmaphyllon paralias A. Juss. (Malpighiaceae Variation in the number of glands and oil production in flowers of Stigmaphyllon paralias A. Juss. (Malpighiaceae

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Paula Dib de Carvalho

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Foi estudada uma população de Stigmaphyllon paralias (Malpighiaceae em Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil, visando analisar a variação do número de glândulas e sua produção de óleo nas flores. Dos indivíduos analisados, 76% não variaram o número de glândulas entre suas flores, ocorrendo 41% de indivíduos com flores que possuem 10 glândulas, 31% com oito glândulas e 4% com nove glândulas. Nas flores dos morfos que apresentam oito e nove glândulas, as glândulas ausentes são sempre as da sépala inferior. Centris leprieuri e Epicharis sp. (Apidae: Centridini foram as únicas espécies que visitaram S. paralias, coletando óleo como recompensa. A sépala inferior localiza-se sob o abdome do polinizador quando pousado na flor, tornando-se inacessível à coleta de óleo. Sugerimos que a incapacidade de utilização de algumas glândulas pelos polinizadores possa ter possibilitado o aparecimento de morfos nas populações que não apresentam estas glândulas como caráter adaptativo por gerar economia de recursos na produção de recompensa não utilizada pelo polinizador. Todas as glândulas de todos os morfos são funcionais. As flores dos dois morfos principais com oito e 10 glândulas, produzem a mesma quantidade total de óleo. As glândulas das flores com oito glândulas aumentam a produção em cerca de 20%, compensando a produção total de óleo por flor.A population of Stigmaphyllon paralias (Malpighiaceae was studied in Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. Variation of the number of oil glands and oil production in the flowers were analized. 76% of the individuals did not present variation on the number of glands among their flowers, 41% presented flowers with 10 glands, 31% with eight glands and 4% with nine glands. In the flowers of the morphs with eight or nine glands, the absent glands were always associated to the inferior sepal. Only Centris leprieuri and Epicharis sp. (Apidae: Centridini visited flowers of S. paralias

First record of the behavior of latex drainage by Trigona spinipes (Fabricius (Hymenoptera, Apidae in laticiferous flowers Primeiro registro do comportamento de drenagem de latex de Trigona spinipes (Fabricius (Hymenoptera, Apidae em flores latescentes

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Cristiana Koschnitzke

2011-09-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the behavior of the bee Trigona spinipes, to avoid the latex, when piercing the base of the tubular corolla of the flowers of Mandevilla guanabarica in order to steal the nectar.Este trabalho descreve o comportamento da abelha Trigona spinipes para evitar o látex quando perfura a base da corola tubular das flores de Mandevilla guanabarica ao roubar néctar.

A new cluster-brood building species of Plebeia (Hymenoptera, Apidae from eastern Brazil Uma nova espécie de Plebeia (Hymenoptera, Apidae do leste do Brasil, com células de cria em cacho

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Gabriel A. R. Melo

2009-01-01

Full Text Available A new species of Plebeia, the second largest genus of stingless bees in the Neotropical region, is described from eastern Brazil. Plebeia grapiuna sp. nov., known only from the lowland forests of southern Bahia, is most similar to P. lucii Moure, a species recently described from Minas Gerais. The lack of yellow marks and the smoother integument of the frons and mesoscutum in P. grapiuna sp. nov. distinguish them. Main features of the nesting habits of the new species are described and illustrated.Uma nova espécie de Plebeia, o segundo maior gênero de meliponíneos na região Neotropical, é descrita do leste do Brasil. Plebeia grapiuna sp. nov., conhecida apenas das florestas de terras baixas do sul da Bahia, é semelhante a P. lucii Moure, uma espécie recentemente descrita de Minas Gerais. A ausência de manchas amarelas e o integumento menos rugoso da fronte e do mesoscuto em P. grapiuna sp. nov. distinguem as duas espécies. Características principais do hábito de nidificação da nova espécie são descritas e ilustradas.

Detección de Malpighamoeba mellificae (Protista: Amoebozoa en Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae de Argentina

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Santiago PLISCHUK

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Debido a su rol como polinizador y productor de miel, la abeja Apis mellifera L. es considerado un insecto beneficioso. Si bien Argentina juega un papel de liderazgo en la producción de miel, existe un considerable vacío en el conocimiento acerca de las enfermedades de etiología protista que afectan las abejas en el país. La ameba Malpighamoeba mellificae Prell es un protista entomopatógeno que invade los túbulos de Malpighi de las abejas e interfiere con el proceso de excreción, debilitando al huésped y posiblemente facilitando la acción de otros patógenos. En esta contribución se presentan los primeros hallazgos de M. mellificae en Argentina y se brindan datos iniciales acerca de su frecuencia, intensidad de las infecciones, y co-ocurrencia con Nosema sp. Malpighamoeba mellificae se halló en dos de 36 localidades prospectadas: San Cayetano, al Sur de la provincia de Buenos Aires y San Carlos de Bariloche, en el Oeste de la provincia de Río Negro.

Alelle number and heterozigosity for microsatellite loci in different stingless bee species (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponini).

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Francisco, Flávio de O; Brito, Rute M; Arias, Maria C

2006-01-01

In the present study we compare genetic characteristics (allele diversity and observed heterozygosity) of microsatellite loci, from three stingless bee species (Plebeia remota Holmberg, Partamona mulata Moure In Camargo and Partamona helleri Friese), amplified by using heterospecific primers originally designed for Melipona bicolor Lepeletier and Scaptotrigona postica Latreille. We analyzed 360 individuals of P. remota from 72 nests, 58 individuals of R. mulata from 58 nests, and 47 individuals of P. helleri from 47 nests. The three species studied showed low level of polymorphism for the loci amplified with primers derived from M. bicolor. However, for the loci amplified with primers derived from S. postica, only P. remota presented low level of polymorphism.

Cephalic salivary glands of two species of advanced eusocial bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: morphology and secretion

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Silvana B. Poiani

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Some adult eusocial bees have a pair of cephalic salivary glands (CSG in addition to the thoracic labial or salivary gland pairs. This paper deals with variations in morphological features and secretion production of the CSG of females and males of Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 and Scaptotrigona postica Latreille, 1807. The following life stages were studied: newly emerged, nurse, and forager workers; newly emerged and egg-laying queens; and newly emerged and sexually mature males. The histological results showed that the CSG differs between the two species in the following features: while alveoli and duct cells are cuboidal in workers and queens of A. mellifera, they change from cuboidal to flat in S. postica as the workers age. The glands of newly emerged males and females of A. mellifera are similar. However, as males become sexually mature, glands degenerate and practically disappear. The secretion from the glands of females of both species is oleaginous and gradually accumulates in the lumen of the alveoli in the beginning of the adult phase. Consequently, forager workers and egg-laying queens exhibit more turgid alveoli than younger individuals. Sudan black and Nile's blue staining indicated that the CSG secretion consists of neutral lipids. The possible role of gland secretion is discussed taking in account tasks performed by the individuals in the particular phases studied.

Nectar profitability, not empty honey stores, stimulate recruitment and foraging in Melipona scutellaris (Apidae, Meliponini).

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Schorkopf, Dirk Louis P; de Sá Filho, Geovan Figueirêdo; Maia-Silva, Camila; Schorkopf, Martina; Hrncir, Michael; Barth, Friedrich G

2016-10-01

In stingless bees (Meliponini) like in many other eusocial insect colonies food hoarding plays an important role in colony survival. However, very little is known on how Meliponini, a taxon restricted to tropical and subtropical regions, respond to different store conditions. We studied the impact of honey removal on nectar foraging activity and recruitment behaviour in Melipona scutellaris and compared our results with studies of the honey bee Apis mellifera. As expected, foraging activity increased significantly during abundance of artificial nectar and when increasing its profitability. Foraging activity on colony level could thereby frequently increase by an order of magnitude. Intriguingly, however, poor honey store conditions did not induce increased nectar foraging or recruitment activity. We discuss possible reasons explaining why increasing recruitment and foraging activity are not used by meliponines to compensate for poor food conditions in the nest. Among these are meliponine specific adaptations to climatic and environmental conditions, as well as physiology and brood rearing, such as mass provisioning of the brood.

Cell provisioning and oviposition in Melipona beecheii (Apidae, Meliponinae),with a note on caste determination

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Veen, Johan Wilhelm van

1999-01-01

We examined the food provisioning and oviposition process (POP) for worker- and gyne-producing cells of Melipona beecheii. POPs for both castes did not differ significantly in duration and number of trophic eggs oviposited by workers in the cells. The frequency of food discharges by workers in

Mitochondrial DNA polymorphism among populations of Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Apidae: Meliponini) from southern Brazil.

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Torres, Rogelio R; Arias, Maria C; Moretto, Geraldo

2009-01-01

The geographical distribution of the Brazilian endemic stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata Lepeletier ranges from Rio Grande do Sul to Minas Gerais states. The objective of the present study was to verify mtDNA polymorphisms among samples of M. q. quadrifasciata collected in southern Brazil. Twenty nine colonies from three localities (Blumenau and Mafra/SC and Prudentópolis/ PR) were sampled. Seven mtDNA regions were amplified and further digested with 15 restriction enzymes (PCR-RFLP). Five composite haplotypes were identified, with two unique to samples from Prudentópolis and the remaining three to samples from Mafra and/or Blumenau.

Variation and genetic structure of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae) populations based on ISSR pattern.

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Nascimento, Marcília A; Batalha-Filho, Henrique; Waldschmidt, Ana M; Tavares, Mara G; Campos, Lucio A O; Salomão, Tânia M F

2010-04-01

For a study of diversity and genetic structuring in Melipona quadrifasciata, 61 colonies were collected in eight locations in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. By means of PCR analysis, 119 ISSR bands were obtained, 80 (68%) being polymorphic. H(e) and H (B) were 0.20 and 0.16, respectively. Two large groups were obtained by the UPGMA method, one formed by individuals from Januária, Urucuia, Rio Vermelho and Caeté and the other by individuals from São João Del Rei, Barbacena, Ressaquinha and Cristiano Otoni. The Φst and θ(B) values were 0.65 and 0.58, respectively, thereby indicating high population structuring. UPGMA grouping did not reveal genetic structuring of M. quadrifasciata in function of the tergite stripe pattern. The significant correlation between dissimilarity values and geographic distances (r = 0.3998; p Melipona quadrifasciata population structuring, possibly applicable to the studies of other bee species.

Tracking the Genetic Stability of a Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Breeding Program With Genetic Markers.

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Bourgeois, Lelania; Beaman, Lorraine

2017-08-01

A genetic stock identification (GSI) assay was developed in 2008 to distinguish Russian honey bees from other honey bee stocks that are commercially produced in the United States. Probability of assignment (POA) values have been collected and maintained since the stock release in 2008 to the Russian Honey Bee Breeders Association. These data were used to assess stability of the breeding program and the diversity levels of the contemporary breeding stock through comparison of POA values and genetic diversity parameters from the initial release to current values. POA values fluctuated throughout 2010-2016, but have recovered to statistically similar levels in 2016 (POA(2010) = 0.82, POA(2016) = 0.74; P = 0.33). Genetic diversity parameters (i.e., allelic richness and gene diversity) in 2016 also remained at similar levels when compared to those in 2010. Estimates of genetic structure revealed stability (FST(2009/2016) = 0.0058) with a small increase in the estimate of the inbreeding coefficient (FIS(2010) = 0.078, FIS(2016) = 0.149). The relationship among breeding lines, based on genetic distance measurement, was similar in 2008 and 2016 populations, but with increased homogeneity among lines (i.e., decreased genetic distance). This was expected based on the closed breeding system used for Russian honey bees. The successful application of the GSI assay in a commercial breeding program demonstrates the utility and stability of such technology to contribute to and monitor the genetic integrity of a breeding stock of an insect species. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2017. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

[Pollen analysis of the post-emergence residue of Centris tarsata Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Centridini) nests].

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Dórea, Marcos da C; Dos Santos, Francisco de A R; Lima, Luciene C de L E; Figueroa, Luís E R

2009-01-01

A new treatment protocol was developed to analyze pollen residues found in nests of Centris tarsata Smith harvested from nest-traps. The study area was located in the Canudos Biological Station in the municipality of Canudos (09 masculine56'34'S; 38 masculine59'17'W), in the northeastern micro-region of Bahia State, Brazil. The local vegetation is an open caatinga (deciduous dryland vegetation), the regional climate is semi-arid, the average annual temperature is 24.1 masculineC, and the annual regional rainfall rate is 454 mm. Ten nests of C. tarsata were collected in trap-nests during the first semester of 2004. Pollen analysis from the nests required the development of a new methodology that combined techniques of palynological sediment analysis with the more common pollinic analysis by acetolysis. Microscopic analyses employed optical microscopy techniques. The pollinic spectrum of the samples from C. tarsata indicated the presence of 17 pollen types from seven plant families, which were present in assemblage of five to eleven pollen types, pointed to the plants used by bees to feed on their offspring. The most represented plant families were Leguminosae (49.3%) and Solanaceae (43.2%). The most frequent pollen types in the samples were from Solanum paniculatum (43.8%) and Senna rizzini (32.1%). The protocol developed provides a new tool for diet assessment of Centris and other groups of solitary bees.

Novel multiplex PCR reveals multiple trypanosomatid species infecting North American bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus)

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Crithidia bombi and Crithidia expoeki (Trypanosomatidae) are common parasites of bumble bees (Bombus spp.). Crithidia bombi was described in the 1980s, and C. expoeki was recently discovered using molecular tools. Both species have cosmopolitan distributions among their bumble bee hosts, but there h...

Genetic structure analysis of Eufriesea violacea (Hymenoptera, Apidae populations from southern Brazilian Atlantic rainforest remnants

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Silvia H. Sofia

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD markers were used to analyze the genetic structure of Eufriesea violacea populations in three fragments (85.47, 832.58 and 2800 ha of Atlantic rainforest located in the north of the Brazilian state of Paraná. A total of twelve primers produced 206 loci, of which 129 were polymorphic (95% criterion. The proportions of polymorphic loci in each population ranged from 57.28% to 59.2%, revealing very similar levels of genetic variability in the groups of bees from each fragment. Unbiased genetic distances between groups ranged from 0.0171 to 0.0284, the smallest genetic distance occurring between bees from the two larger fragments. These results suggest that the E. violacea populations from the three fragments have maintained themselves genetically similar to native populations of this species originally present in northern Paraná.

FLIGHT RANGE OF AFRICANIZED HONEYBEES, Apis mellifera L. 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae IN AN APPLE GROVE

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PARANHOS B.A.J

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Africanized honeybees from five colonies were marked with P-32 and taken to an apple grove for a flight behavior study. The method used to determine the flight range was to put out an array of tagged trees in a cross pattern with the colonies arranged in the center point of a 0.8 ha test area. The tagged trees were located 10 meters apart in the 4 rows of 50 meters each, arranged according to the North, South, East, and West directions. Bees were collected while visiting the tagged tree flowers twice a day, during a ten-day period. The number of honeybees marked decreased in relation to the distance from the hives. Analysis of variance showed that a linear regression was highly significant to describe the process. Geographic directions did not affect the activity of the bees.

Field tests of an acephate baiting system designed for eradicating undesirable honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

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Danka, R G; Williams, J L; Sugden, E A; Rivera, R

1992-08-01

Field evaluations were made of a baiting system designed for use by regulatory agencies in suppressing populations of undesirable feral honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (e.g., bees posing hazards [especially Africanized bees] and colonies infested with parasitic mites). Bees from feral or simulated feral (hived) colonies were lured with honey and Nasonov pheromone components to feeders dispensing sucrose-honey syrup. After 1-3 wk of passive training to feeders, colonies were treated during active foraging by replacing untreated syrup with syrup containing 500 ppm (mg/liter) acephate (Orthene 75 S). In four trials using hived colonies on Grant Terre Island, LA., 21 of 29 colonies foraged actively enough at baits to be treated, and 20 of the 22 treated were destroyed. In the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas (two trials at each of two trials), treatments killed 11 of 16 colonies (6 of 10 hived; 50 of 6 feral). Overall results showed that all 11 colonies that collected greater than 25 mg acephate died, whereas 3 of 10 colonies receiving less than 25 mg survived. Delivering adequate doses required a minimum of approximately 100 bees per target colony simultaneously collecting treated syrup. The system destroyed target colonies located up to nearly 700 m away from baits. Major factors limiting efficacy were conditions inhibiting foraging at baits (e.g., competing natural nectar sources and temperatures and winds that restricted bee flight).

Assessing hygienic behavior of Apis mellifera unicolor (Hymenoptera: Apidae), the endemic honey bee from Madagascar.

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Rasolofoarivao, H; Delatte, H; Raveloson Ravaomanarivo, L H; Reynaud, B; Clémencet, J

2015-06-01

Hygienic behavior (HB) is one of the natural mechanisms of honey bee for limiting the spread of brood diseases and Varroa destructor parasitic mite. Objective of our study was to measure HB of Apis mellifera unicolor colonies (N = 403) from three geographic regions (one infested and two free of V. destructor) in Madagascar. The pin-killing method was used for evaluation of the HB. Responses were measured from 3 h 30 min to 7 h after perforation of the cells. Colonies were very effective in detecting perforated cells. In the first 4 h, on average, they detected at least 50% of the pin-killed brood. Six hours after cell perforation, colonies tested (N = 91) showed a wide range of uncapped (0 to 100%) and cleaned cells (0 to 82%). Global distribution of the rate of cleaned cells at 6 h was multimodal and hygienic responses could be split in three classes. Colonies from the three regions showed a significant difference in HB responses. Three hypotheses (geographic, genetic traits, presence of V. destructor) are further discussed to explain variability of HB responses among the regions. Levels of HB efficiency of A. mellifera unicolor colonies are among the greatest levels reported for A. mellifera subspecies. Presence of highly hygienic colonies is a great opportunity for future breeding program in selection for HB.

Characterization of microsatellite loci for the stingless bee Scaura latitarsis (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini

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Flávio Francisco

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Seven microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized from a microsatellite enriched genomic library for the stingless bee Scaura latitarsis. Primers were tested in 12 individuals. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 6 (mean = 4.29 and observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.00 to 0.75 (mean = 0.40. Cross-species tests showed successful amplification for Scaura atlantica, Scaura longula, Scaura tenuis, Schwarzula timida, Schwarziana quadripunctata, Plebeia droryana, and Plebeia remota.

A New Species of Geotrigona(Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponini, with Comments on the Genus in Colombia

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Victor H. Gonzalez

2007-08-01

Full Text Available We describe the stingless bee Geotrigona kaba sp. nov. from the cordillera Central of Colombia. We also provide new geographical records and comments on the other two species of the genus that occur in Colombia.

Differentiation of Melipona quadrifasciata L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini subspecies using cytochrome b PCR-RFLP patterns

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Rogério O. Souza

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata and M. quadrifasciata anthidioides are subspecies of M. quadrifasciata, a stingless bee species common in coastal Brazil. These subspecies are discriminated by the yellow stripe pattern of the abdominal tergites. We found Vsp I restriction patterns in the cytochrome b region closely associated to each subspecies in 155 M. quadrifasciata colonies of different geographical origin. This mitochondrial DNA molecular marker facilitates diagnosis of M. quadrifasciata subspecies matrilines and can be used to establish their natural distribution and identify hybrid colonies.

INHIBITION OF PATHOGENS BY SPOROGENIC BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM HONEY OF Melipona sp. (APIDAE: APINAE: MELIPONINI

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KELY DAMIANA NOVAES DA SILVA

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to isolate sporogenic bacteria from the honey of stingless bees Melipona sp., in dry forest, and to evaluate their antagonistic potential for medicinal employment purposes and animal production. The honey samples were collected in Serra Talhada - PE, where honey was taken from four different hives (in triplicate, totaling 12 samples. The samples were diluted and subjected to 80 ºC for 20 minutes to eliminate vegetative cells. The dilutions were plated onto nutrient agar and incubated at 30 ºC for 72 hours. Then the colony forming units (CFU were quantified. The samples were also plated onto malt agar and Sabouraud agar, and incubated at 30 ºC for 14 days for the growth of yeast and molds. Total and fecal coliforms were quantified by the most probable number method (MPN. Seven isolates (I of sporogenic bacteria ( Bacillus were obtained, however only four showed probiotic potential. Isolate I - 5 showed the greatest probiotic potential and inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli , Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella sp., and Staphylococcus aureus . The growth of the Sarcina sp. was not inhibited by any isolate. No yeast, molds or coliforms were found. The Melipona sp. honey is a source of spore - forming bacteria and is antagonistic to microorganisms that contaminate honey. It has good microbiological quality.

Initial recommendations for higher-tier risk assessment protocols for bumble bees, Bombus spp. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

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Cabrera, A.R.; Almanza, M.T.; Cutler, G.C.; Fischer, D.L.; Hinarejos, S.; Lewis, G.; Nigro, D.; Olmstead, A.; Overmyer, J.; Potter, D.A.; Raine, N.E.; Stanley-Stahr, C.; Thompson, H.; Steen, van der J.J.M.

2016-01-01

Global declines of bumble bees and other pollinator populations are of concern because of their critical role for crop production and maintenance of wild plant biodiversity. Although the consensus among scientists is that the interaction of many factors, including habitat loss, forage scarcity,

Are there any agricultural effects on the capture rates of male euglossine bees (Apidae: Euglossini?

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Juan Carlos Sandino

2004-03-01

Full Text Available During 30 days male euglossine bees were bait-sampled at 12 sites, in the central Pacific coast of Colombia (ten days and four sites at each of three adjacent habitats: farmlands, highly disturbed forest and less disturbed forest and 487 individuals were captured. Most captured individuals belonged to six species, five widely distributed through the American tropics and an endemic species. Two of the frequently captured species presented no different abundances between habitats, while the other four (67.97% of all the captured individuals, all of them big sized or long-tongued, were more frequently captured at the farmlands. A cluster analysis of the data matrix for the 23 captured species and the 12 sampling sites, grouped together the farmland sites, apart from the forest sites. It is proposed that male euglossine bees from generalist, long-tongued or big sized species, forage frequently at the farmlands, where fragrance or nectar resources may be clumped, less diverse, and present an access restricted by deep corollas or by microclimatic conditions of high temperature and low humidity

Novel multiplex PCR reveals multiple trypanosomatid species infecting North American bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus).

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Tripodi, Amber D; Szalanski, Allen L; Strange, James P

2018-03-01

Crithidia bombi and Crithidia expoeki (Trypanosomatidae) are common parasites of bumble bees (Bombus spp.). Crithidia bombi was described in the 1980s, and C. expoeki was recently discovered using molecular tools. Both species have cosmopolitan distributions among their bumble bee hosts, but there have been few bumble bee studies that have identified infections to species since the original description of C. expoeki in 2010. Morphological identification of species is difficult due to variability within each stage of their complex lifecycles, although they can be easily differentiated through DNA sequencing. However, DNA sequencing can be expensive, particularly with many samples to diagnose. In order to reliably and inexpensively distinguish Crithidia species for a large-scale survey, we developed a multiplex PCR protocol using species-specific primers with a universal trypanosomatid primer set to detect unexpected relatives. We applied this method to 356 trypanosomatid-positive bumble bees from North America as a first-look at the distribution and host range of each parasite in the region. Crithidia bombi was more common (90.2%) than C. expoeki (21.3%), with most C. expoeki-positive samples existing as co-infections with C. bombi (13.8%). This two-step detection method also revealed that 2.2% samples were positive for trypanosmatids that were neither C. bombi nor C. expoeki. Sequencing revealed that two individuals were positive for C. mellificae, one for Lotmaria passim, and three for two unclassified trypanosomatids. This two-step method is effective in diagnosing known bumble bee infecting Crithidia species, and allowing for the discovery of unknown potential symbionts. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The large carpenter bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylocopa spp. of Nuevo León, México

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Liliana Ramirez-Freire

2012-04-01

Full Text Available There is a severe information gap regarding wild bees in northern Mexico. The present study is a contribution to knowledge of the distribution, habitat preferences and floral usage patterns of bees of the genus Xylocopa in the state of Nuevo León. Field sampling was done using aerial net and pan traps (yellow, blue, white and pink at 35 sites throughout the state. Xylocopa species were found at only seven of these sites. Four of the five species, previously reported for the state were collected plus two new state records (Xylocopa micans and X. strandi, bringing the total number of species in the state to seven. Individuals were collected visiting only flowers of the Fabaceae and Bignoniaceae families, and they occurred primarily in shrub lands and disturbed areas.

Taxonomic notes and description of the male of Xenochlora nigrofemorata (Smith, 1879) (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Halictinae).

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Santos, Leandro M; Melo, Gabriel A R

2013-01-01

The present work describes for the first time the male of the bee genus Xenochlora Engel, Brooks & Yanega, 1997. The male of X. nigrofemorata (Smith, 1879) is described and illustrated. Additionally, Megalopta opacicollis Friese, 1926 is placed as a junior synonym of X. nigrofemorata (Smith, 1879).

Pollen storages in nests of bees of the genera Partamona, Scaura and Trigona (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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André Rodrigo Rech

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Bees and angiosperms established a mutualistic relationship along the evolutionary time. The aim of this study is to contribute for the understanding of this relation analyzing pollen stored by stingless bees colonies distributed along the Rio Negro. Fourteen species of Meliponini from the genera Partamona, Scaura, and Trigona were studied with regard to the content of pollen pots. The pollen material was removed from the pollen pots, homogenized, and prepared according to the usual acetolysis technique. The overlap of the trophic niche and the grouping of species by similarity of niches was calculated. The identification revealed 78 pollen types belonging to 36 families, being 37 types attractive and 16 considered as promoters of a temporary specialization event. With the results, it was possible to indicate a list of important plants for meliponiculture in the Amazon.

Biologia de Abertura e Fechamento do Tubo de Acesso de Nannotrigona testaceicornis (Lepeletier (Apidae: Meliponini

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Luis Alves

2015-04-01

Abstract. The bee nest’s access tube relates to its defense, forage and physicochemical regulation through temperature and air circulation control. Therefore, it’s opening and closing causes a conflict (Trade-off in the size of the nest’s opening and the colony’s safety. This paper describes the process of opening and closing of the access tube in different times of the year and provides important information about the foraging behavior of Nannotrigona testaceicornis (Lepeletier. During this work, conducted in the Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora campus (Minas Gerais, Brasil, 41 observations were performed, of which 27 took place during the hot and humid season (from October to March and 14 during the cold and dry season (from April to September, totaling 172 hours of observation. It was seen that the time spent in closing was significantly longer in the hot and humid season (χ² = 7.50; p < 0.0062, than in the cold and dry season. The longer closing time of the tube during the hot season and shorter in the cold season was regulated by the bee’s external activity rhythm, which is influenced by climatic factors. Thus, the opening and closing processes suffers alterations during the different seasons of the year. Accordingly, this paper shows important information about the species’ biology, information that may be used on its handling, increase its use on commercial activities and decrease the loss of workers during colony migration.

Diversity of bees and their floral resources at altitudinal areas in the Southern Espinhaço Range, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

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Araújo, Vinícius A; Antonini, Yasmine; Araújo, Ana P A

2006-01-01

The Southern Espinhaço Range consists of large areas covered by quartzitic or metaliferous tropical altitudinal fields. The Espinhaço Range ecosystems are endangered by anthropic high impacts, particularly due to mining and urbanization. We conducted a one-year inventory of the bee flora and fauna at the quartzitic Ouro Branco Mountains and a two-year survey of the metaliferous Ouro Preto fields. The samples were collected twice a month, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The bees (677) belonged to 91 species, five families. The family Apidae was the richest and most abundant, followed by the Halictidae and Megachilidae. The bees visited 46 flowering plant species; the most visited plants were the Asteraceae (n = 220), the Malpighiaceae (n = 95), the Melastomataceae (n = 94), the Fabaceae (n = 78), and the Solanaceae (n = 63). Diversity was higher in Ouro Branco (H = 1.47) than in Ouro Preto (H = 1.17). The low richness and abundance of bees in our research site when compared to other Brazilian "Cerrado" areas can be due to the high altitude, low temperature, and low availability of flowers we found. "Canga" and rupestrian areas house fauna and flora species that are rare and threatened by extinction. The southern Espinhaço areas can, therefore, be given the status of permanent biodiversity preservation area.

Firm Efficiency and Returns-to-Scale in the Honey Bee Pollination Services Industry.

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Jones Ritten, Chian; Peck, Dannele; Ehmke, Mariah; Patalee, M A Buddhika

2018-04-03

While the demand for pollination services have been increasing, continued declines in honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), colonies have put the cropping sector and the broader health of agro-ecosystems at risk. Economic factors may play a role in dwindling honey bee colony supply in the United States, but have not been extensively studied. Using data envelopment analysis (DEA), we measure technical efficiency, returns to scale, and factors influencing the efficiency of those apiaries in the northern Rocky Mountain region participating in the pollination services market. We find that, although over 25% of apiaries are technically efficient, many experience either increasing or decreasing returns to scale. Smaller apiaries (under 80 colonies) experience increasing returns to scale, but a lack of available financing may hinder them from achieving economically sustainable colony levels. Larger apiaries (over 1,000 colonies) experience decreasing returns to scale. Those beekeepers may have economic incentivizes to decrease colony numbers. Using a double bootstrap method, we find that apiary location and off-farm employment influence apiary technical efficiency. Apiaries in Wyoming are found to be more efficient than those in Utah or Montana. Further, engagement in off-farm employment increases an apiary's technical efficiency. The combined effects of efficiency gains through off-farm employment and diseconomies of scale may explain, in part, the historical decline in honey bee numbers.

Microbial communities of three sympatric Australian stingless bee species.

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Sara D Leonhardt

Full Text Available Bacterial symbionts of insects have received increasing attention due to their prominent role in nutrient acquisition and defense. In social bees, symbiotic bacteria can maintain colony homeostasis and fitness, and the loss or alteration of the bacterial community may be associated with the ongoing bee decline observed worldwide. However, analyses of microbiota associated with bees have been largely confined to the social honeybees (Apis mellifera and bumblebees (Bombus spec., revealing--among other taxa--host-specific lactic acid bacteria (LAB, genus Lactobacillus that are not found in solitary bees. Here, we characterized the microbiota of three Australian stingless bee species (Apidae: Meliponini of two phylogenetically distant genera (Tetragonula and Austroplebeia. Besides common plant bacteria, we find LAB in all three species, showing that LAB are shared by honeybees, bumblebees and stingless bees across geographical regions. However, while LAB of the honeybee-associated Firm4-5 clusters were present in Tetragonula, they were lacking in Austroplebeia. Instead, we found a novel clade of likely host-specific LAB in all three Australian stingless bee species which forms a sister clade to a large cluster of Halictidae-associated lactobacilli. Our findings indicate both a phylogenetic and geographical signal of host-specific LAB in stingless bees and highlight stingless bees as an interesting group to investigate the evolutionary history of the bee-LAB association.

Microbial Communities of Three Sympatric Australian Stingless Bee Species

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Leonhardt, Sara D.; Kaltenpoth, Martin

2014-01-01

Bacterial symbionts of insects have received increasing attention due to their prominent role in nutrient acquisition and defense. In social bees, symbiotic bacteria can maintain colony homeostasis and fitness, and the loss or alteration of the bacterial community may be associated with the ongoing bee decline observed worldwide. However, analyses of microbiota associated with bees have been largely confined to the social honeybees (Apis mellifera) and bumblebees (Bombus spec.), revealing – among other taxa – host-specific lactic acid bacteria (LAB, genus Lactobacillus) that are not found in solitary bees. Here, we characterized the microbiota of three Australian stingless bee species (Apidae: Meliponini) of two phylogenetically distant genera (Tetragonula and Austroplebeia). Besides common plant bacteria, we find LAB in all three species, showing that LAB are shared by honeybees, bumblebees and stingless bees across geographical regions. However, while LAB of the honeybee-associated Firm4–5 clusters were present in Tetragonula, they were lacking in Austroplebeia. Instead, we found a novel clade of likely host-specific LAB in all three Australian stingless bee species which forms a sister clade to a large cluster of Halictidae-associated lactobacilli. Our findings indicate both a phylogenetic and geographical signal of host-specific LAB in stingless bees and highlight stingless bees as an interesting group to investigate the evolutionary history of the bee-LAB association. PMID:25148082

Bee Pollination in Syagrus orinocensis (ARECACEAE in the Colombian Orinoquia

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Luis Alberto Nuñez Avellaneda

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The pollination ecology of the Syagrus orinocensis was studied in the course of three consecutive yearly flowering seasons in a foothill forest in Casanare, Colombian Orinoco region. Syagrus orinocensis palms grow up to 10 m high and produce one to four bisexual, occasionally unisexual, inflorescences. The bisexual inflorescences bear staminate and pistillate flowers arranged in triads, whereas the unisexual inflorescences carry only staminate flowers in dyads. The inflorescences are protandric and open during daytime, remaining active for 26 days. The male phase extends for the first 15 days, which are followed by 8 days of an inactive phase; the pistillate phase lasts up to three days. The inflorescences of S. orinocencis were visited by 43 species of insects belonging to the orders Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Diptera. The presence of anthophilous insects was primarily restricted to the male phase of anthesis, during which the visitors searched for pollen and breeding sites; those which visited inflorescences during the female phase seeked out nectar. The most effective pollinators of S. orinocencis were stingless bees (Apidae, Meliponini, as they transferred in average 83% of the pollen that reached receptive inflorescences. The presence, constancy and efficiency of stingless bees during this study constitute solid evidence of melittophily in S. orinocensis and allows us to propose criteria to redefine this pollination syndrome in Neotropical wild palms.

Chemical profiles of body surfaces and nests from six Bornean stingless bee species.

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Leonhardt, Sara Diana; Blüthgen, Nico; Schmitt, Thomas

2011-01-01

Stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) are the most diverse group of Apid bees and represent common pollinators in tropical ecosystems. Like honeybees they live in large eusocial colonies and rely on complex chemical recognition and communication systems. In contrast to honeybees, their ecology and especially their chemical ecology have received only little attention, particularly in the Old World. We previously have analyzed the chemical profiles of six paleotropical stingless bee species from Borneo and revealed the presence of species-specific cuticular terpenes- an environmentally derived compound class so far unique among social insects. Here, we compared the bees' surface profiles to the chemistry of their nest material. Terpenes, alkanes, and alkenes were the dominant compound groups on both body surfaces and nest material. However, bee profiles and nests strongly differed in their chemical composition. Body surfaces thus did not merely mirror nests, rendering a passive compound transfer from nests to bees unlikely. The difference between nests and bees was particularly pronounced when all resin-derived compounds (terpenes) were excluded and only genetically determined compounds were considered. When terpenes were included, bee profiles and nest material still differed, because whole groups of terpenes (e.g., sesquiterpenes) were found in nest material of some species, but missing in their chemical profile, indicating that bees are able to influence the terpene composition both in their nests and on their surfaces.

The Colombian wild bees: Why and how to preserve them

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Guiomar Nates Parra

2000-01-01

Full Text Available The Colombian wild bees, as well as those in the rest of the whole world are undergoing the rigor of human activities and so are considered to be under threat of extinction. The current knowledge about Colombian bees, like other insects, is still in its beginnings, is fragmentated and a synthesis is desirable. Only 5% of the Colombian bees are well known, especially the corbiculates bees of the Apidae family. A small bitin taxonomic work has been done by Colombian researchers and nothing else has been contributed by foreign ones. Not having enough resources, plus the difficulties to send material overseas and the lack of specialist on the subject, have made the work more difficult. However, the great variety of species that is thought to be found in our country represent a reason to do research for a better understanding of this group biodiversity. An analisis of the main causes of risk (deforestation, grazing, africanized honeybees and bad explotation of native bees for the wild apifauna ispresented. Some propossals are provided to protect these species, that will be more fruitfull by joint cooperation with academic centers, farmers, countryman, indianpopulation and the whole society. We must have in mind that throug pollination bees become important pieces into the ecosistem, allowing the conservation of many vegetal species and other comunities.

Las abejas (Hymenoptera: Apoidea del Parque Nacional Natural Gorgona, Pacífico colombiano

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Marcela González-Córdoba

2014-02-01

Full Text Available En este estudio se presenta la diversidad y abundancia de las abejas del PNN Gorgona. En tres visitas en intervalos de tres meses, se muestrearon seis zonas de la isla con cubierta vegetal variable. Los muestreos fueron indirectos usando (i trampas McPhail (cebadas con cineol, silicato de metilo y extracto clavos; (ii trampas Van Someren Rydon (con cebo de pescado o pollo o fruta podridos, (iii trampas Malaise y (iv trampas de luz y directos a lo largo de transectos de longitud indefinida, por períodos de una hora en cada área y se repitieron cuatro veces. Un total de 585 especímenes fueron capturados, de ellos, 443 pertenecen a Apidae (14 géneros, 141 a Halictidae (seis géneros y uno a Megachilidae. Con este informe, el inventario local de Abejas se eleva a 43 especies y 28 géneros. Trigona fulviventris guianae Cockerell, 1910 fue la especie más abundante, Euglossa ignita Smith, 1874 la más atraída por los cebos aromáticos y Megalopta genalis Smith, 1853 dominó durante la noche. Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 no se encontró en los muestreos. La importancia de la Isla Gorgona, como sitio de la diversidad para las especies de abejas es discutida.

Flower specialisation: the occluded corolla of snapdragons (Antirrhinum) exhibits two pollinator niches of large long-tongued bees.

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Vargas, P; Liberal, I; Ornosa, C; Gómez, J M

2017-09-01

Flower specialisation of angiosperms includes the occluded corollas of snapdragons (Antirrhinum and some relatives), which have been postulated to be one of the most efficient structures to physical limit access to pollinators. The Iberian Peninsula harbours the highest number of species (18 Iberian of the 20 species of Antirrhinum) that potentially share similar pollinator fauna. Crossing experiments with 18 Iberian species from this study and literature revealed a general pattern of self-incompatibility (SI) - failure in this SI system has been also observed in a few plants - which indicates the need for pollinator agents in Antirrhinum pollination. Field surveys in natural conditions (304 h) found flower visitation (>85%) almost exclusively by 11 species of bee (Anthophora fulvitarsis, Anthophora plumipes, Anthidium sticticum, Apis mellifera, Bombus hortorum, Bombus pascuorum, Bombus ruderatus, Bombus terrestris, Chalicodoma lefebvrei, Chalicodoma pyrenaica and Xylocopa violacea). This result covering the majority of Antirrhinum species suggests that large bees of the two long-tongued bee families (Megachilidae, Apidae) are the major pollinators of Antirrhinum. A bipartite modularity analysis revealed two pollinator systems of long-tongued bees: (i) the long-studied system of bumblebees (Bombus spp.) associated with nine primarily northern species of Antirrhinum; and (ii) a newly proposed pollinator system involving other large bees associated with seven species primarily distributed in southern Mediterranean areas. © 2017 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Visitantes florales diurnos del girasol (Helianthus annuus, Asterales: Asteraceae en la Argentina

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Juan P. TORRETTA

2010-01-01

Full Text Available El girasol ( Helianthus annuus L. es un importante cultivo oleaginoso en la Argentina. Durante tres campañas agrícolas, se determinaron la diversidad y la abundancia del elenco de los visitantes florales diurnos de capítulos de girasol, en ocho sitios que cubren gran parte del área cultivada en Argentina. Setenta y seis morfo-especies de visitantes florales, pertenecientes a ocho órdenes, fueron capturados sobre capítulos de este cultivo. El principal orden fue Hymenoptera, con 37 especies o morfo- especies, de las cuales 32 fueron abejas (Apoidea. Las familias de abejas más representadas fueron Apidae (13, Megachilidae (11 y Halictidae (7. La abeja doméstica ( Apis mellifera L. realizó el 93% de las visitas. La composición del elenco de visitantes no mostró un patrón de variación identificable a lo largo del día, ni con respecto a la distancia al borde del cultivo, pero varió entre sitios de muestreo. Se concluye que la abeja doméstica es el principal polinizador del girasol en la Argentina, aunque varias especies nativas de abejas ( Melissodes tintinnans (Holmberg, M. rufithorax Brèthes, Melissoptila tandilensis Holmberg, y Megachile spp. podrían ser consideradas como potenciales polinizadores del cultivo.

Fenologia e visitantes florais de Erythrina crista-galli L. (Leguminosae: Faboideae em Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

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Raimunda Alice Coimbra Vieira Costa

2008-01-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2008v21n2p51 Erythrina crista-galli é uma espécie característica do bioma Pampa, também usada com fins ornamentais em arborização urbana. E. crista-galli  floresce mais intensamente de novembro a dezembro. A antese inicia entre 7h-11h, e as flores têm duração de cinco dias. Um total de 1.275 visitas florais foi registrado em 57h de observações. Abelhas da família Apidae (Trigona spinipes e Apis mellifera foram os visitantes fl orais mais freqüentes (88,23%, seguidos de moscas (Muscidae – 5,50%, formigas (Formicidae – 2,35%, vespas (Vespidae –  1,56% e besouros (Chrysomelidae – 1,56%. As flores também foram visitadas por beija-flores da família Trochilidae (Chlorostilbon aureoventris (0,79%. A abelha T. spinipes foi observada em todos os horários e apresentou comportamento de possível polinizadora, juntamente com A. mellifera e o beija-fl or C. aureoventris. E. crista-galli é autocompatível, apresentando produção de frutos e sementes após a polinização manual e sob condições naturais.

Reproductive concessions between related and unrelated members promote eusociality in bees.

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Andrade, Aline C R; Miranda, Elder A; Del Lama, Marco A; Nascimento, Fábio S

2016-05-23

Animal societies exhibit remarkable variation in their breeding strategies. Individuals can maximize their fitness by either reproducing or by helping relatives. Social hymenopterans have been key taxa for the study of Hamilton's inclusive fitness theory because the haplodiploid sex-determination system results in asymmetric relatedness among breeders producing conflict over the partitioning of reproduction. In small cooperative groups of insects, totipotent individuals may maximize their inclusive fitness by controlling reproduction despotically rather than helping their relatives. Here, we demonstrate that the dominant females of the primitively eusocial bee Euglossa melanotricha (Apidae: Euglossini) control reproduction, but concede part of the reproductive output with their related and unrelated subordinates. As expected, a dominant female capitalizes on the direct reproduction of related subordinates, according to her interests. We found that reproductive skew was positively correlated with relatedness. The concessions were highly reduced in mother-daughter and sibling nests (relatedness r ± s.d. = 0.54 ± 0.02 and 0.79 ± 0.02, respectively) but much more egalitarian in unrelated associations (r = -0.10 ± 0.01). We concluded that reproductive skew in these primitively eusocial bees is strongly related to the genetic structure of associations, and also that females are able to assess pairwise relatedness, either directly or indirectly, and use this information to mediate social contracts.

Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae as a potential Brassica napus pollinator (cv. Hyola 432 (Brassicaceae, in Southern Brazil Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae como potencial polinizador de Brassica napus (cv. Hyola 432 (Brassicaceae, no Sul do Brasil

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AS. Rosa

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Brassica napus Linnaeus is considered a self-compatible crop; however, studies show that bee foraging elevates their seed production. Considering bee food shortages during the winter season and that the canola is a winter crop, this study aimed to evaluate the foraging behaviour of Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 regarding those flowers, and to verify if it presents adequate behaviour for successfully pollinating this crop in Rio Grande do Sul State. The study was carried out in a canola field, in Southern Brazil. The anthesis stages were morphologically characterised and then related to stigma receptivity and pollen grain viability. Similarly, the behaviour of A. mellifera individuals on flowers was followed, considering the number of flowers visited per plant, the amount of time spent on the flowers, touched structures, and collected resources. Floral fidelity was inferred by analysing the pollen load of bees collected on flowers. The bees visited from 1-7 flowers/plant (x = 2.02; sd = 1.16, the time spent on the flowers varied between 1-43 seconds (x = 3.29; sd = 2.36 and, when seeking nectar and pollen, they invariably touched anthers and stigmas. The pollen load presented 100% of B. napus pollen. The bees' attendance to a small number of flowers/plants, their short permanence on flowers, their contact with anthers and stigma and the integral floral constancy allows their consideration as potential B. napus pollinators.Brassica napus Linnaeus é considerada uma cultura autocompatível, entretanto, estudos indicam que o forrageio de abelhas eleva sua produtividade de sementes. Considerando-se a escassez de alimento para abelhas no inverno e a canola sendo uma cultura desse período, objetivou-se avaliar o comportamento de forrageio de Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 nas suas flores e verificar se apresenta comportamento propício ao sucesso de polinização dessa cultura no Rio Grande do Sul. O estudo foi desenvolvido em lavoura de canola, no Sul do Brasil. Os estágios da antese foram caracterizados morfologicamente e relacionados à receptividade do estigma e à viabilidade dos grãos de pólen. Paralelamente, o comportamento de indivíduos de A. mellifera nas flores foi acompanhado, considerando-se o número de flores visitadas por planta, o tempo de permanência nas flores, as estruturas tocadas e os recursos coletados. A fidelidade floral foi inferida analisando-se a carga polínica de abelhas coletadas em flores. As abelhas visitaram entre 1-7 flores/planta (x = 2,02; sd = 1,16, o tempo de permanência nas flores variou entre 1-43 segundos (x = 3,29; sd = 2,36 e, ao buscarem néctar e pólen, invariavelmente tocavam anteras e estigmas. A carga polínica apresentou 100% de pólen de B. napus. A visita a poucas flores/planta, a curta permanência sobre as flores, o contato das abelhas com anteras e estigma e a plena constância floral, permitem considerá-las como potenciais polinizadoras de B. napus.

Métodos para atrair a abelha Apis mellifera L. em cultura de abacate (Persea americana Mill. Methods to attract honeybee Apis mellifera L. to avocado tree (Persea americana Mill

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Darclet Terezinha Malerbo Souza

2002-04-01

Full Text Available O presente experimento teve como objetivo avaliar métodos de atração da abelha Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae em duas variedades de abacate (Persea americana Mill.. Os atrativos utilizados foram extratos de Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum basilicum, Lippia alba, folha de Citrus sp, folha de Eucaliptus sp. e o eugenol e o linalol (SIGMA. Os tratamentos utilizados foram: coberto; descoberto pulverizado (DP; descoberto com tubos e descoberto não pulverizado (DNP. Observou-se que a atratividade das substâncias testadas desapareceu minutos após a sua aplicação, utilizando ou não a glicerina, em ambas as variedades. A pulverização dos extratos de falsa melissa, folhas de eucalipto e folhas de laranja apresentaram um aumento no número de abelhas Apis mellifera, na variedade Quintal. Os dados mostraram que a freqüência das abelhas A. mellifera foi maior na variedade Quintal comparada à variedade Fortuna. Isto pode ter ocorrido devido à maior concentração de açúcares do néctar de suas flores. Observou-se que as abelhas A. mellifera preferiram visitar as flores do abacateiro da variedade Quintal, tanto para néctar quanto para coleta de pólen, comparada à variedade Fortuna. Com relação aos frutos, nenhuma das características apresentou diferença significativa entre os tratamentos, em ambas as variedades. Entretanto, observou-se que na variedade Quintal os frutos decorrentes dos tratamentos DP e DNP foram mais pesados, mais compridos e com maior espessura da polpa, comparados ao único fruto obtido do tratamento coberto. Os produtos testados em tubos não foram eficientes para atrair a abelha Apis mellifera, em ambas as variedades.The present experiment was carried out to evaluate some methods to attract honeybee Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae to two avocado varieties (Persea americana Mill.. Extracts of Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum basilicum, Lippia alba, Citrus sp leaf, Eucalyptus sp leaf, the eugenol and linalol

Ecologia da polinização de Ipomoea asarifolia (Ders. Roem. & Schult. (Convolvulaceae na região semi-árida de Pernambuco Pollination ecology of Ipomoea asarifolia (Ders. Roem. & Schult. (Convolvulaceae in the semi-arid area of Pernambuco

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Lúcia Helena Piedade Kiill

2003-09-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido no período de março/1995 a julho/1997, com o objetivo de estudar aspectos da fenologia, polinização e reprodução de Ipomoea asarifolia, na Fazenda Catalunha, Santa Maria da Boa Vista, PE. I. asarifolia é uma liana perene, com hábito exclusivamente rasteiro e floração registrada no período de março a outubro, caracterizada como do tipo cornucópia. As flores estão reunidas em cimeiras, são infundibuliformes, de cor rosa com as mesopétalas magenta, que funcionam como guias de néctar. A antese é diurna (5:30 e 6:00h e a duração das flores é de aproximadamente seis horas. A quantidade de néctar secretada por flor é inferior a 1µl. Abelhas Megachilidae e Apidae foram os principais visitantes desta Convolvulaceae. Liturge huberi Ducke foi considerada polinizador efetivo e Acamptopoeum prinii Holm. e Diadasina riparia Ducke polinizadores ocasionais. Quanto ao sistema de reprodução, I. asarifolia é autoincompatível, produzindo frutos e sementes viáveis somente após polinização cruzada. Os testes de crescimento de tubo polínico mostraram que, após 10 horas, há tubos polínicos na micrópila de óvulos autopolinizados e daqueles submetidos à polinização cruzada, sugerindo que se trata de um sistema de incompatibilidade tardia. Os testes de germinação mostraram que somente as sementes obtidas em condições naturais (93,3% e nos experimentos de polinização cruzada (100% foram viáveis, reforçando os dados obtidos no sistema de reprodução.The present work was carried out during March/1995 to July/1997, to study aspects of the phenology, pollination and reproduction of Ipomoea asarifolia growing at Fazenda Catalunha, Santa Maria da Boa Vista, PE. I. asarifolia is a perennial creeping liana with floration registered in the period of March to October, characterized as a cornucopian pattern of flowering. The flowers are gathered in cymes, with a pink funnel-like corolla with

Sistema de polinização e reprodução de Byrsonima sericea DC (Malpighiaceae Pollination and reproductive system of Byrsonima sericea DC (Malpighiaceae

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Luciana Almeida Gomes Teixeira

2000-12-01

Full Text Available A polinização, o sistema reprodutivo e a fenologia de floração de Byrsonima sericea, foram estudados no período de outubro/1997 a fevereiro/1998 na Reserva Ecológica de Dois Irmãos, Recife (PE. Byrsonima sericea possui porte arbóreo (3 a 20m, com período de floração de outubro a fevereiro. As flores são hermafroditas, zigomorfas, agrupadas em inflorescências do tipo racemo terminal. A corola é amarela e possui cinco pétalas unguiculadas, sendo a superior modificada em forma de estandarte. O cálice é formado por cinco sépalas com dez glândulas epiteliais produtoras de óleo, os elaióforos. Em alguns indivíduos essas glândulas são ausentes. O androceu é formado por dez estames, com anteras rimosas e deiscência ocorrendo em fase de pré-antese floral. A viabilidade dos grãos de pólen foi de 93,3% e 98,3%, em indivíduos com e sem elaióforos, respectivamente, sendo o número de grãos de pólen por antera de 1.216,66 e 923,33 e a razão pólen/óvulo (P/O de 308.000 e 405.500. Como visitantes das flores, observaram-se abelhas pertencentes às famílias Anthophoridae (coletoras de óleo e pólen, Apidae e Halictidae (somente pólen. Baseando-se nas estratégias e recompensas florais (óleo e pólen, elevada razão P/O e, principalmente, na ausência de formação de frutos nos experimentos de autopolinização, conclui-se que esta espécie é xenógama.The pollination, the reproductive system and the flowering phenology of Byrsonima sericea DC. were studied from October/1997 to February/1998 in the Ecological Reserve of "Dois Irmãos", in Recife (PE. Byrsonima sericea is a woody species (3-20 m tall, flowering from October to February. The flowers are hermaphrodites, zygomorphic, arranged in terminal inflorescence, of the raceme type. The corolla is yellow and has five clawed and fringed petals. The superior one is modified as a flag. The calyx has five sepals with 10 elliptic epithelial oil glands, the elaiophores. In

Pollen harvest features of the Central Amazonian bee Scaptotrigona fulvicutis Moure 1964 (Apidae: Meliponinae, in Brazil Aspectos de coleta de pólen de Scaptotrigona fulvicutis 1964 (Apidae: Meliponinae, abelha da Amazônia Central, Brasil

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Antonio Carlos Marques-Souza

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Over a twelve-month period, pollen loads transported by Scaptotrigona fulvicutis Moure 1964 were collected from the workers corbiculae right after the hive entrance closure in an area of old secondary forest mixed with some exotic fruit trees and ornamentals. Once the pollen grains were identified, their monthly frequency in the samples and grouping by botanical family established that Mimosaceae, Myrtaceae and Sapindaceae were the most frequently visited. The workers harvested the pollen from 97 plant species distributed in 73 genera and 36 families, mostly: Stryphnodendron guianense (Aubl. Benth. in April (57,37% and Schefflera morototoni (Aubl. Frodin in May (54,73%. The harvested pollen types abundance matrix showed that there was little species dissimilarity between the months, which resulted in the formation of two large groups.Durante o período de doze meses, o pólen transportado por Scaptotrigona fulvicutis Moure 1964 foi coletado das corbículas das operárias, logo após o fechamento da entrada das colméias. Feita a identificação polínica dos grãos, sua freqüência mensal nas amostras e o agrupamento por famílias botânicas, constatou-se que as mais visitadas foram: Mimosaceae, Myrtaceae e Sapindaceae. As operárias coletaram o pólen de 97 espécies de plantas distribuídas em 73 gêneros e 36 famílias, sendo as mais freqüentes: Stryphnodendron guianense (Aubl. Benth. em abril (57,37% e Schefflera morototoni (Aubl. Frodin em maio (54,73%. A matriz de abundância dos tipos polínicos coletados mostrou que a dissimilaridade de espécies entre os meses foi pequena o que resultou na formação de dois grandes grupos.

Avaliação microbiológica de amostras de mel de trigoníneos (Apidae: Trigonini do Estado da Bahia Microbiological evaluation of trigonine bee (Apidae: Trigonini honey samples from the State of Bahia - Brazil

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Bruno de Almeida Souza

2009-12-01

Full Text Available O mel é um produto que apresenta atividade antimicrobiana atribuída a fatores físicos e químicos. Mesmo assim, ainda é possível encontrar uma série de microrganismos presentes neste produto e que servem como indicadores de qualidade. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade microbiológica do mel produzido por espécies de abelhas sem ferrão (Trigonini do Estado da Bahia. Quatorze amostras de mel foram avaliadas quanto ao teor de umidade, atividade de água, contagem padrão de bolores e leveduras, e presença de microrganismos do grupo coliforme. Um total de 50,0% das amostras apresentou contagem padrão para bolores e leveduras acima do máximo permitido pela regulamentação brasileira para alimentos. Esta desclassificação de amostras assepticamente colhidas indica a necessidade de identificação desta microbiota e sua possível ocorrência natural no mel produzido por este grupo de abelhas. Nenhuma das amostras foi desclassificada em relação à contagem de microrganismos do grupo coliforme.Honey is a product that presents antimicrobial activity attributed to physical and chemical factors. Even so, it is still possible to find many microorganisms present in this product, which can be used as quality indicators. The objective of this work was to evaluate the microbiologic quality of the honey produced by stingless bee species from the State of Bahia, Brazil. Fourteen samples of honey were evaluated for the moisture content, water activity, standard counting of moulds and yeasts, and presence of microorganisms of coliform group. A total of 50.0% of the samples presented standard counting of moulds and yeasts above the maximum value permmited by the Brazilian food legislation. This disqualification of samples asseptically harvested indicates the need of identification of this microbiota and its possible natural occurrence in the honey produced by this group of bees. None of the samples was disqualified regarding the counting of microorganisms of the coliform group.

The antennal sensilla of Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini): a study of different sexes and castes

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Ravaiano, Samira Veiga; Ferreira, Ríudo de Paiva; Campos, Lucio Antonio de Oliveira; Martins, Gustavo Ferreira

2014-08-01

The sensilla of insects are integumental units that play a role as sensory structures and are crucial for the perception of stimuli and for communication. In this study, we compared the antennal sensilla of females (workers and queens), males (haploid (n) and diploid (2n)), and queen-like males (QLMs, resulting from 2n males after juvenile hormone (JH) treatment) in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata. Images of the dorsal antenna surfaces were acquired using a scanning electron microscope. As reported for other hymenopterans, this species exhibits a heterogeneous sensillar distribution along the antennae. Thirteen different types of sensilla were found in the antennae of M. quadrifasciata: trichodea (subtypes I to VI), chaetica (subtypes I and II), placodea, basiconica, ampullacea, coeloconica, and coelocapitula. Sensilla trichodea I were the most abundant, followed by sensilla placodea, which might function in olfactory perception. Sensilla basiconica, sensilla chaetica I, sensilla coeloconica, and sensilla ampullacea were found exclusively in females. In terms of the composition and size of the sensilla, the antennae of QLMs most closely resemble those of the 2n male, although QLMs exhibit a queen phenotype. This study represents the first comparative analysis of the antennal sensilla of M. quadrifasciata. The differences found in the type and amount of sensilla between the castes and sexes are discussed based on the presumed sensillary functions.

Flight activity and responses to climatic conditions of two subspecies of Melipona marginata Lepeletier (Apidae, Meliponinae)

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Kleinert-Giovannini, A; Imperatriz-Fonseca, V L

1986-01-01

The flight activity of two colonies of M. m. marginata and six colonies of M. m. obscurior was studied in Sao Paulo, Brazil during three periods in 1981-1983. All colonies were hived except for one colony of M. m. obscurior which nested in a hollow tree. The two subspecies showed the same responses to the climatic factors analyzed. Flight activity was correlated positively with temperature and negatively with RH. In favorable conditions foraging took place throughout the day but both species were most active between 11 and 13 h. In the last observation period (October 1982-January 1983), when only two obscurior colonies were studied, flight activity was not correlated to RH, occurring even when RH was unfavorably high. This was a very rainy season, and it is suggested that the behavior of the bees indicates a flexible response to prevailing weather conditions.

A molecular marker distinguishes the subspecies Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata and Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponinae

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Ana M. Waldschmidt

2000-09-01

Full Text Available The stingless bee species Melipona quadrifasciata includes two subspecies, Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioids and Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata. The morphological difference between the two subspecies is the presence of three to five continuous yellow stripes on the terga on the 3rd to 6th segments in workers and males of M. q. quadrifasciata, and two to five interrupted bands in M. q. anthidioides. We identified a DNA marker which is present in M. q. quadrifasciata and absent in M. q. anthidioides. Only one among the M. q. quadrifasciata colonies did not present the marker. It was also absent in bees collected in northern Minas Gerais State (Brazil, despite their morphological resemblance to M. q. quadrifasciata. The marker can be used for studying the genetic structure of the hybridization zone formed by the intercrossing of the two subspecies.A espécie de abelha sem ferrão Melipona quadrifasciata apresenta duas subespécies, Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata Lep. e Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lep. A diferença morfológica entre as duas subespécies é a presença de três a cinco bandas tergais amarelas do 3º ao 6º segmentos em operárias e machos de M. q. quadrifasciata e duas a cinco bandas interrompidas em M. q. anthidioides. Nós identificamos um marcador de DNA que está presente em M. q. quadrifasciata e ausente em M. q. anthidioides. Este marcador está ausente em abelhas coletadas no norte do Estado de Minas Gerais (Brasil, embora esses indivíduos apresentem morfologia similar à de M. q. quadrifasciata. Este marcador poderá ser utilizado em estudos da zona de hibridação entre as subespécies.

A molecular marker distinguishes the subspecies Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata and Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponinae)

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Ana M. Waldschmidt; Everaldo G. de Barros; Lucio A.O. Campos

2000-01-01

The stingless bee species Melipona quadrifasciata includes two subspecies, Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioids and Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata. The morphological difference between the two subspecies is the presence of three to five continuous yellow stripes on the terga on the 3rd to 6th segments in workers and males of M. q. quadrifasciata, and two to five interrupted bands in M. q. anthidioides. We identified a DNA marker which is present in M. q. quadrifasciata and absent in M....

The complete mitochondrial genome of the invasive Africanized Honey Bee, Apis mellifera scutellata (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae).

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Gibson, Joshua D; Hunt, Greg J

2016-01-01

The complete mitochondrial genome from an Africanized honey bee population (AHB, derived from Apis mellifera scutellata) was assembled and analyzed. The mitogenome is 16,411 bp long and contains the same gene repertoire and gene order as the European honey bee (13 protein coding genes, 22 tRNA genes and 2 rRNA genes). ND4 appears to use an alternate start codon and the long rRNA gene is 48 bp shorter in AHB due to a deletion in a terminal AT dinucleotide repeat. The dihydrouracil arm is missing from tRNA-Ser (AGN) and tRNA-Glu is missing the TV loop. The A + T content is comparable to the European honey bee (84.7%), which increases to 95% for the 3rd position in the protein coding genes.

Programmed Cell Death in the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Worker Brain Induced by Imidacloprid.

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Wu, Yan-Yan; Zhou, Ting; Wang, Qiang; Dai, Ping-Li; Xu, Shu-Fa; Jia, Hui-Ru; Wang, Xing

2015-08-01

Honey bees are at an unavoidable risk of exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides, which are used worldwide. Compared with the well-studied roles of these pesticides in nontarget site (including midgut, ovary, or salivary glands), little has been reported in the target sites, the brain. In the current study, laboratory-reared adult worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) were treated with sublethal doses of imidacloprid. Neuronal apoptosis was detected using the TUNEL technique for DNA labeling. We observed significantly increased apoptotic markers in dose- and time-dependent manners in brains of bees exposed to imidacloprid. Neuronal activated caspase-3 and mRNA levels of caspase-1, as detected by immunofluorescence and real-time quantitative PCR, respectively, were significantly increased, suggesting that sublethal doses of imidacloprid may induce the caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway. Additionally, the overlap of apoptosis and autophagy in neurons was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. It further suggests that a relationship exists between neurotoxicity and behavioral changes induced by sublethal doses of imidacloprid, and that there is a need to determine reasonable limits for imidacloprid application in the field to protect pollinators. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Male scent-marking pheromone of Bombus ardens ardens (Hymenoptera; Apidae) attracts both conspecific queens and males

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Kubo, Ryohei; Harano, Ken-ichi; Ono, Masato

2017-10-01

To explore the role of the volatiles emitted from male labial gland (LG) of the bumblebee Bombus ardens ardens, we investigated the responses of virgin queens and males to volatiles using a gas chromatography-electroantennographic detector (GC-EAD) system and Y-tube olfactometer. GC-EAD analysis revealed that citronellol, the main compound detected in the male LG, caused clear electrophysiological responses in the antennae of B. a. ardens virgin queens and males although two minor compounds elicited antennal responses when applied in a high concentration. Behavioral tests using a Y-tube olfactometer showed that queens and males were significantly attracted to both LG extracts and citronellol more than to the solvent alone. This is the first study to demonstrate that citronellol as a major compound of male scent-marking pheromone in B. a. ardens functions as a sex attractant for queens. The results also suggest that this compound has another function as a trail marker used by males.

The exposure of honey bees (Apis mellifera; Hymenoptera: Apidae) to pesticides: Room for improvement in research.

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Benuszak, Johanna; Laurent, Marion; Chauzat, Marie-Pierre

2017-06-01

Losses of honey bees have been repeatedly reported from many places worldwide. The widespread use of synthetic pesticides has led to concerns regarding their environmental fate and their effects on pollinators. Based on a standardised review, we report the use of a wide variety of honey bee matrices and sampling methods in the scientific papers studying pesticide exposure. Matrices such as beeswax and beebread were very little analysed despite their capacities for long-term pesticide storage. Moreover, bioavailability and transfer between in-hive matrices were poorly understood and explored. Many pesticides were studied but interactions between molecules or with other stressors were lacking. Sampling methods, targeted matrices and units of measure should have been, to some extent, standardised between publications to ease comparison and cross checking. Data on honey bee exposure to pesticides would have also benefit from the use of commercial formulations in experiments instead of active ingredients, with a special assessment of co-formulants (quantitative exposure and effects). Finally, the air matrix within the colony must be explored in order to complete current knowledge on honey bee pesticide exposure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of proline as a nutrient on hypopharyngeal glands during development of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Ali Darvishzadeh

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Proline is known to be an energy source for protein synthesis and appears to have a major role in insect flying metabolism. Insects can detect proline in their food and use it as an energy substrate to start flight and other high energy consuming activities. Honey bee has a feeding preference for nectars with higher concentrations of this amino acid. In this research we present evidence that L-proline can be utilized as a phagostimulant for the honeybee worker (Apis mellifera. We reported the L-proline increase hypopharyngeal glands acini diameter and syrup consumption at the experimental cage. Honeybee workers fed on 1000 ppm treatment prolin consumed 773.9±31.8 ul/bee after 18-days. It is obvious that the honeybee workers consumed 1000 ppm the more than other treatment. The feeding decreased when concentration of L-proline increased to 10000 ppm. The hypopharyngeal glands development increased gradually from honeybee workers emergence and started to decrease after 9 days old. The maximum acini diameter (0.1439±0.001 mm was recorded in the 9th day when newly emerged bees were fed on 1000 ppm proline syrup.

Colony-level variation in pollen collection and foraging preferences among wild-caught bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

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Saifuddin, Mustafa; Jha, Shalene

2014-04-01

Given that many pollinators have exhibited dramatic declines related to habitat destruction, an improved understanding of pollinator resource collection across human-altered landscapes is essential to conservation efforts. Despite the importance of bumble bees (Bombus spp.) as global pollinators, little is known regarding how pollen collection patterns vary between individuals, colonies, and landscapes. In this study, Vosnesensky bumble bees (Bombus vosnesenskii Radoszkowski) were collected from a range of human-altered and natural landscapes in northern California. Extensive vegetation surveys and Geographic Information System (GIS)-based habitat classifications were conducted at each site, bees were genotyped to identify colony mates, and pollen loads were examined to identify visited plants. In contrast to predictions based on strong competitive interactions, pollen load composition was significantly more similar for bees captured in a shared study region compared with bees throughout the research area but was not significantly more similar for colony mates. Preference analyses revealed that pollen loads were not composed of the most abundant plant species per study region. The majority of ranked pollen preference lists were significantly correlated for pairwise comparisons of colony mates and individuals within a study region, whereas the majority of pairwise comparisons of ranked pollen preference lists between individuals located at separate study regions were uncorrelated. Results suggest that pollen load composition and foraging preferences are similar for bees throughout a shared landscape regardless of colony membership. The importance of native plant species in pollen collection is illustrated through preference analyses, and we suggest prioritization of specific rare native plant species for enhanced bumble bee pollen collection.

Biogeografía de las abejas de las orquídeas (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Euglossini en Colombia

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Alejandro Parra-H.

2007-08-01

del país. Con base en el material de euglosinos depositados en la colección del LABUN, referencias bibliográficas, características morfológicas y comporamentales de la tribu, así como la localización geográfica y altitudinal de las especies, se desarrolló un análisis de correspondencia para determinar cómo las diferentes variables podrían estar implicadas en la distribución de los euglosinos en Colombia. Los resultados del análisis multivariado muestran que no hay una estrecha relación de las especies de euglosinos a las regiones naturales que ocupan, sino que dentro de las variables consideradas, el tamaño corporal (implicado en capacidad de vuelo y la termorregulación, la estructura social (asociada a aprovechamiento y optimización de recursos en el hábitat y la longitud de la lengua (relacionada con la preferencia y toma de néctares, generan la mayor variabilidad de la muestra. De acuerdo a las características morfológicas y comportamentales analizadas se propone un patrón biogeográfico para la distribución de las abejas euglosinas en Colombia.

Phylogeography of Partamona rustica (Hymenoptera, Apidae), an Endemic Stingless Bee from the Neotropical Dry Forest Diagonal.

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Miranda, Elder Assis; Batalha-Filho, Henrique; Congrains, Carlos; Carvalho, Antônio Freire; Ferreira, Kátia Maria; Del Lama, Marco Antonio

2016-01-01

The South America encompasses the highest levels of biodiversity found anywhere in the world and its rich biota is distributed among many different biogeographical regions. However, many regions of South America are still poorly studied, including its xeric environments, such as the threatened Caatinga and Cerrado phytogeographical domains. In particular, the effects of Quaternary climatic events on the demography of endemic species from xeric habitats are poorly understood. The present study uses an integrative approach to reconstruct the evolutionary history of Partamona rustica, an endemic stingless bee from dry forest diagonal in Brazil, in a spatial-temporal framework. In this sense, we sequenced four mitochondrial genes and genotyped eight microsatellite loci. Our results identified two population groups: one to the west and the other to the east of the São Francisco River Valley (SFRV). These groups split in the late Pleistocene, and the Approximate Bayesian Computation approach and phylogenetic reconstruction indicated that P. rustica originated in the west of the SFRV, subsequently colonising eastern region. Our tests of migration detected reduced gene flow between these groups. Finally, our results also indicated that the inferences both from the genetic data analyses and from the spatial distribution modelling are compatible with historical demographic stability.

Phylogeography of Partamona rustica (Hymenoptera, Apidae, an Endemic Stingless Bee from the Neotropical Dry Forest Diagonal.

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Elder Assis Miranda

Full Text Available The South America encompasses the highest levels of biodiversity found anywhere in the world and its rich biota is distributed among many different biogeographical regions. However, many regions of South America are still poorly studied, including its xeric environments, such as the threatened Caatinga and Cerrado phytogeographical domains. In particular, the effects of Quaternary climatic events on the demography of endemic species from xeric habitats are poorly understood. The present study uses an integrative approach to reconstruct the evolutionary history of Partamona rustica, an endemic stingless bee from dry forest diagonal in Brazil, in a spatial-temporal framework. In this sense, we sequenced four mitochondrial genes and genotyped eight microsatellite loci. Our results identified two population groups: one to the west and the other to the east of the São Francisco River Valley (SFRV. These groups split in the late Pleistocene, and the Approximate Bayesian Computation approach and phylogenetic reconstruction indicated that P. rustica originated in the west of the SFRV, subsequently colonising eastern region. Our tests of migration detected reduced gene flow between these groups. Finally, our results also indicated that the inferences both from the genetic data analyses and from the spatial distribution modelling are compatible with historical demographic stability.

Diversidade de abelhas (Hymenoptera, Apidae) ao longo de um gradiente latitudinal na Mata Atlântica

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Gonçalves,Rodrigo Barbosa; Brandão,Carlos Roberto Ferreira

2008-01-01

A Mata Atlântica é um dos ambientes mais ricos e ameaçados do mundo, o que deveria ter estimulado em muito o estudo e a conservação do Bioma, mas a fauna de Hymenoptera permanece ainda relativamente pouco conhecida. Em especial, a fauna de abelhas da floresta ombrófila densa é pouco estudada em comparação à fauna das áreas abertas brasileiras. O projeto temático "Biodiversidade de Hymenoptera e Isoptera: riqueza e diversidade ao longo de um gradiente latitudinal na Mata Atlântica - a floresta...

Vulnerable Habitats Alter African Meliponine Bee’s (Hymenoptera: Apidae Assemblages in an Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot

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Bridget O Bobadoye

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Habitat degradation has over time formed synergy with other factors to contribute to dwindling populations of both fauna and flora by altering their habitats. The disturbance of natural habitats affects the diversity of both vertebrates and invertebrates by altering both feeding and nesting sites for which organisms are known to depend on for survival. Little is known of the extent to which vulnerable habitats could shape the diversity of most indigent pollinators such as African meliponine bee species in tropical ecosystems. This study was conducted to determine how disturbance could shape the natural occurrence of African meliponine bee species in different ecological habitats of Taita Hills, leading to changes in their diversity. A total of four species depicted by the Renyi diversity profile was recorded in five of the six main habitat types surveyed, and a further extrapolation with Shannon index ( E H also predicted the highest species richness of 4.24 in a deciduous habitat type. These meliponine bee species ( Hypotrigona gribodoi , Hypotrigona ruspolii , Meliponula ferruginea (black, and Plebeina hildebrandti were observed to be unevenly distributed across all habitats, further indicating that mixed deciduous habitat was more diverse than acacia-dominated bush lands, grasslands, and exotic forest patches. Geometric morphometrics categorized all four meliponine bee species into two major clusters—cluster 1 ( H gribodoi , H ruspolii , M ferruginea (black and cluster 2 ( P hildebrandti —and further discriminated populations against the 4 potential habitats they are likely to persist or survive in. Each habitat appeared to consist of a cluster of subpopulations and may possibly reveal ecotypes within the four meliponine populations. This has revealed that unprecedented conversions of natural habitats to agroecosystems are a key driving factor causing increased habitat isolation and vulnerability in this Afromontane region which may potentially distort local assemblages of native pollinators, such as meliponine bee species.

The orchid-bee faunas (Hymenoptera: Apidae of two Atlantic Forest remnants in southern Bahia, eastern Brazil

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A Nemésio

Full Text Available The orchid-bee faunas of the ‘Parque Nacional do Pau Brasil’ (8,500 ha and ‘RPPN Estação Veracel’ (6,000 ha, two Atlantic Forest remnants in the southern state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil, were surveyed. Seventeen chemical compounds were used as scent baits to attract orchid-bee males. Seven hundred and twelve males belonging to 20 species were actively collected with insect nets during 80 hours in February and April, 2009. Euglossa marianae Nemésio, 2011, the most sensitive orchid-bee species of the Atlantic Forest, was recorded at both preserves, though in low abundance. ‘RPPN Estação Veracel’ is the smallest forest patch where Euglossa marianae has ever been recorded.

EXPANDING THE AREA OF DISTRIBUTION OF EUFRIESEA FRAGROCARA KIMSEY (HYMENOPTERA, APIDAE IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON FOREST

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M. H. S. Souza

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The expansion of agriculture in the Arc of Deforestation causes deforestation and habitat loss. Euglossines sampling was done near Juruena River, Cotriguaçu municipality, northern Mato Grosso State. The bees were collected on understory and canopy using different baits. A total of 41 males of Eufriesea fragrocara Kimsey were collected. This is a rare species in collections and catalogued only in Huánuco (Peru, Napo (Ecuador, Ouro Preto D’Oeste and Ariquemes, Rondônia, Brazil. This new records increase the geographic distribution of E. fragrocara in 500 km to the western Amazon Basin, reducing the filling gaps in their distribution range in the Neotropics.

Notes on the nesting biology of five species of Euglossini (Hymenoptera: Apidae in the Brazilian Amazon

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Fernando Carvalho-Filho

2017-04-01

Resumo. As abelhas-da-orquídea (Euglossini possuem tamanho médio a grande, corpo parcialmente ou completamente metálico e são relativamente comuns na região Neotropical. Apesar disso, a biologia de nidificação da maioria das espécies permanece desconhecida. Portanto, o objetivo deste estudo e fornecer novas informações sobre a biologia de nidificação de cinco espécies de Euglossini encontradas em área urbana e florestada da Amazônia Brasileira. Os ninhos de Eufriesea pulchra (Smithe Euglossa chalybeata Frieseforam registrados pela primeira vez, encontrados dentro de ninho de formiga Azteca sp. e em uma árvore apodrecida caída, respectivamente. O ninho de Euglossa townsendiCockerell foi registrado pela primeira vez em uma folha da planta ornamental Cordyline sp. (Asparagaceae. Euglossa intersecta Latreillefoi registrada nidificando dentro de um ninho abandonado de cupim e Euglossa cordata (Linnaeusfoi encontrada nidificando em uma maçaneta tubular de metal de uma janela.

Effect of Three Entomopathogenic Fungi on Three Species of Stingless Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Under Laboratory Conditions.

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Toledo-Hernández, R A; Ruíz-Toledo, J; Toledo, J; Sánchez, D

2016-05-04

Development of alternative strategies for pest control with reduced effect on beneficial organisms is a priority given the increasing global loss of biodiversity. Biological control with entomopathogenic fungi arises as a viable option to control insect pests. However, few studies have focused on the consequences of using these organisms on pollinators other than the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) or bumble bees (Bombus spp). We evaluated the pathogenicity of commercial formulations of three widely used entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin, Beauveria bassiana Vuillemin, and Isaria fumosorosea (Wize), to three species of stingless bees: Tetragonisca angustula Latreille, Scaptotrigona mexicana Guérin-Meneville, and Melipona beecheii Bennett. Bioassays consisted of exposing groups of bees to the recommended field concentration of each fungus using a microspray tower under laboratory conditions. Susceptibility to fungi varied greatly among species. Isaria fumosorosea (strain Ifu-lu 01) and the two formulations of B. bassiana (Bea-TNK and BotanicGard) caused entomopathogenic fungi on stingless bees, further field studies are required to support this finding. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effect of a fungicide and spray adjuvant on queen-rearing success in honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

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Johnson, Reed M; Percel, Eric G

2013-10-01

Commercial producers of honey bee queens (Apis mellifera L.) have reported unexplained loss of immature queens during the larval or pupal stage. Many affected queen-rearing operations are situated among the almond orchards of California and report these losses in weeks after almond trees bloom. Almond flowers are a rich foraging resource for bees, but are often treated with fungicides, insecticides, and spray adjuvants during bloom. Anecdotal reports by queen producers associate problems in queen development with application of the fungicide Pristine (boscalid and pyraclostrobin) and spray adjuvants that are tank-mixed with it. To test the effect of these compounds on queen development, a new bioassay was developed in which queens are reared in closed swarm boxes for 4 d, until capping, with nurse bees fed exclusively on artificially contaminated pollen. Pollen was treated with four concentrations of formulated Pristine (0.4, 4, 40, and 400 ppm), a spray adjuvant (Break-Thru, 200 ppm), the combination of Pristine and spray adjuvant (400:200 ppm), the insect growth regulator insecticide diflubenzuron (100 ppm) as a positive control, or water as negative control. Chemical analysis revealed that low concentrations of pyraclostrobin (50 ppb), but no boscalid, were detectable in royal jelly secreted by nurse bees feeding on treated pollen. No significant difference in queen development or survival was observed between any of the experimental treatments and the negative control. Only diflubenzuron, the positive control, caused a substantial reduction in survival of immature queens.

Field behavior of parasitic Coelioxys chichimeca (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) toward the host bee Centris bicornuta (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

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Vinson , S.; Frankie , Gordon; Rao , Asha

2011-01-01

International audience; Coelioxys chichimeca is a cleptoparasite and an important cause of mortality for several woodhole nesting pollinator bees in Costa Rica. We studied the behavior of this parasitic bee towards one of the more common host bee, Centris (Heterocentris) bicornuta. The female parasitic C. chichimeca were attracted to host bee, C. bicornuta nest cells that contained pollen, but only exhibited interest in entering and ovipositing when these host cells contained nectar. This int...

Tree resin composition, collection behavior and selective filters shape chemical profiles of tropical bees (Apidae: Meliponini.

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Sara D Leonhardt

Full Text Available The diversity of species is striking, but can be far exceeded by the chemical diversity of compounds collected, produced or used by them. Here, we relate the specificity of plant-consumer interactions to chemical diversity applying a comparative network analysis to both levels. Chemical diversity was explored for interactions between tropical stingless bees and plant resins, which bees collect for nest construction and to deter predators and microbes. Resins also function as an environmental source for terpenes that serve as appeasement allomones and protection against predators when accumulated on the bees' body surfaces. To unravel the origin of the bees' complex chemical profiles, we investigated resin collection and the processing of resin-derived terpenes. We therefore analyzed chemical networks of tree resins, foraging networks of resin collecting bees, and their acquired chemical networks. We revealed that 113 terpenes in nests of six bee species and 83 on their body surfaces comprised a subset of the 1,117 compounds found in resins from seven tree species. Sesquiterpenes were the most variable class of terpenes. Albeit widely present in tree resins, they were only found on the body surface of some species, but entirely lacking in others. Moreover, whereas the nest profile of Tetragonula melanocephala contained sesquiterpenes, its surface profile did not. Stingless bees showed a generalized collecting behavior among resin sources, and only a hitherto undescribed species-specific "filtering" of resin-derived terpenes can explain the variation in chemical profiles of nests and body surfaces from different species. The tight relationship between bees and tree resins of a large variety of species elucidates why the bees' surfaces contain a much higher chemodiversity than other hymenopterans.

Pollen morphology and study of the visitors (Hymenoptera, Apidae of Solanum stramoniifolium Jacq. (Solanaceae in Central Amazon Morfologia polínica e estudo dos visitantes (Hymenoptera, Apidae de Solanum stramoniifolium Jacq. (Solanaceae na Amazônia Central

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Alexandre Coletto da Silva

2004-09-01

Full Text Available The Solanaceae family has a wide distribution, mainly in the tropical and subtropical areas of South America. Solanum L. is one of the most important genera of the family with approximately 1,200 species. The objective of this work was to study the floral biology, pollen morphology as well as to investigate the bee visitors of S. stramoniifolium. Preliminary data indicate the presence of one species of stinging bee and four species of stingless bees as visitors to S. stramoniifolium. The pollen of S. stramoniifolium is tricolporate and psilate or without ornamentation. In a word, S. stramoniifolium constitutes a potential source of pollen for different species of bees with and without sting, providing an interesting field for germination studies, insect-plant interactions and floral biology that are already under way.A família Solanaceae tem ampla distribuição, principalmente nas áreas tropicais e subtropicais da América do Sul. Solanum L. é um dos mais importantes gêneros desta família com aproximadamente 1.200 espécies. O objetivo deste trabalho foi o de estudar a biologia floral com enfoque na morfologia polínica e no registro de algumas abelhas visitantes de S. stramoniifolium. Dados preliminares indicam a presença de uma espécie de abelha com ferrão e quatro espécies sem ferrão como visitantes de S. stramoniifolium. O pólen de S. stramoniifolium é tricolporado e psilado, ou seja, sem ornamentação. Conclui-se, após o estudo da biologia floral, que S. stramoniifolium constitui fonte potencial de pólen para diferentes espécies de abelhas com e sem ferrão, representando interessante campo para estudos de germinação, interações inseto-planta e biologia floral.

Trap-nests used by Centris (Heterocentris) terminata Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Centridini) at secondary Atlantic Forest fragments, in Salvador, Bahia State; Ninhos de Centris (Heterocentris) terminata Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Centridini) em fragmentos de Mata Atlantica secundaria, Salvador, BA

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Drummmont, Patricia; Viana, Blandina F. [Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA (Brazil). Inst. de Biologia. Lab. de Biologia e Ecologia de Abelhas (LABEA); Silva, Fabiana O. da [Faculdade Tecnologia e Ciencias (FTC), Salvador, BA (Brazil); Faculdades Jorge Amado, Savador, BA (Brazil)

2008-05-15

Ninety-five nests of Centris (Heterocentris) terminata Smith were collected in trap nests, during November/2001 and January/2003, at two fragments (PZGV e CFO-UFBA) of secondary Atlantic Forest, in Salvador, Bahia State (13 deg 01' W and 38 deg 30' S). The highest nest frequencies occurred from December to February (summer), with no nests foundations from August to October (winter - early spring). Two-hundred eight adults emerged from 347 brood cells, being 164 males and 116 females (1: 0.42). During the study period sex ratio was male biased ({chi}{sup 2} = 9.342; gl = 10; P < 0.05). C. terminata nested in holes with diameters 6, 8, 10 mm, but 84,2% were constructed in 8 and 10 mm. nests had one to seven cells arranged in a linear series with the cell's partitions built with a mixture of sand and resin or oil. Male is significantly smaller than female, which emerges from the first cells constructed. Immature mortality occurred in 14.1% of brood cells (n 49), of which 13.0% were due fail in development and 1.2% due to parasitism of Coelioxys sp. (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) e Tetraonyx sp. (Coleoptera: Meloidae). In the study site, weather, mainly pluviosity, rather than natural enemies influenced seasonal population abundance. The long period of nesting activity, local abundance and usage of trap nests, suggest the potential of C. terminata for management aiming at pollination of native and cultivated plants. (author)

Eficacia del Oxavar® para el Control del Ácaro Varroa destructor (Varroidae en Colmenas de Apis mellifera (Apidae Efficacy of Oxavar® to control the mite Varroa destructor (Varroidae in honeybee colonies of Apis mellifera (Apidae

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Jorge Augusto Marcangeli

2003-12-01

Full Text Available El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la eficacia del producto Oxavar® para el control del ácaro Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman en colmenas de abejas Apis mellifera durante la primavera de 2002 y otoño de 2003. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en el apiario experimental del Centro de Extensión Apícola ubicado en Coronel Vidal, provincia de Buenos Aires. Se trabajó sobre un total de 20 colmenas tipo Langstroth que se dividieron en dos grupos iguales. El primer grupo recibió 5 ml de Oxavar® (323 g en 5000 ml de agua destilada por cuadro cubierto por abejas. El segundo grupo, el testigo, recibió 5 ml de agua destilada por cuadro cubierto por abejas. Ambos grupos recibieron tres dosis a intervalos de siete días. Semanalmente, se recolectaron los ácaros muertos caídos en pisos especiales que evitaban que las abejas los eliminen. Posteriormente, en los dos grupos se colocaron tiras del producto Apistan® para eliminar los ácaros remanentes en las colonias y poder así calcular la eficacia del tratamiento. El producto Oxavar® presentó una eficacia promedio de 85,5 % ± 2,8 durante la primavera y 86,1% ± 2,6 durante el otoño, no mostrando diferencias significativas entre las estaciones (p> 0,05. En ambos casos se registraron diferencias significativas frente al grupo control (pThe aim of this work was to evaluate the acaricide efficacy of Oxavar® to control Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman in Apis mellifera (L colonies during the spring 2002 and the autumn 2003. Work was done at “Centro de Extensión Apícola” experimental apiary located in Coronel Vidal, province of Buenos Aires. Twenty Langstroth hives were used divided in two equal groups. The first group received 5 ml of Oxavar® (323 g in 5000 ml of destiled water per comb covered by honeybees and the second one received 5 ml of destiled water. Both groups received three dosages at seven day periods. Dead mites were collected weekly from special floors in order to avoid mite removal by adult honeybees. Then, 2 Apistan® strips were placed in each colony to kill remnant mites and the acaricide efficacy was calculated. Oxavar® showed an average acaricide efficacy of 85.5 % ± 2.8 during the spring treatment and 86.1% ± 2.6 during the autumn treatment. No significant differences were registered between spring and autumn treatments (p> 0,05. In both cases significant differences were observed between treatment and control groups, (p< 0.05. No negative effect on honeybee brood was recorded. These results suggest that Oxavar® is effective to control the parasite.

Fruit Set and Single Visit Stigma Pollen Deposition by Managed Bumble Bees and Wild Bees in Citrullus lanatus (Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Joshua W; Daniels, Jaret C; Ellis, James D

2018-04-02

Pollinators provide essential services for watermelon, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.; Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae). Managed bumble bees, Bombus impatiens (Cresson; Hymenoptera: Apidae), have been shown to be a useful watermelon pollinator in some areas. However, the exact contribution bumble bees make to watermelon pollination and how their contribution compares to that of other bees is unclear. We used large cages (5.4 × 2.5 × 2.4 m) to confine bumble bee hives to watermelon plants and compared fruit set in those cages to cages containing watermelons but no pollinators, and to open areas of field next to cages (allows all pollinators). We also collected data on single visit pollen deposition onto watermelon stigmas by managed bumble bees, honey bees, and wild bees. Overall, more fruit formed within the open cages than in cages of the other two treatment groups. B. impatiens and Melissodes spp. deposited the most pollen onto watermelon stigmas per visit, but all bee species observed visiting watermelon flowers were capable of depositing ample pollen to watermelon stigmas. Although B. impatiens did deposit large quantities of pollen to stigmas, they were not common within the field (i.e., outside the cages) as they were readily drawn to flowering plants outside of the watermelon field. Overall, bumble bees can successfully pollinate watermelon, but may be useful in greenhouses or high tunnels where watermelon flowers have no competition from other flowering plants that could draw bumble bees away from watermelon.

Phenology of Honey Bee Swarm Departure in New Jersey, United States.

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Gilley, D C; Courtright, T J; Thom, C

2018-03-31

Departure of swarms from honey bee (Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) nests is an important reproductive event for wild honey bee colonies and economically costly in managed bee colonies. The seasonal timing of swarm departure varies regionally and annually, creating challenges for honey bee management and emphasizing the potential for swarming behavior to be affected by plant-pollinator phenological mismatch. In this study, we first document variability in the timing of swarm departure across the large and heterogeneous geographical area of New Jersey over 4 years using 689 swarm-cluster observations. Second, hypothesizing that honey bee colonies adaptively tune the timing of swarm departure to match floral food-resource availability, we predicted that growing degree-days could be used to account for regional and annual variability. To test this idea, we used local weather records to determine the growing degree-day on which each swarm cluster was observed and tested for differences among climate regions and years. The state-wide mean swarm cluster date was May 15 (± 0.6 d), with moderate but significant differences among the state's five climate regions and between years. Use of degree-day information suggests that local heat accumulation can account for some climate-region differences in swarm-departure timing. Annual variation existed on a scale of only several days and was not accounted for by growing degree-days, suggesting little adaptive tuning of swarm-departure timing with respect to local heat accumulation.

Hymenoptera of Afghanistan and the central command area of operations: assessing the threat to deployed U.S. service members with insect venom hypersensitivity.

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Turbyville, Joseph C; Dunford, James C; Nelson, Michael R

2013-01-01

Insect venom hypersensitivity can pose a threat to personnel deployed to a combat zone but the exposure risk in Afghanistan is currently unknown. This study was designed to assess the threat of Hymenoptera stings and associated allergic reactions in Afghanistan. Hymenoptera species were collected during a deployment to southern Afghanistan from June 2010 through January 2011. The literature was also reviewed to determine species of medically important Hymenoptera recorded in the region. The U.S. Army theater electronic medical data system was mined for ICD-9 codes associated with insect stings to determine the number of theater medical clinic encounters addressing insect sting reactions. Three species of flying hymenoptera were commonly encountered during the study period: Vespa orientalis L., Polistes wattii Cameron, and Vespula germanica (F.). A literature review also confirms the presence of honeybees (Apidae), numerous velvet ant (Mutillidae) species, and various ant (Formicidae) species all capable of stinging. No evidence was identified to suggest that fire ants (Solenopsis ssp.) are a threat in the region. Based on electronic medical records from the U.S. Central Command area of operations over a 2-year period, roughly 1 in 500 clinic visits involved a patient with a diagnosis of insect bite or sting. Cross-reactive members of all five flying Hymenoptera species commonly assessed for in Hymenoptera allergy evaluations are present in Afghanistan. The review of in-theater medical records confirms that insect stings pose an environmental threat to deployed service members.

Breeding system and bumblebee drone pollination of an explosively pollen-releasing plant, Meliosma tenuis (Sabiaceae).

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Wong Sato, A A; Kato, M

2018-05-01

Explosive pollen release is a mechanism used by some angiosperms that serves to attach pollen to a pollinator's body. It is usually adopted by species with zygomorphic tubular flowers and pollinated by birds and bees. The tree genus Meliosma (Sabiaceae, Proteales) has unique disc-like flowers that are externally actinomorphic, but internally zygomorphic, and release pollen explosively. To elucidate the adaptive significance of explosive pollen release, we observed flowering behaviour, the breeding system and pollinator visits to flowers of the Japanese species Meliosma tenuis in a temperate forest. Flowers bloomed in June and were nectariferous and protandrous. Explosive pollen release was triggered by slight tactile stimuli to anther filaments or staminodes in male-stage flowers. Because pollen cannot come into contact with the pistils enclosed by staminodes, M. tenuis is functionally protandrous. Artificial pollination treatments revealed that M. tenuis is allogamous. The dominant flower visitors were nectar-seeking drones of the bumblebee species Bombus ardens (Apidae). The drones' behaviour, pollen attachment on their bodies and fruit set of visit-restricted flowers suggest that they are the only agent triggering the explosive pollen release mechanism, and are the main pollinator of M. tenuis. The finding that bumblebee workers rarely visit these flowers suggests that the explosive pollen release has another function, namely to discourage pollen-harvesting bumblebee workers. © 2018 German Society for Plant Sciences and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Bee Diversity and Solanum didymum (Solanaceae Flower–Visitor Network in an Atlantic Forest Fragment in Southern Brazil

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Francieli Lando

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Brazil’s Atlantic Forest biome is currently undergoing forest loss due to repeated episodes of devastation. In this biome, bees perform the most frequent pollination system. Over the last decade, network analysis has been extensively applied to the study of plant–pollinator interactions, as it provides a consistent view of the structure of plant–pollinator interactions. The aim of this study was to use palynological studies to obtain an understanding of the relationship between floral visitor bees and the pioneer plant S. didymum in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest, and also learn about the other plants that interact to form this network. Five hundred bees were collected from 32 species distributed into five families: Andrenidae, Apidae, Colletidae, Megachilidae, and Halictidae. The interaction network consisted of 21 bee species and 35 pollen types. The Solanum-type bee species with the highest number of interactions were Anthrenoides sp. 1, Augochlora sp. 2, and Augochloropsis notophos, representing 71.78% of their interactions. Augochloropsis notophos and Augochlora sp. 2 were the only common species in the flowers of S. didymum. Given the results of our study, we conclude that Solanum is an important source of pollen grains for several native bee species, mainly for the solitary species that are more diverse in the south of Brazil. Moreover, our results indicate that bees from the families Halictidae (A. notophos, Augochlora and Andrenidae (Anthrenoides are the pollinators of S. didymum.

Pollination Requirements of Almond (Prunus dulcis): Combining Laboratory and Field Experiments.

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Henselek, Yuki; Eilers, Elisabeth J; Kremen, Claire; Hendrix, Stephen D; Klein, Alexandra-Maria

2018-03-08

Almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D. A. Webb; Rosales: Rosaceae) is a cash crop with an estimated global value of over seven billion U.S. dollars annually and commercial varieties are highly dependent on insect pollination. Therefore, the understanding of basic pollination requirements of the main varieties including pollination efficiency of honey bees (Apis mellifera, Linnaeus, Hymenoptera: Apidae) and wild pollinators is essential for almond production. We first conducted two lab experiments to examine the threshold number of pollen grains needed for successful pollination and to determine if varietal identity or diversity promotes fruit set and weight. Further, we examined stigma and ovules of flowers visited by Apis and non-Apis pollinators in the field to study the proportion of almond to non-almond pollen grains deposited, visitation time per flower visit, and tube set. Results indicate that the threshold for successful fertilization is around 60 pollen grains, but pollen can be from any compatible variety as neither pollen varietal identity nor diversity enhanced fruit set or weight. Andrena cerasifolii Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) was a more effective pollinator on a per single visit basis than Apis and syrphid flies. Nevertheless, Apis was more efficient than A. cerasifolii and syrphid flies as they spent less time on a flower during a single visit. Hence, planting with two compatible varieties and managing for both Apis and non-Apis pollinators is likely to be an optimal strategy for farmers to secure high and stable pollination success.

Medicinal and cosmetic uses of Bee's Honey - A review.

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Ediriweera, E R H S S; Premarathna, N Y S

2012-04-01

Bee's honey is one of the most valued and appreciated natural substances known to mankind since ancient times. There are many types of bee's honey mentioned in Ayurveda. Their effects differ and 'Makshika' is considered medicinally the best. According to modern scientific view, the best bee's honey is made by Apis mellifera (Family: Apidae). In Sri Lanka, the predominant honey-maker bee is Apis cerana. The aim of this survey is to emphasize the importance of bee's honey and its multitude of medicinal, cosmetic and general values. Synonyms, details of formation, constitution, properties, and method of extraction and the usages of bee's honey are gathered from text books, traditional and Ayurvedic physicians of Western and Southern provinces, villagers of 'Kalahe' in Galle district of Sri Lanka and from few search engines. Fresh bee's honey is used in treatment of eye diseases, throat infections, bronchial asthma, tuberculosis, hiccups, thirst, dizziness, fatigue, hepatitis, worm infestation, constipation, piles, eczema, healing of wounds, ulcers and used as a nutritious, easily digestible food for weak people. It promotes semen, mental health and used in cosmetic purposes. Old bee's honey is used to treat vomiting, diarrhea, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, diabetes mellitus and in preserving meat and fruits. Highly popular in cosmetic treatment, bee's honey is used in preparing facial washes, skin moisturizers, hair conditioners and in treatment of pimples. Bee's honey could be considered as one of the finest products of nature that has a wide range of beneficial uses.

Déficit de polinização da aceroleira no período seco no semiárido paraibano

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Rozileudo da Silva Guedes

2011-06-01

Full Text Available A aceroleira é uma importante frutífera tropical que pode produzir frutos o ano todo na região semiárida do Nordeste do Brasil, caso seja utilizada a irrigação. Como a aceroleira depende da polinização por abelhas coletoras de óleos florais para apresentar uma produção satisfatória de frutos, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a abundância de polinizadores e o sucesso reprodutivo da cultura no período seco, no semiárido paraibano. Foram registradas quatro espécies de abelhas nativas da tribo Centridini, todas consideradas polinizadoras efetivas da aceroleira, pela frequência nas flores e comportamento: Centris aenea Lepeletier, C. tarsata Smith, C. fuscata Lepeletier e C. trigonoides Lepeletier (Apidae, Centridini. A frequência de visitas às flores foi menor no período seco do que no período chuvoso. A polinização cruzada manual complementar resultou em incremento de 61 a 74% na produção de frutos durante o período seco, nos dois anos avaliados, indicando que há um grande déficit de polinização devido à baixa abundância de abelhas Centris. Esse resultado implica a necessidade de manejo dos polinizadores, especialmente em cultivos irrigados durante o período seco, na região semiárida do Nordeste do Brasil.

Comunidade de abelhas (Hymenoptera, Apoidea e plantas em uma área do Agreste pernambucano, Brasil Community of bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea and plants in an area of Agreste in Pernambuco, Brazil

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Paulo Milet-Pinheiro

2008-01-01

Full Text Available O Agreste é uma região de transição entre floresta tropical úmida e caatinga no nordeste brasileiro. Nessa região, grande parte da vegetação nativa foi desmatada para a implantação de pastagens. Não é sabido se áreas degradadas mantém uma apifauna e flora melitófila diversificada, ou quais são associações entre abelhas e plantas que ocorrem nessas áreas. A cobertura vegetal atual é composta por pastos, vegetação ruderal e restos da vegetação nativa. Abelhas e plantas por elas visitadas foram coletadas mensalmente entre agosto de 2001 e julho de 2002, durante dois dias consecutivos entre 5h30 e 17h30. Foram coletados 1.004 indivíduos de abelhas pertencentes a 79 espécies. Apidae foi a família mais abundante e com maior riqueza de espécies (732 indivíduos e 43 espécies, seguida por Halictidae (194 indivíduos e 20 spp., Megachilidae (47 indivíduos e 13 spp., Colletidae (16 indivíduos e 2 spp. e Andrenidae (15 indivíduos e 1 sp.. Foram registradas apenas três espécies de abelhas eussocais e cinco de Euglossini, dois grupos altamente diversificados nas florestas neotropicais. A ausência de abelhas sem ferrão nativas dos gêneros Plebeia, Frieseomelitta, Partamona, Scaptotrigona e Trigonisca, assim como de outras espécies de Euglossini, deve estar relacionada à falta de sítios de nidificação e à escassez de fontes de pólen e néctar nessa área degradada. Foram registradas 87 espécies de plantas melitófilas, a maioria ervas e arbustos. Árvores nativas isoladas, assim como plantas ornamentais e frutíferas cultivadas contribuem para manter parte da diversidade da comunidade de abelhas nativas.The Agreste is a transition region of tropical rainforest and Caatinga in northeastern Brazil. In this region, the majority of the native Atlantic Rainforest was destroyed to give place to livestock farming. It is not known whether degraded areas maintain a diversified bee-plant community or not and which kinds of

Características das colônias de abelhas africanizadas (Apis mellifera L., coletadas de alojamentos naturais em Jaboticabal, Estado de São Paulo Characteristics of african honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera L. in nature, in Jaboticabal - SP

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Regina Helena Nogueira-Couto

2002-04-01

Full Text Available No presente experimento analisou-se as características de 70 enxames de abelhas africanizadas, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera Apidae, coletados na natureza, durante 16 anos (1981 a 1996, em Jaboticabal, Estado de São Paulo e arredores. Durante a coleta foram feitas avaliações sobre o enxame quanto à: localização, posição (favos expostos ou em cavidades, presença de rainha, defensividade, áreas de cria e alimento e quantidade de abelhas presentes. Foi observada a posição dos favos em relação à entrada da colônia, classificando-os em perpendicular e paralelo. Observou-se que metade dos enxames (51,4% foi coletada dentro do Câmpus da Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal - Unesp, especialmente na área de reflorestamento e no horto. Apenas 18,6% dos enxames coletados estavam expostos ao ar livre, estando preferencialmente em galhos, e 81,4% estavam alojados no interior de cavidades. Foi observado que, nos alojados em cavidades, as abelhas preferiram instalar seus enxames sob telhados (30%, ocos de árvores (20%, dentro de cavidades de cimento (12,9% e buracos no solo (10%. Observou-se que as abelhas não foram consideradas defensivas em 86,2% dos enxames coletados e que preferiram construir seus favos em posição perpendicular (70,4% à entrada da colméia, em relação à posição paralela (29,6%. Em relação à quantidade de indivíduos, cria e alimento, observou-se que 54,7% dos 70 enxames tinham grande quantidade de abelhas, 43,9% tinham área de cria considerada média e 51,7% apresentaram pouco alimento estocado. A rainha foi observada em 56,4% dos enxames coletados.The experiment was conducted to observe characteristics of African honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera Apidae swarms collected in nature, for 16 years (1981 to 1996, in Jaboticabal, state of São Paulo -Brasil. During the collection, location, presence of queen, position of the swarms in the nature (exposed or housed, brood and

Biologia floral e sistema reprodutivo de Byrsonima coccolobifolia (Kunth em uma savana amazônica Floral Biology and the reproductive system of Byrsonima coccolobifolia (Kunth in an amazonian savanna

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Rosa Mª Cordovil Benezar

2006-01-01

Full Text Available A biologia reprodutiva de Byrsonima coccolobifolia, foi avaliada em uma população de savana do Estado de Roraima. A espécie é constituída de arbustos e arvoretas com altura inferior a 3m, de flores hermafroditas zigomorfas, pentâmeras, reunidas em inflorescências do tipo racemo terminal, produzidos em brotações novas, o cálice é composto por cinco sépalas, que apresentam um par de glândulas produtoras de óleo. A corola é formada por cinco pétalas albo-róseas e unguiculadas, o androceu é composto por dez estames com anteras de coloração amarela. A antese pode ser noturna ou diurna, estende-se por um período médio de 12 horas e as flores costumam ficar abertas e vistosas por um período adicional de 15 horas, quando se inicia a senescência. Foram registrados dois episódios de floração e o fogo parece ser um fator ambiental estimulador desta fenofase. Os visitantes florais predominantes foram abelhas das famílias Anthophoridae (Centris sp. e Xylocopa sp. e Apidae (Apis mellifera e Bombus sp.. Os resultados das polinizações controladas e o cálculo do índice de auto-incompatibilidade (ISI indicam que a espécie apresenta comportamento protogínico e é autocompatível, produzindo frutos em todos os tratamentos de autopolinização em proporções semelhantes à polinização natural, não sendo confirmada a produção de frutos apomíticos. Entretanto, os percentuais de frutos formados nos tratamentos de xenogamia foram significativamente superiores aos tratamentos de autofertilização, indicando que B. coccolobifolia apresenta um sistema reprodutivo misto com níveis elevados de alogamia e autogamia.The reproductive biology of Byrsonima coccolobifolia was evaluated in a savanna area of State of Roraima, Brazil. This is a woody species of bushes and small trees 3m tall. The flowers are hermaphrodite, pentamerous, zygomorphic, arranged in a terminal inflorescence, produced in new sprouts. Five sepals form the calyx

Floral sources to Tetragonisca angustula (Hymenoptera: Apidae and their pollen morphology in a Southeastern Brazilian Atlantic Forest

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Juliana Almeida Braga

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The stingless bees are important flowers visitors of several plant species, due to their feeding habits and foraging behavior, constituting an important group to maintain biodiversity and the dynamics of tropical communities. Among stingless bees, Tetragonisca angustula is widely distributed in tropical habitats, and has been considered an important pollinator of different plant families. To support a rational economic use of this group, there is a need to characterize the plant species that represent important sources as part of their diet, as preferred, alternative or casual food sources. The aim of this survey was to distinguish the plant species that T. angustula visited most often. The study was undertaken in four regions of the Atlantic Rainforest in Rio de Janeiro state (Brazil over a year from March 2008 to February 2009. For this, we collected bees, flowering plants and bee pollen loads from the four sites, and evaluated pollen morphology in the laboratory. Field observations showed the presence of plants belonging to ten different families and pollen loads showed the presence of pollen types belonging to 26 plant families. There were strong differences between pollen types, especially regarding pollen grain shape. The present survey suggests a high value of these plant species as trophic resources for the T. angustula in the understory of Atlantic Rainforest. Changes in these fragments of this forest may compromise the availability of resources for Tetragonisca angustula species and other stingless bees.Para apoyar el uso racional de las abejas sin aguijón, es necesario conocer las especies de plantas que actúan como fuentes de recursos para estas abejas en su ambiente natural. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar las especies de plantas que fueron visitadas con mayor frecuencia por abejas Tetragonisca angustula y describir los granos de polen de estas plantas. El estudio se realizó en la Mata Atlántica, donde se recogieron las abejas, las plantas con flores y el polen de las cargas corbiculares de las abejas obreras. La observación de campo mostró la presencia de plantas pertenecientes a diez familias y las cargas de polen mostraron la presencia de tipos de polen pertenecientes a 26 familias botánicas. Hubo grandes diferencias entre los tipos de polen, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta la ornamentación de los granos de polen. Este estudio sugiere un alto valor de estas especies de plantas como recursos tróficos para las abejas jataí en el sub-bosque de la Mata Atlántica. Las alteraciones de los fragmentos de bosque pueden afectar la disponibilidad de recursos para Tetragonisca angustula y otras abejas sin aguijón y ser un gran obstáculo para la su crianza sostenible.

Floral sources to Tetragonisca angustula (Hymenoptera: Apidae and their pollen morphology in a Southeastern Brazilian Atlantic Forest

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Juliana Almeida Braga

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The stingless bees are important flowers visitors of several plant species, due to their feeding habits and foraging behavior, constituting an important group to maintain biodiversity and the dynamics of tropical communities. Among stingless bees, Tetragonisca angustula is widely distributed in tropical habitats, and has been considered an important pollinator of different plant families. To support a rational economic use of this group, there is a need to characterize the plant species that represent important sources as part of their diet, as preferred, alternative or casual food sources. The aim of this survey was to distinguish the plant species that T. angustula visited most often. The study was undertaken in four regions of the Atlantic Rainforest in Rio de Janeiro state (Brazil over a year from March 2008 to February 2009. For this, we collected bees, flowering plants and bee pollen loads from the four sites, and evaluated pollen morphology in the laboratory. Field observations showed the presence of plants belonging to ten different families and pollen loads showed the presence of pollen types belonging to 26 plant families. There were strong differences between pollen types, especially regarding pollen grain shape. The present survey suggests a high value of these plant species as trophic resources for the T. angustula in the understory of Atlantic Rainforest. Changes in these fragments of this forest may compromise the availability of resources for Tetragonisca angustula species and other stingless bees.

Morphometric differences and fluctuating asymmetry in Melipona subnitida Ducke 1910 (Hymenoptera: Apidae in different types of housing

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C. B. S. Lima

Full Text Available Abstract A geometric morphometrics approach was applied to evaluate differences in forewing patterns of the Jandaira bee (Melipona subnitida Ducke. For this, we studied the presence of fluctuating asymmetry (FA in forewing shape and size of colonies kept in either rational hive boxes or natural tree trunks. We detected significant FA for wing size as well as wing shape independent of the type of housing (rational box or tree trunks, indicating the overall presence of stress during the development of the studied specimens. FA was also significant (p < 0.01 between rational boxes, possibly related to the use of various models of rational boxes used for keeping stingless bees. In addition, a Principal Component Analysis indicated morphometric variation between bee colonies kept in either rational hive boxes or in tree trunks, that may be related to the different origins of the bees: tree trunk colonies were relocated natural colonies while rational box colonies originated from multiplying other colonies. We conclude that adequate measures should be taken to reduce the amount of stress during bee handling by using standard models of rational boxes that cause the least disruption.

Floral preferences of a neotropical stingless bee, Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Apidae: Meliponina) in an urban forest fragment.

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Antonini, Y; Costa, R G; Martins, R P

2006-05-01

Species of plants used by Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier for pollen and nectar gathering in an urban forest fragment were recorded in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Melipona quadrifasciata visited 22 out of 103 flowering plant species. The plant species belonged mainly to Myrtaceae, Asteraceae, and Convolvulaceae (64% of the visits). Melipona quadrifasciata tended to collect pollen or nectar each time, except for Myrtaceae species, from which both pollen and nectar were collected. Bee abundance at flowers did not significantly correlate to food availability (expressed by flowering plant richness). We found a relatively high similarity (50%) between plant species used by M. quadrifasciata, which was also found in studies carried out in São Paulo State. However, low similarity (17%) was found between the results of this study and those of another done in Bahia State, Brazil.

Areas of natural occurrence of Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the state of Bahia, Brazil.

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Alves, Rogério M O; Carvalho, Carlos A L; Souza, Bruno A; Santos, Wyratan S

2012-09-01

The bee Melipona scutellaris is considered the reared meliponine species with the largest distribution in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, with records from the state of Rio Grande do Norte down to the state of Bahia. Considering the importance of this species in the generation of income for family agriculture and in the preservation of areas with natural vegetation, this study aimed at providing knowledge on the distribution of natural colonies of M. scutellaris in the state of Bahia. Literature information, interviews with stinglessbee beekeepers, and expeditions were conducted to confirm the natural occurrence of the species. A total of 102 municipalities showed records for M. scutellaris, whose occurrence was observed in areas ranging from sea level up to 1,200-meter height. The occurrence of this species in the state of Bahia is considered to be restricted to municipalities on the coastal area and the Chapada Diamantina with its rainforests. Geographic coordinates, elevation, climate and vegetation data were obtained, which allowed a map to be prepared for the area of occurrence in order to support conservation and management policies for the species.

Pollination of tomatoes by the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata and the honey bee Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae).

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dos Santos, S A Bispo; Roselino, A C; Hrncir, M; Bego, L R

2009-06-30

The pollination effectiveness of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata and the honey bee Apis mellifera was tested in tomato plots. The experiment was conducted in four greenhouses as well as in an external open plot in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. The tomato plants were exposed to visits by M. quadrifasciata in one greenhouse and to A. mellifera in another; two greenhouses were maintained without bees (controls) and an open field plot was exposed to pollinators in an area where both honey bee and stingless bee colonies are abundant. We counted the number of tomatoes produced in each plot. Two hundred tomatoes from each plot were weighed, their vertical and transversal circumferences were measured, and the seeds were counted. We collected 253 Chrysomelidae, 17 Halictidae, one Paratrigona sp, and one honey bee from the flowers of the tomato plants in the open area. The largest number of fruits (1414 tomatoes), the heaviest and largest tomatoes, and the ones with the most seed were collected from the greenhouse with stingless bees. Fruits cultivated in the greenhouse with honey bees had the same weight and size as those produced in one of the control greenhouses. The stingless bee, M. quadrifasciata, was significantly more efficient than honey bees in pollinating greenhouse tomatoes.

Pollen foraging in colonies of Melipona bicolor (Apidae, Meliponini): effects of season, colony size and queen number.

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Hilário, S D; Imperatriz-Fonseca, V L

2009-01-01

We evaluated the ratio between the number of pollen foragers and the total number of bees entering colonies of Melipona bicolor, a facultative polygynous species of stingless bees. The variables considered in our analysis were: seasonality, colony size and the number of physogastric queens in each colony. The pollen forager ratios varied significantly between seasons; the ratio was higher in winter than in summer. However, colony size and number of queens per colony had no significant effect. We conclude that seasonal differences in pollen harvest are related to the production of sexuals and to the number of individuals and their body size.

Morphometric differences and fluctuating asymmetry in Melipona subnitida Ducke 1910 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in different types of housing.

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Lima, C B S; Nunes, L A; Carvalho, C A L; Ribeiro, M F; Souza, B A; Silva, C S B

2016-01-01

A geometric morphometrics approach was applied to evaluate differences in forewing patterns of the Jandaira bee (Melipona subnitida Ducke). For this, we studied the presence of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in forewing shape and size of colonies kept in either rational hive boxes or natural tree trunks. We detected significant FA for wing size as well as wing shape independent of the type of housing (rational box or tree trunks), indicating the overall presence of stress during the development of the studied specimens. FA was also significant (p < 0.01) between rational boxes, possibly related to the use of various models of rational boxes used for keeping stingless bees. In addition, a Principal Component Analysis indicated morphometric variation between bee colonies kept in either rational hive boxes or in tree trunks, that may be related to the different origins of the bees: tree trunk colonies were relocated natural colonies while rational box colonies originated from multiplying other colonies. We conclude that adequate measures should be taken to reduce the amount of stress during bee handling by using standard models of rational boxes that cause the least disruption.

Modifications in the oviducts of workers and queens of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Hymenoptera: Apidae) with different ages.

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Serrão, José Eduardo; Naves, Amanda Paula; Zanuncio, José Cola

2011-10-01

The study of morphological features of highly eusocial bees has helped to answer a series of questions concerning their biology. The labor division places the females into two castes, queen with reproductive function and worker with a wide variety of tasks. However, in different species and under different conditions, workers can develop ovaries and lay trophic eggs that are eaten by the queen or used to originate males. In this work, the development of the oviducts was monitored in workers and virgin queens of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides specimens of different ages to verify whether there is permanent sterility of these queens and workers due to aging. Lateral and common oviducts of virgin queens aged <7, 10, 15, 20, and 25 days old, physogastric queens, nurse, and forager workers were analyzed for histology and ultrastructure. Although the structural organization of the lateral and common oviducts were very similar, differences in width of the cuticle and the degree of chromatin condensation were observed, indicating differences in the development of this organ of the reproductive system between the castes. It was also demonstrated that electron-lucent vesicles appear to be related to the formation of the cuticle that lines the oviducts. Because no cellular death characteristics were found, it can be inferred that the absence of mating of the queens as old as of 25 days of age does not cause permanent sterility.

Behavioural data on the production of males by workers in the stingless bee Melipona favosa (Apidae, Meliponinae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sommeijer, M.J.; Chinh, T.X.; Meeuwsen, F.J.A.J.

1998-01-01

Male production was studied in four queenright M. favosa colonies by permanent and long duration observation of egg-laying and subsequent bee emergence. Workers produced males in all colonies; they produced 94.5% of all males.

Floral preferences of a neotropical stingless bee, Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Apidae: Meliponina in an urban forest fragment

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Y. Antonini

Full Text Available Species of plants used by Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier for pollen and nectar gathering in an urban forest fragment were recorded in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Melipona quadrifasciata visited 22 out of 103 flowering plant species. The plant species belonged mainly to Myrtaceae, Asteraceae, and Convolvulaceae (64% of the visits. Melipona quadrifasciata tended to collect pollen or nectar each time, except for Myrtaceae species, from which both pollen and nectar were collected. Bee abundance at flowers did not significantly correlate to food availability (expressed by flowering plant richness. We found a relatively high similarity (50% between plant species used by M. quadrifasciata, which was also found in studies carried out in São Paulo State. However, low similarity (17% was found between the results of this study and those of another done in Bahia State, Brazil.

Areas of natural occurrence of Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 (Hymenoptera: Apidae in the state of Bahia, Brazil

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Rogério M.O. Alves

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The bee Melipona scutellaris is considered the reared meliponine species with the largest distribution in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, with records from the state of Rio Grande do Norte down to the state of Bahia. Considering the importance of this species in the generation of income for family agriculture and in the preservation of areas with natural vegetation, this study aimed at providing knowledge on the distribution of natural colonies of M. scutellaris in the state of Bahia. Literature information, interviews with stinglessbee beekeepers, and expeditions were conducted to confirm the natural occurrence of the species. A total of 102 municipalities showed records for M. scutellaris, whose occurrence was observed in areas ranging from sea level up to 1,200-meter height. The occurrence of this species in the state of Bahia is considered to be restricted to municipalities on the coastal area and the Chapada Diamantina with its rainforests. Geographic coordinates, elevation, climate and vegetation data were obtained, which allowed a map to be prepared for the area of occurrence in order to support conservation and management policies for the species.A abelha Melipona scutellaris é considerada a espécie criada de meliponíneo com maior distribuição no norte e nordeste do Brasil, com ocorrência registradas desde o Estado do Grande do Norte até o Estado da Bahia. Considerando a importância desta espécie na geração de renda para agricultura familiar e na manutenção de áreas com vegetação natural, este trabalho teve como objetivo conhecer a distribuição de colônias naturais de M. scutellaris no Estado da Bahia. Informações de literatura, entrevistas com meliponicultores e expedições foram realizadas para confirmar a ocorrência natural da espécie. Um total de 102 municípios apresentou registro de M. scutellaris, cuja ocorrência foi observada em áreas desde o nível do mar até 1.200 metros de altitude. A ocorrência desta espécie no Estado da Bahia é considerada como restrita a municípios da área costeira e da Chapada Diamantina, onde existem matas úmidas. Dados de coordenadas geográficas, altitude, clima e vegetação foram obtidos, possibilitando elaborar o mapa da área de ocorrência, subsidiando políticas de conservação e manejo da espécie.

A protocol for isolating insect mitochondrial genomes: a case study of NUMT in Melipona flavolineata (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Françoso, Elaine; Gomes, Fernando; Arias, Maria Cristina

2016-07-01

Nuclear mitochondrial DNA insertions (NUMTs) are mitochondrial DNA sequences that have been transferred into the nucleus and are recognized by the presence of indels and stop codons. Although NUMTs have been identified in a diverse range of species, their discovery was frequently accidental. Here, our initial goal was to develop and standardize a simple method for isolating NUMTs from the nuclear genome of a single bee. Subsequently, we tested our new protocol by determining whether the indels and stop codons of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence of Melipona flavolineata are of nuclear origin. The new protocol successfully demonstrated the presence of a COI NUMT. In addition to NUMT investigations, the protocol described here will also be very useful for studying mitochondrial mutations related to diseases and for sequencing complete mitochondrial genomes with high read coverage by Next-Generation technology.

Pollen morphology and study of the visitors (Hymenoptera, Apidae) of Solanum stramoniifolium Jacq. (Solanaceae) in Central Amazon

OpenAIRE

Silva,Alexandre Coletto da; Kinupp,Valdely Ferreira; Absy,Maria Lucia; Kerr,Warwick Estevam

2004-01-01

The Solanaceae family has a wide distribution, mainly in the tropical and subtropical areas of South America. Solanum L. is one of the most important genera of the family with approximately 1,200 species. The objective of this work was to study the floral biology, pollen morphology as well as to investigate the bee visitors of S. stramoniifolium. Preliminary data indicate the presence of one species of stinging bee and four species of stingless bees as visitors to S. stramoniifolium. The poll...

[Pollen resource and seasonal cycle of Thygater aethiops (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in an urban environment (Bogotá-Colombia)].

Science.gov (United States)

Pinilla-Gallego, Mario Simon; Nieto, Valentina; Nates-Parra, Guiomar

2016-09-01

Thygater aethiops is a native bee that can be found in parks and gardens in diverse urban areas such as those in the city of Bogotá (Colombia). However, little is known about its biology as well as ecological adaptations to urban areas. This study aimed to describe the seasonal cycle and daily foraging activities of T. aethiops, as well as identify the pollen resources used by this bee over a year in a population nesting in an aggregation in the “Parque Nacional Enrique Olaya Herrera” in Bogotá. Changes in the nest activity were monitored weekly by counting the number of active nests in the aggregation between December/2012 and February/2014. To determine the daily foraging activity, the numbers of bees entering their nests over a period of 10 minutes every hour between 8:00 and 14:00 h were recorded. Females with pollen loads entering to their nest were captured weekly, between September/2012 and August/2013, and their pollen loads analyzed. Three nesting peaks occurred after the precipitation peaks, but the number of active nests was not correlated with precipitation. The nesting activities stopped in a large number of the active nests (20-50 % of nests) after an anthropic disturbance was registered in the nesting area. Bees forage for nectar and pollen between 8:00 and 14:00 h, with a peak at 10:00 h. Daily foraging activity changed during the study period due to anthropic disturbance. There was not a significant relationship between air temperature and the number of females entering their nests. Foraging activities did not change between the dry and rainy seasons. A total of 26 pollen types were found in 169 pollen loads. Ulex europaeus (Fabaceae) and Solanum laxum (Solanaceae) were the most abundant plants represented on the pollen load across the study period. According to these results, T. aethiops would be considered a mesolectic species. The ability of T. aethiops to use different pollen resources both native and exotic, as well as to presumably recover its population after disturbances, are characteristics that may have allowed this bee to adapt to urban environments. Knowledge on the floral resources as well as other biological features of this bee species is important to promote its conservation in urban areas.

Behavioral response of two species of stingless bees and the honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) to GF-120.

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Gómez-Escobar, Enoc; Liedo, Pablo; Montoya, Pablo; Vandame, Rémy; Sánchez, Daniel

2014-08-01

We present the results of evaluating the response of three species of bees, Trigona fulviventris (Guérin), Scaptotrigona mexicana (Guérin-Meneville), and Apis mellifera (L.), to food sources baited with the toxic bait GF-120 (NF Naturalyte), a spinosad-based bait exclusively used to manage fruit flies. Groups of foragers were trained to collect honey and water from a feeder located 50 m from the colonies. Once a sufficient number of foragers were observed at the experimental location, the training feeder was changed to two or three feeders that offered either honey and water, GF-120, Captor (hydrolyzed protein), GF-120 and honey (4:6), or Captor and honey (1:19). T fulviventris and S. mexicana rarely visited GF-120, Captor, or their mixtures with honey, while approximately 28.5 and 1.5% of A. mellifera foragers visited the GF-120 and honey and Captor and honey mixtures, respectively. Our results show that GF-120 clearly repels T. fulviventris and S. mexicana, whereas for A. mellifera, repellence is not as marked when GF-120 is combined with highly nutritious substances like honey.

Does Cry1Ab protein affect learning performances of the honey bee Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae)?

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Ramirez-Romero, R; Desneux, N; Decourtye, A; Chaffiol, A; Pham-Delègue, M H

2008-06-01

Genetically modified Bt crops are increasingly used worldwide but side effects and especially sublethal effects on beneficial insects remain poorly studied. Honey bees are beneficial insects for natural and cultivated ecosystems through pollination. The goal of the present study was to assess potential effects of two concentrations of Cry1Ab protein (3 and 5000 ppb) on young adult honey bees. Following a complementary bioassay, our experiments evaluated effects of the Cry1Ab on three major life traits of young adult honey bees: (a) survival of honey bees during sub-chronic exposure to Cry1Ab, (b) feeding behaviour, and (c) learning performance at the time that honey bees become foragers. The latter effect was tested using the proboscis extension reflex (PER) procedure. The same effects were also tested using a chemical pesticide, imidacloprid, as positive reference. The tested concentrations of Cry1Ab protein did not cause lethal effects on honey bees. However, honey bee feeding behaviour was affected when exposed to the highest concentration of Cry1Ab protein, with honey bees taking longer to imbibe the contaminated syrup. Moreover, honey bees exposed to 5000 ppb of Cry1Ab had disturbed learning performances. Honey bees continued to respond to a conditioned odour even in the absence of a food reward. Our results show that transgenic crops expressing Cry1Ab protein at 5000 ppb may affect food consumption or learning processes and thereby may impact honey bee foraging efficiency. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of risks of transgenic Bt crops for honey bees.

Antimicrobial and physico-chemical characterization of Propolis of Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) from the Colombian Andes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alves Ferreira Bastos, Esther Margarida; Guzman, David; Figueroa, Judith; Tello, Jorge; De Oliveira Scoaris, Denise

2011-01-01

Propolis is a resinous material produced by bees from various plant sources. The objective of this study was to characterize Propolis samples of Apis mellifera from the Colombian Andean region, regarding the antimicrobial and physicochemical profiles. We used the technique of disk diffusion with ethanol extracts of Propolis against escherichia coli, staphylococcus aureus and candida albicans. The physicochemical characterization included percentage of solids content, wax, oxidation index and quantitative determination of phenolic and flavonoids compounds. All samples showed antibacterial activity, with inhibition zones between 8.0 and 12.0 mm for E. coli and between 8.3 and 23.5 mm for S. aureus. We did not observe any activity against C. albicans. the physical and chemical parameters cited above showed a variation from 2.72 to 9.17%, 0 to 2%, 3 to 51 s, 0.1 to 0.5 (w/w) and 0.02 to 0.95 (p/p), respectively. The antimicrobial profile observed, related to the physicochemical profile, and suggests the need for further studies to determine the geographical and botanical origin of the samples studied.

First record of the behavior of latex drainage by Trigona spinipes (Fabricius (Hymenoptera, Apidae in laticiferous flowers

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Cristiana Koschnitzke

2011-09-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the behavior of the bee Trigona spinipes, to avoid the latex, when piercing the base of the tubular corolla of the flowers of Mandevilla guanabarica in order to steal the nectar.

Analysis of pollen and nectar of Arbutus unedo as a food source for Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

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Rasmont, Pierre; Regali, Ariane; Ings, Thomas C; Lognay, Georges; Baudart, Evelyne; Marlier, Michel; Delcarte, Emile; Viville, Pascal; Marot, Cécile; Falmagne, Pol; Verhaeghe, Jean-Claude; Chittka, Lars

2005-06-01

The mineral, total amino acid, and sterol compositions of pollen collected by Apis mellifera L. were compared with the pollen of a plant consumed by Bombus terrestris (L.): Arbutus unedo L. This plant provides the predominant food resource for the main autumn generation of B. terrestris in southern France. Honey bees also forage on this plant, although only for nectar. The mineral composition of 30 pollen samples collected by honey bees is close to the presently known requirements of A. mellifera, except for Cu and Mn, which are substantially lower. The total amino acid mean composition of a set of 54 pollen samples fits the basic requirements of honey bees except for valine, isoleucine, and methionine, which are present in lower concentrations in all the samples. For pollen of A. unedo, the amino acid balance is not very different from that of the survey. The main sterolic component in pollen of A. unedo, beta-sitosterol, is known to have antifeedant effects on A. mellifera. Honey bees cannot dealkylate C29 sterols like beta-sitosterol or delta5-avenasterol to obtain C27 cholesterol and ecdysteroids. Because these phytosterols as well as cholesterol are nearly absent from pollen of A. unedo, the metabolic capabilities of Apis seem unadapted to this plant. On the contrary, pollen of A. unedo is freely consumed by B. terrestris, which develops huge autumn populations solely on this food. These data indicate that the sterolic metabolisms of B. terrestris and A. mellifera differ, allowing separation in foraging activity.

New host records of Aglaomelissa duckei and a compilation of host associations of Ericrocidini bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

OpenAIRE

Léo C. Rocha-Filho; Élder F. Morato; Gabriel A. R. Melo

2009-01-01

For the first time, confirmed host records are reported for the monotypic Ericrocidini genus Aglaomelissa Snelling & Brooks, 1985. Aglaomelissa duckei (Friese, 1906) emerged from trap-nests of Centris (Heterocentris) analis (Fabricius, 1804) and C. (Heterocentris) terminata Smith, 1874 from two sites in the Brazilian Amazonian region. The parasitism ratio caused by A. duckei was high, varying from 80 to 100% of the brood cells in a single trap-nest. Also, a compilation of the known host r...

New host records of Aglaomelissa duckei and a compilation of host associations of Ericrocidini bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Léo C. Rocha-Filho

2009-06-01

Full Text Available For the first time, confirmed host records are reported for the monotypic Ericrocidini genus Aglaomelissa Snelling & Brooks, 1985. Aglaomelissa duckei (Friese, 1906 emerged from trap-nests of Centris (Heterocentris analis (Fabricius, 1804 and C. (Heterocentris terminata Smith, 1874 from two sites in the Brazilian Amazonian region. The parasitism ratio caused by A. duckei was high, varying from 80 to 100% of the brood cells in a single trap-nest. Also, a compilation of the known host records for the species of Ericrocidini is presented and host-parasite associations are discussed. Host associations are known for seven of the 11 genera and about 17 of the 42 species of the tribe, involving a total of 34 confirmed or putative host species of Centridini bees. All species of the tribe are known to attack only nests of Centris Fabricius, 1804, except Mesoplia rufipes (Perty, 1833 that also parasitizes nests of Epicharis Klug, 1807. Although the phylogenetic relationships within Ericrocidini and among the subgenera of Centris are not well resolved, the current knowledge of the host-parasite associations points to a relatively high degree of specificity and possible coevolution between them.

Phenotypic and genetic analyses of the varroa sensitive hygienic trait in Russian honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies

OpenAIRE

Kirrane, Maria J.; de Guzman, Lilia I.; Holloway, Beth; Frake, Amanda M.; Rinderer, Thomas E.; Whelan, Padraig M.

2015-01-01

Varroa destructorcontinues to threaten colonies of European honey bees. General hygiene, and more specific Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH), provide resistance towards the Varroa mite in a number of stocks. In this study, 32 Russian (RHB) and 14 Italian honey bee colonies were assessed for the VSH trait using two different assays. Firstly, colonies were assessed using the standard VSH behavioural assay of the change in infestation of a highly infested donor comb after a one-week exposure. Secon...

Phenotypic and genetic analyses of the varroa sensitive hygienic trait in Russian honey bee (hymenoptera: apidae) colonies.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirrane, Maria J; de Guzman, Lilia I; Holloway, Beth; Frake, Amanda M; Rinderer, Thomas E; Whelan, Pádraig M

2014-01-01

Varroa destructor continues to threaten colonies of European honey bees. General hygiene, and more specific Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH), provide resistance towards the Varroa mite in a number of stocks. In this study, 32 Russian (RHB) and 14 Italian honey bee colonies were assessed for the VSH trait using two different assays. Firstly, colonies were assessed using the standard VSH behavioural assay of the change in infestation of a highly infested donor comb after a one-week exposure. Secondly, the same colonies were assessed using an "actual brood removal assay" that measured the removal of brood in a section created within the donor combs as a potential alternative measure of hygiene towards Varroa-infested brood. All colonies were then analysed for the recently discovered VSH quantitative trait locus (QTL) to determine whether the genetic mechanisms were similar across different stocks. Based on the two assays, RHB colonies were consistently more hygienic toward Varroa-infested brood than Italian honey bee colonies. The actual number of brood cells removed in the defined section was negatively correlated with the Varroa infestations of the colonies (r2 = 0.25). Only two (percentages of brood removed and reproductive foundress Varroa) out of nine phenotypic parameters showed significant associations with genotype distributions. However, the allele associated with each parameter was the opposite of that determined by VSH mapping. In this study, RHB colonies showed high levels of hygienic behaviour towards Varroa -infested brood. The genetic mechanisms are similar to those of the VSH stock, though the opposite allele associates in RHB, indicating a stable recombination event before the selection of the VSH stock. The measurement of brood removal is a simple, reliable alternative method of measuring hygienic behaviour towards Varroa mites, at least in RHB stock.

Phenotypic and genetic analyses of the varroa sensitive hygienic trait in Russian honey bee (hymenoptera: apidae colonies.

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Maria J Kirrane

Full Text Available Varroa destructor continues to threaten colonies of European honey bees. General hygiene, and more specific Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH, provide resistance towards the Varroa mite in a number of stocks. In this study, 32 Russian (RHB and 14 Italian honey bee colonies were assessed for the VSH trait using two different assays. Firstly, colonies were assessed using the standard VSH behavioural assay of the change in infestation of a highly infested donor comb after a one-week exposure. Secondly, the same colonies were assessed using an "actual brood removal assay" that measured the removal of brood in a section created within the donor combs as a potential alternative measure of hygiene towards Varroa-infested brood. All colonies were then analysed for the recently discovered VSH quantitative trait locus (QTL to determine whether the genetic mechanisms were similar across different stocks. Based on the two assays, RHB colonies were consistently more hygienic toward Varroa-infested brood than Italian honey bee colonies. The actual number of brood cells removed in the defined section was negatively correlated with the Varroa infestations of the colonies (r2 = 0.25. Only two (percentages of brood removed and reproductive foundress Varroa out of nine phenotypic parameters showed significant associations with genotype distributions. However, the allele associated with each parameter was the opposite of that determined by VSH mapping. In this study, RHB colonies showed high levels of hygienic behaviour towards Varroa -infested brood. The genetic mechanisms are similar to those of the VSH stock, though the opposite allele associates in RHB, indicating a stable recombination event before the selection of the VSH stock. The measurement of brood removal is a simple, reliable alternative method of measuring hygienic behaviour towards Varroa mites, at least in RHB stock.

An updated understanding of Texas bumble bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae species presence and potential distributions in Texas, USA

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Jessica L. Beckham

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Texas is the second largest state in the United States of America, and the largest state in the contiguous USA at nearly 700,000 sq. km. Several Texas bumble bee species have shown evidence of declines in portions of their continental ranges, and conservation initiatives targeting these species will be most effective if species distributions are well established. To date, statewide bumble bee distributions for Texas have been inferred primarily from specimen records housed in natural history collections. To improve upon these maps, and help inform conservation decisions, this research aimed to (1 update existing Texas bumble bee presence databases to include recent (2007–2016 data from citizen science repositories and targeted field studies, (2 model statewide species distributions of the most common bumble bee species in Texas using MaxEnt, and (3 identify conservation target areas for the state that are most likely to contain habitat suitable for multiple declining species. The resulting Texas bumble bee database is comprised of 3,580 records, to include previously compiled museum records dating from 1897, recent field survey data, and vetted records from citizen science repositories. These data yielded an updated state species list that includes 11 species, as well as species distribution models (SDMs for the most common Texas bumble bee species, including two that have shown evidence of range-wide declines: B. fraternus (Smith, 1854 and B. pensylvanicus (DeGeer, 1773. Based on analyses of these models, we have identified conservation priority areas within the Texas Cross Timbers, Texas Blackland Prairies, and East Central Texas Plains ecoregions where suitable habitat for both B. fraternus and B. pensylvanicus are highly likely to co-occur.

Nesting biology of an Oriental carpenter bee, Xylocopa (Biluna nasalis Westwood, 1838, in Thailand (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Xylocopinae

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Watcharapong Hongjamrassilp

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The biological study of wild non-Apis bees can provide useful information that may help with the pollination of food crops and native plants in areas where the keeping of honey bee colonies is restricted or affected by CCD. Here, we describe the nesting biology of the Oriental large carpenter bee, Xylocopa (Biluna nasalis Westwood, 1838. An aggregation of more than 80+ bamboo nests of X. nasalis was discovered in Suan Pheung district, Ratch Buri province, Thailand on the 25th of May 2012. We collected 27 nests from the site to dissect, measure the external and internal nest architecture, and analyze the pollen composition of the pollen masses. X. nasalis constructs linear unbranched nests with nest entrance mostly located at the open-end of the bamboo culms. The nest length and the branch diameter of the nest entrance (excluding nesting edge are 25.40 ± 6.95 cm and 17.94 ± 6.00 mm, and the maximum number of provisioned cells is 8. A biased sex ratio of 8♀: 1♂ is reported, with up to 7 adults inhabiting in a single nest. 29 pollen types were identified from 14 pollen masses using an acetolysis method and visualization under both light microscope and scanning electron microscope. 13 pollen types were considered as major pollen sources (contribute ≥ 1% in total pollen volume; however, only 10 can be identified to family and generic levels. The dominant pollen sources are of the families Elaeagnaceae (Elaeagnus cf. latifolia, Euphorbiaceae (Croton, Fabaceae (Senna siamea and Cassia, Fagaceae (Lithocarpus and Castanopsis, and Lythraceae (Trapa which are mostly native to the region of Southeast Asia. The nesting architectural details should prove to be beneficial to beekeepers and researchers who are interested in trapping and studying X. nasalis, and the polylectic behavior of X. nasalis can be highly valuable for future crop pollination strategies, particularly for plants that require sonication of their poricidal anthers.

The traditional knowledge on stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponina) used by the Enawene-Nawe tribe in western Brazil.

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dos Santos, Gilton Mendes; Antonini, Yasmine

2008-09-15

This paper presents the Enawene-Nawe Society's traditional knowledge about stingless bees. The Enawene-Nawe are an Aruak speaking people, indigenous to the Meridian Amazon. Specifically, they live in the Jurema River hydrological basin, located in the northwestern region of the Mato Grosso state. The stingless bees were sampled from two ecologically similar regions in the interior of Enawene-Nawe Land. The first sampling took place around the village, i.e., adjacent to houses, by the edge of the Iquê River, next to food leftovers, around human excrement, and simply when the insects were found flying or reposing on a human body. The second round of sampling happened from 29/10 to 02/11/94, during an expedition for honey collection that took place throughout the ciliar bushes of the Papagaio River, an important tributary of Juruena River. We sampled bees adjacent to their nests following the beehive inspection or during the honey extraction. In this work, the main bee species of the sub tribe Meliponina, which were handled by the Enawene-Nawe, was identified, and a brief ethnographic description of the honey collection expeditions and its social-cosmologic meaning for the group was done. Similar to other indigenous people in Brazil, the Enawene-Nawe recognized 48 stingless bee species. They identified each bee species by name and specified each one's ecological niche. A brief ethnographic description of the honey collection expeditions and bees' social-cosmologic meaning for the group is included. We concluded that, as an example of other indigenous people, the Enawene-Nawe classify and identify the bees based not only on their structure and morphological aspects but also on the ecological, etiological, and social characteristics of the species.

The traditional knowledge on stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponina used by the Enawene-Nawe tribe in western Brazil

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Antonini Yasmine

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This paper presents the Enawene-Nawe Society's traditional knowledge about stingless bees. The Enawene-Nawe are an Aruak speaking people, indigenous to the Meridian Amazon. Specifically, they live in the Jurema River hydrological basin, located in the northwestern region of the Mato Grosso state. Methods The stingless bees were sampled from two ecologically similar regions in the interior of Enawene-Nawe Land. The first sampling took place around the village, i.e., adjacent to houses, by the edge of the Iquê River, next to food leftovers, around human excrement, and simply when the insects were found flying or reposing on a human body. The second round of sampling happened from 29/10 to 02/11/94, during an expedition for honey collection that took place throughout the ciliar bushes of the Papagaio River, an important tributary of Juruena River. We sampled bees adjacent to their nests following the beehive inspection or during the honey extraction. In this work, the main bee species of the sub tribe Meliponina, which were handled by the Enawene-Nawe, was identified, and a brief ethnographic description of the honey collection expeditions and its social-cosmologic meaning for the group was done. Results and Discussion Similar to other indigenous people in Brazil, the Enawene-Nawe recognized 48 stingless bee species. They identified each bee species by name and specified each one's ecological niche. A brief ethnographic description of the honey collection expeditions and bees' social-cosmologic meaning for the group is included. Conclusion We concluded that, as an example of other indigenous people, the Enawene-Nawe classify and identify the bees based not only on their structure and morphological aspects but also on the ecological, etiological, and social characteristics of the species.

ORIGEN GEOGRÁFICO Y BOTÁNICO DE MIELES DE Apis mellifera (APIDAE EN CUATRO DEPARTAMENTOS DE COLOMBIA

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Guiomar Nates Parra

2013-09-01

Full Text Available El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar marcadores palinológicos que permitieran caracterizar el origen geográfico y botánico de mieles provenientes de los departamentos de Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Santander y Magdalena. Se realizaron análisis melisopalinológicos de 184 muestras de miel procedentes de 131 apiarios. Se determinaron diferencias significativas entre tipos de mieles mediante un análisis discriminante y comparando la composición de especies entre las muestras. En total se encontraron 297 especies distribuidas en 69 familias, dentro de las cuales las más representativas fueron Mimosa sp., Cecropia sp., Eucalyptus sp., Piper sp. y Quercus humboldtii. Las familias más importantes fueron Fabaceae, Asteraceae,Myrtaceae, Rubiaceae, Fagaceae, y Melastomataceae. Se lograron determinar seis grupos de mieles diferenciadas por su origen geográfico: Altiplano Cundiboyacense, Medio Chicamocha, Sumapaz, Bajo Chicamocha, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta y Provincia Comunera; también se encontraron diferencias entre las mieles de las regiones andinas y subandinas. Dentro de los tipos de mieles diferenciadas por origen botánico predominaron las mieles monoflorales de Trifolium pratense, Coffea arabica, Eucalyptus sp., Inga sp.y Heliocarpus americanus, mieles oligoflorales de asteráceas y mezclas de mielato de Q. humboldtii y néctar floral (Eucalyptus sp. tipo Brassicaceae, asteráceas. La información de este trabajo junto con la obtenida en análisis fisicoquímicos y sensoriales servirá de base para que los apicultores puedan solicitar la denominación de origen de estas mieles.

Rapid evolution of chemosensory receptor genes in a pair of sibling species of orchid bees (Apidae: Euglossini).

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Brand, Philipp; Ramírez, Santiago R; Leese, Florian; Quezada-Euan, J Javier G; Tollrian, Ralph; Eltz, Thomas

2015-08-28

Insects rely more on chemical signals (semiochemicals) than on any other sensory modality to find, identify, and choose mates. In most insects, pheromone production is typically regulated through biosynthetic pathways, whereas pheromone sensory detection is controlled by the olfactory system. Orchid bees are exceptional in that their semiochemicals are not produced metabolically, but instead male bees collect odoriferous compounds (perfumes) from the environment and store them in specialized hind-leg pockets to subsequently expose during courtship display. Thus, the olfactory sensory system of orchid bees simultaneously controls male perfume traits (sender components) and female preferences (receiver components). This functional linkage increases the opportunities for parallel evolution of male traits and female preferences, particularly in response to genetic changes of chemosensory detection (e.g. Odorant Receptor genes). To identify whether shifts in pheromone composition among related lineages of orchid bees are associated with divergence in chemosensory genes of the olfactory periphery, we searched for patterns of divergent selection across the antennal transcriptomes of two recently diverged sibling species Euglossa dilemma and E. viridissima. We identified 3185 orthologous genes including 94 chemosensory loci from five different gene families (Odorant Receptors, Ionotropic Receptors, Gustatory Receptors, Odorant Binding Proteins, and Chemosensory Proteins). Our results revealed that orthologs with signatures of divergent selection between E. dilemma and E. viridissima were significantly enriched for chemosensory genes. Notably, elevated signals of divergent selection were almost exclusively observed among chemosensory receptors (i.e. Odorant Receptors). Our results suggest that rapid changes in the chemosensory gene family occurred among closely related species of orchid bees. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that strong divergent selection acting on chemosensory receptor genes plays an important role in the evolution and diversification of insect pheromone systems.

High precision during food recruitment of experienced (reactivated) foragers in the stingless bee Scaptotrigona mexicana (Apidae, Meliponini)

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Sánchez, Daniel; Nieh, James C.; Hénaut, Yann; Cruz, Leopoldo; Vandame, Rémy

Several studies have examined the existence of recruitment communication mechanisms in stingless bees. However, the spatial accuracy of location-specific recruitment has not been examined. Moreover, the location-specific recruitment of reactivated foragers, i.e., foragers that have previously experienced the same food source at a different location and time, has not been explicitly examined. However, such foragers may also play a significant role in colony foraging, particularly in small colonies. Here we report that reactivated Scaptotrigona mexicana foragers can recruit with high precision to a specific food location. The recruitment precision of reactivated foragers was evaluated by placing control feeders to the left and the right of the training feeder (direction-precision tests) and between the nest and the training feeder and beyond it (distance-precision tests). Reactivated foragers arrived at the correct location with high precision: 98.44% arrived at the training feeder in the direction trials (five-feeder fan-shaped array, accuracy of at least +/-6° of azimuth at 50 m from the nest), and 88.62% arrived at the training feeder in the distance trials (five-feeder linear array, accuracy of at least +/-5 m or +/-10% at 50 m from the nest). Thus, S. mexicana reactivated foragers can find the indicated food source at a specific distance and direction with high precision, higher than that shown by honeybees, Apis mellifera, which do not communicate food location at such close distances to the nest.

Nest-mate recognition in Manuelia postica (Apidae: Xylocopinae): an eusocial trait is present in a solitary bee

OpenAIRE

Flores-Prado, Luis; Aguilera-Olivares, Daniel; Niemeyer, Hermann M

2007-01-01

In eusocial Hymenoptera, females are more tolerant towards nest-mate than towards non-nest-mate females. In solitary Hymenoptera, females are generally aggressive towards any conspecific female. Field observations of the nest biology of Manuelia postica suggested nest-mate recognition. Experiments were performed involving two live interacting females or one live female interacting with a dead female. Live females from different nests were more intolerant to each other than females from the sa...

Sexual dimorphism and phenotypic plasticity in the antennal lobe of a stingless bee, Melipona scutellaris.

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Roselino, Ana Carolina; Hrncir, Michael; da Cruz Landim, Carminda; Giurfa, Martin; Sandoz, Jean-Christophe

2015-07-01

Among social insects, the stingless bees (Apidae, Meliponini), a mainly tropical group of highly eusocial bees, present an intriguing variety of well-described olfactory-dependent behaviors showing both caste- and sex-specific adaptations. By contrast, little is known about the neural structures underlying such behavioral richness or the olfactory detection and processing abilities of this insect group. This study therefore aimed to provide the first detailed description and comparison of the brains and primary olfactory centers, the antennal lobes, of the different members of a colony of the stingless bee Melipona scutellaris. Global neutral red staining, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and 3D reconstructions were used to compare the brain structures of males, workers, and virgin queens with a special emphasis on the antennal lobe. We found significant differences between both sexes and castes with regard to the relative volumes of olfactory and visual neuropils in the brain and also in the number and volume of the olfactory glomeruli. In addition, we identified one (workers, queens) and three or four (males) macroglomeruli in the antennal lobe. In both sexes and all castes, the largest glomerulus (G1) was located at a similar position relative to four identified landmark glomeruli, close to the entrance of the antennal nerve. This similarity in position suggests that G1s of workers, virgin queens, and males of M. scutellaris may correspond to the same glomerular entity, possibly tuned to queen-emitted volatiles since all colony members need this information. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparative toxicities and synergism of apple orchard pesticides to Apis mellifera (L. and Osmia cornifrons (Radoszkowski.

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David J Biddinger

Full Text Available The topical toxicities of five commercial grade pesticides commonly sprayed in apple orchards were estimated on adult worker honey bees, Apis mellifera (L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae and Japanese orchard bees, Osmia cornifrons (Radoszkowski (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae. The pesticides were acetamiprid (Assail 30SG, λ-cyhalothrin (Warrior II, dimethoate (Dimethoate 4EC, phosmet (Imidan 70W, and imidacloprid (Provado 1.6F. At least 5 doses of each chemical, diluted in distilled water, were applied to freshly-eclosed adult bees. Mortality was assessed after 48 hr. Dose-mortality regressions were analyzed by probit analysis to test the hypotheses of parallelism and equality by likelihood ratio tests. For A. mellifera, the decreasing order of toxicity at LD₅₀ was imidacloprid, λ-cyhalothrin, dimethoate, phosmet, and acetamiprid. For O. cornifrons, the decreasing order of toxicity at LD₅₀ was dimethoate, λ-cyhalothrin, imidacloprid, acetamiprid, and phosmet. Interaction of imidacloprid or acetamiprid with the fungicide fenbuconazole (Indar 2F was also tested in a 1∶1 proportion for each species. Estimates of response parameters for each mixture component applied to each species were compared with dose-response data for each mixture in statistical tests of the hypothesis of independent joint action. For each mixture, the interaction of fenbuconazole (a material non-toxic to both species was significant and positive along the entire line for the pesticide. Our results clearly show that responses of A. mellifera cannot be extrapolated to responses of O.cornifrons, and that synergism of neonicotinoid insecticides and fungicides occurs using formulated product in mixtures as they are commonly applied in apple orchards.

Risk assessment of various insecticides used for management of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri in Florida citrus, against honey bee, Apis mellifera.

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Chen, Xue Dong; Gill, Torrence A; Pelz-Stelinski, Kirsten S; Stelinski, Lukasz L

2017-04-01

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), is a major pest of citrus trees worldwide. A wide variety of insecticides are used to manage D. citri populations within citrus groves in Florida. However, in areas shared by citrus growers and beekeepers the use of insecticides may increase the risks of Apis mellifera  L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) loss and contaminated honey. The objective of this research was to determine the environmental toxicity of insecticides, spanning five different modes of action used to control D. citri, to A. mellifera. The insecticides investigated were imidacloprid, fenpropathrin, dimethoate, spinetoram and diflubenzuron. In laboratory experiments, LD 50 values were determined and ranged from 0.10 to 0.53 ng/μl for imidacloprid, fenpropathrin, dimethoate and spinetoram. LD 50 values for diflubenzuron were >1000 ng/μl. Also, a hazard quotient was determined and ranged from 1130.43 to 10893.27 for imidacloprid, fenpropathrin, dimethoate, and spinetoram. This quotient was mellifera 3 and 7 days after application. Spinetoram and imidacloprid were moderately toxic to A. mellifera at the recommended rates for D. citri. Diflubenzuron was not toxic to A. mellifera in the field as compared with untreated control plots. Phenoloxidase (PO) activity of A. mellifera was higher than in untreated controls when A. mellifera were exposed to 14 days old residues. The results indicate that diflubenzuron may be safe to apply in citrus when A. mellifera are foraging, while most insecticides used for management of D. citri in citrus are likely hazardous under various exposure scenarios.

Safety of methionine, a novel biopesticide, to adult and larval honey bees (Apis mellifera L.).

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Weeks, Emma N I; Schmehl, Daniel R; Baniszewski, Julie; Tomé, Hudson V V; Cuda, James P; Ellis, James D; Stevens, Bruce R

2018-03-01

Methionine is an essential/indispensible amino acid nutrient required by adult and larval honey bees (Apis mellifera L. [Hymenoptera: Apidae]). Bees are unable to rear broods on pollen deficient in methionine, and reportedly behaviorally avoid collecting pollen or nectar from florets deficient in methioinine. In contrast, it has been demonstrated that methionine is toxic to certain pest insects; thus it has been proposed as an effective biopesticide. As an ecofriendly integrated pest management agent, methionine boasts a novel mode of action differentiating it from conventional pesticides, while providing non-target safety. Pesticides that minimize collateral effects on bees are desirable, given the economic and ecological concerns about honey bee health. The aim of the present study was to assess the potential impact of the biopesticide methionine on non-target adult and larval honey bees. Acute contact adult toxicology bioassays, oral adult assessments and chronic larval toxicity assessments were performed as per U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements. Our results demonstrated that methionine fits the U.S. EPA category of practically nontoxic (i.e. lethal dose to 50% mortality or LD 50 > 11µg/bee) to adult honey bees. The contact LD 50 was > 25µg/bee and the oral LD 50 was > 100µg/bee. Mortality was observed in larval bees that ingested DL-methionine (effective concentration to 50% mortality or EC 50 560µg/bee). Therefore, we conclude that methionine poses little threat to the health of the honey bee, due to unlikely exposure at concentrations shown to elicit toxic effects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bee Diversity (Hymenoptera: Apoidea in a Tropical Rainforest Succession

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Allan Smith-Pardo

2007-01-01

15.356 specimens were collected, belonging to four families and 287 species, representing 62% of all bee species found in Colombia. About 50% of all individuals sampled were stingless social bees (Apidae, Meliponini. Trigona (Trigona fulviventris was the most abundant species (~10% in the survey. Augochlora and Megachile were the most specious genera. The pasture and secondary forest showed high values of diversity and richness and were significantly higher than those of the mature forest and low shrubs. In all successional stages, except in the mature forest, the number of new species collected in each sample period approached zero and the species accumulation curves tended to stabilize as time and sampling area increased. The net was the most efficient method in all successional stages, except in the forest, where most bee species and individuals were collected with the Van Somer trap. However, a higher percentage (50% of rare species was collected with the Malaise trap. The number of new species collected in each sampled period and the species accumulation curves suggest that our survey was nearly sufficient to estimate the bee diversity in these early successional stages, but insufficient to study the mature forest apifauna. Due to the high efficiency of the Van Somer trap to attract bees in the forest, this trap should be used regularly in additional bee surveys in tropical rain forests. We also summarize the bee surveys in Colombia and highlight the importance of using other less common sampling methods to study bees from tropical ecosystems.

Reproductive biology and pollination of the carnivorous Genlisea violacea (Lentibulariaceae).

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Aranguren, Y; Płachno, B J; Stpiczyńska, M; Miranda, V F O

2018-05-01

Genlisea violacea is a Brazilian endemic carnivorous plant species distributed in the cerrado biome, mainly in humid environments, on sandy and oligotrophic soil or wet rocks. Studies on reproductive biology or pollination in the Lentibulariaceae are notably scarce; regarding the genus Genlisea, the current study is the first to show systematic and standardised research on reproductive biology from field studies to describe the foraging of visiting insects and determine the effective pollinators of Genlisea. We studied two populations of G. violacea through the observation of flower visitors for 4 months of the rainy and dry seasons. Stigmatic receptivity, pollen viability, and breeding system were evaluated together with histochemistry and morphological analyses of flowers. The flowers showed stigmatic receptivity of 100% in open buds and mature flowers, reducing to 80% for senescent flowers. Nearly 80% of pollen grains are viable, decreasing to 40-45% after 48 h. Nectar is produced by glandular trichomes inside the spur. Two bee species are effective pollinators: one of the genus Lasioglossum (subgenus Dialictus: Halictidae) and the other of the genus Ceratina (subgenus Ceratinula: family Apidae). Moreover, bee-like flies of the Syrphidae family may also be additional pollinators. Genlisea violacea is an allogamous and self-compatible species. The differences in flower-visiting fauna for both populations can be attributed to factors such as climate, anthropogenic effect, seasonal factors related to insects and plants, as well as the morphological variation of flowers in both populations. © 2017 German Society for Plant Sciences and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Contribution of Plantation Forest on Wild Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea Pollinators Conservation in Mount Slamet, Central Java, Indonesia

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Imam Widhiono

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Wild bee pollinators (Hymenoptera : Apiade diversity and abundance were studied in three types of plantation forest on Mt. Slamet (Central Java Province, Indonesia. The aims of the research was to know the diversity and abundance of wild bee pollinators and to determine the possibility of plantation forest contribution on wild bees conservation. Sampling has been done at three stands: a pine forest (PF, with Pinus merkusii, an Agathis forest (AF, with Agathis damara and a community forest (CF, with Albizia falctaria. Each habitat was divided into 5 line transect (100 x 5 m and sweep nets were used to collect the wild bee samples. Sampling was done eah month from April to August 2015. The diversity of wild bees was high (12 species in 9 genera; members of the Apidae (7 species were dominant. The most abundant species across the forests were Apis cerana (343 individuals; 25.5% of total, Trigona laeviceps (195 individuals; 14.5%, and Megachille relativa (165 individuals; 12.3%. Measurements of species diversity (H’, species evenness (E, habitat similarity (Ss and species richness indicated that the wild bee species diversity in the region was relatively high (H’ = 1.275 to (H’ = 1.730;(E= 0.870 to (E = 0.93. The result showed that the diversity of wild bees in three different plantation forest habitats on Mt. Slamet were similar and can be concluded that plantation forest types were important for pollinator conservation, and an appropriate future preservation strategy should include of the areas of all plantation forest types.

Seeing in the dark: vision and visual behaviour in nocturnal bees and wasps.

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Warrant, Eric J

2008-06-01

In response to the pressures of predation, parasitism and competition for limited resources, several groups of (mainly) tropical bees and wasps have independently evolved a nocturnal lifestyle. Like their day-active (diurnal) relatives, these insects possess apposition compound eyes, a relatively light-insensitive eye design that is best suited to vision in bright light. Despite this, nocturnal bees and wasps are able to forage at night, with many species capable of flying through a dark and complex forest between the nest and a foraging site, a behaviour that relies heavily on vision and is limited by light intensity. In the two best-studied species - the Central American sweat bee Megalopta genalis (Halictidae) and the Indian carpenter bee Xylocopa tranquebarica (Apidae) - learned visual landmarks are used to guide foraging and homing. Their apposition eyes, however, have only around 30 times greater optical sensitivity than the eyes of their closest diurnal relatives, a fact that is apparently inconsistent with their remarkable nocturnal visual abilities. Moreover, signals generated in the photoreceptors, even though amplified by a high transduction gain, are too noisy and slow to transmit significant amounts of information in dim light. How have nocturnal bees and wasps resolved these paradoxes? Even though this question remains to be answered conclusively, a mounting body of theoretical and experimental evidence suggests that the slow and noisy visual signals generated by the photoreceptors are spatially summed by second-order monopolar cells in the lamina, a process that could dramatically improve visual reliability for the coarser and slower features of the visual world at night.

Reproductive biology of Ferocactus recurvus (Mill.) Borg subsp. recurvus (Cactaceae) in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, Mexico.

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Córdova-Acosta, E; Zavala-Hurtado, J A; Golubov, J; Casas, A

2017-09-01

Mexico has one of the highest diversities of barrel cacti species worldwide; however, all are threatened and require conservation policies. Information on their reproductive biology is crucial, but few studies are available. Ferocactus recurvus subsp. recurvus is a barrel cactus endemic to the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley. Our research aimed to characterise its floral and pollination biology. We hypothesised bee pollination, as suggested by its floral morphology and behaviour, and self-incompatibility, like most barrel cacti studied. Three study sites were selected in the semiarid Zapotitlán Valley, Mexico. We examined 190 flowers from 180 plants to determine: morphometry and behaviour of flowers, flower visitors and probable pollinators, and breeding system. Flowers showed diurnal anthesis, lasting 2-5 days, the stigma being receptive on day 2 or 3 after the start of anthesis. Flowers produced scarce/no nectar and main visitors were bees (Apidae), followed by flies (Muscidae), ants (Formicidae), thrips (Thripidae) and hummingbirds (Throchilidae); however, only native bees and occasionally wasps contacted the stigma and anthers. Pollination experiments revealed that this species is self-incompatible and xenogamous. In natural conditions, fruit set was 60% and cross-pollination fruit set was 100%. Percentage seed germination resulting from cross-pollination was higher than in the control treatment. Our results provide ecological information for conservation programmes to ensure a high probability of breeding and seed production in natural populations of F. recurvus. © 2017 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Conhecimento dos moradores do médio Araguaia, Estado do Mato Grosso, sobre a utilidade de produtos de abelhas (Hymenoptera, Apidae = Knowledge of the inhabitants of the Mid-Araguaia region, Mato Grosso State, about the usefulness of bee (Hymenoptera, Apidae products

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Anna Frida Hatsue Modro

2009-10-01

Full Text Available O estudo teve como objetivo conhecer as indicações de uso dos produtos das abelhas. As entrevistas foram realizadas com representantes de 14 municípios do médio Araguaia, Estado do Mato Grosso, entre os meses de janeiro e fevereiro de 2007. No médio Araguaia, houve indicações de uso para mel, cera, veneno e própolis, principalmente para fins medicinais. O mel foi o produto mais utilizado (75,49%, o consumo é principalmente por ingestão (79,59%e in natura (71,43%. Os produtos das abelhas são utilizados, pela maioria, para fins medicinais (77,55% e recomendados para tratar afecções na garganta (63,27%.The objective of this study was to find out the use indications for bee products. The interviews were carried out with representatives of 14 municipalities of the Mid-Araguaia River region, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, during the months of January and February 2007. In the Mid- Araguaia there were indications of use honey, beeswax, poison and propolis, mainly for medicinal purposes. Honey was the most used product (75.49%. The consumption is mainly by ingestion (79.59% and in natura (71.43%. The bee products are used, by the majority of the users, for medicinal purposes (77.55%, and they are recommended to heal throat infections (63.27%.

Estudio sobre la Eficacia a Campo del Amivar® contra Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae en Colmenas de Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae Research on Amivar® efficacy against Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae in honey bee colonies of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Jorge Marcangeli

2005-07-01

Full Text Available El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la eficacia del producto Amivar® para el control del ácaro Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman, en colmenas de abejas durante el otoño de 2003. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en el apiario experimental del Centro de Extensión Apícola ubicado en Coronel Vidal, provincia de Buenos Aires. Se trabajó sobre un total de 20 colmenas tipo Langstroth que se dividieron en dos grupos iguales. En el primer grupo se introdujo una tira de Amivar® (amitraz, 1gr, Apilab, Argentina en el centro del nido de cría de las colmenas. El segundo grupo, sólo recibió el tratamiento de Oxavar® para determinar el número total de ácaros presentes en las colmenas. Semanalmente, se recolectaron los ácaros muertos caídos en pisos especiales que evitaban que las abejas los eliminen. Posteriormente, los dos grupos recibieron tres dosis en total a intervalos de siete días de 5 ml del producto Oxavar® (Apilab-INTA, Argentina; 64,6 g/l; ácido oxálico en agua destilada por cuadro cubierto por abejas para eliminar los ácaros remanentes en las colonias y poder así calcular la eficacia del tratamiento. El producto Amivar® presentó una eficacia promedio de 85,05%±3,39 (rango=79,5 91,6, registrándose diferencias significativas frente al grupo control (pThe aim of this work was to evaluate the acaricide efficacy of Amivar® (amitraz, Apilab, Argentina to control Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman, in Apis mellifera colonies during the autumn 2003. Work was done at "Centro de Extensión Apícola" experimental apiary located in Coronel Vidal, province of Buenos Aires. Twenty Langstroth hives were used divided in two equal groups. The first group received one strip of Amivar® (amitraz, 1 gr in the center of brood area. The second one represented the control group. Dead mites were collected weekly from special floors designed to avoid mite removal by adult honeybees. Then, a total of three doses of 5 ml of Oxavar® at seven days period (64.6 g/l oxalic acid in destilled water were placed in each colony to kill remanent mites and the acaricide efficacy was calculated. Amivar® showed an average acaricide efficacy of 85.05%±3.39 (range=79.5 91.6, showing significant differences with control group (p<0.05. No negative effect on honeybee brood was recorded. These results suggest that Amivar® is effective to control the parasite.

Pollen harvest by Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae in the Dourados region, Mato Grosso do Sul state (Brazil Pólen coletado por Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae na região de Dourados, estado de Mato Grosso do Sul (Brasil

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D'Apolito

2010-12-01

Full Text Available We present data on the pollen harvest by Apismellifera L. at a central-western Brazil site not yet studied. Corbiculae pollen loads were collected during one year in front of the hive, acetolysed and slides mounted for optical microscopy. Identification followed comparisons with a local pollen collection. Forty-two pollen types were utilized by the bee; the most important families were Myrtaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Brassicaceae and Poaceae. The genus/species level ranking of relative importance showed Eucalyptus (19%, Raphanus raphanistrum (13%, Poaceae type 2 (7.5%, Jatropha cf. gossypiifolia (7% and Sapium glandulatum (6.5%. Overall, the majority of pollen types (80% were not abundantly harvested, and a minority (4% reached values of 10%. Given that the study area has cultivated plants and not natural vegetation, we indicate most of the identified species as manageable and point out that weedy vegetation can be an important food source for bees since it frequently occurred in the pollen spectra even within a totally cultivated area.Apresentamos dados sobre a coleta de pólen por Apis mellifera L. em uma localidade no centro-oeste do Brasil, ainda não estudada. Cargas corbiculares de pólen foram coletadas durante um ano em frente ao ninho, acetolisadas e montadas em lâminas para microscopia óptica. A identificação foi feita por comparação com uma coleção de referência local. Quarenta e dois tipos polínicos foram utilizados pelas abelhas; as famílias mais importantes foram Myrtaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Brassicaceae e Poaceae. O ranqueamento de importância relativa para gênero/espécie mostrou Eucalyptus (19%, Raphanus raphanistrum (13%, Poaceae tipo 2 (7,5%, Jatropha cf. gossypiifolia (7% e Sapium glandulatum (6,5%. No geral, a maioria dos recursos (80% não foi utilizada com abundância, e uma minoria (4% alcançou valores de 10%. Dado que a área de estudo não possui uma vegetação natural, mas cultivares, nós indicamos a maioria das espécies identificadas como manejáveis e apontamos que a vegetação ruderal pode ser importante como recurso alimentar para abelhas uma vez que ela ocorreu com frequência no espectro polínico mesmo dentro de uma área completamente cultivada.

Individual foraging, activity level and longevity in the stingless bee Melipona beecheii in Costa Rica (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponinae)

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Biesmeijer, J.C.; Tóth, E.

1998-01-01

Foraging behaviour of individually marked workers of Melipona beecheii (Meliponinae) was monitored in Costa Rica to investigate individual specialisation for different materials and how this influences foraging longevity. The majority of the individuals harvested one commodity (pollen, nectar or

Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera: Apidae) fat body persists through metamorphosis with a few apoptotic cells and an increased autophagy.

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Santos, Douglas Elias; Azevedo, Dihego Oliveira; Campos, Lúcio Antônio Oliveira; Zanuncio, José Cola; Serrão, José Eduardo

2015-03-01

Fat body, typically comprising trophocytes, provides energy during metamorphosis. The fat body can be renewed once the larval phase is complete or recycled and relocated to form the fat body of the adult insect. This study aims to identify the class of programmed cell death that occurs within the fat body cells during the metamorphosis of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata. Using immunodetection techniques, the fat body of the post-defecating larvae and the white-, pink-, brown-, and black-eyed pupae were tested for cleaved caspase-3 and DNA integrity, followed by ultrastructural analysis and identification of autophagy using RT-PCR for the Atg1 gene. The fat body of M. quadrifasciata showed some apoptotic cells positive for cleaved caspase-3, although without DNA fragmentation. During development, the fat body cells revealed an increased number of mitochondria and free ribosomes, in addition to higher amounts of autophagy Atg1 mRNA, than that of the pupae. The fat body of M. quadrifasciata showed few cells which underwent apoptosis, but there was evidence of increased autophagy at the completion of the larval stage. All together, these data show that some fat body cells persist during metamorphosis in the stingless bee M. quadrifasciata.

Adaptive behavior of Scotocryptus melitophilus Reitter (Coleoptera, Leiodidae to live with its host Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera, Apidae

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José Maurício Dias Bezerra

2000-03-01

Full Text Available Forty six beetles Scotocryptus melitophilus Reitter, 1881 collected in a nest of Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier, 1836 were studied. All beetles were put together in a large petri dish with 14 males, 14 virgin queens and 14 workers of M. quadrifasciata, which was not aggressive towards the S. melitophilus and flew with 3 to 10 beetles attached to them. When groups of 20 workers, 20 males and 20 virgin queens were put separately in three petri dishes, the workers become attractive to beetles after they were seven days old, while the males after the 19 days old. Only one virgin queen five days old attracted one beetle. The anatomic parts of the workers bees more attractive to the beetles when smeared to a filter paper were the head (32%, abdomen (29% and legs (29%. The part of the workers bees that less attracted the beetles was the thorax (10%. 5. melitophilus, both males and females, are able to distinguish caste, sex and age differences of their host M. quadrifasciata, what can increase the adaptive value of the beetles involved in phoretic behavior.

Genetic Diversity of Melipona mandacaia SMITH 1863 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, an Endemic Bee Species from Brazilian Caatinga, Using ISSR

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Elder Assis Miranda

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In order to evaluate the genetic diversity and structure of Melipona mandacaia, we analyzed 104 colonies collected in 12 localities in Bahia state, northeastern Brazil, using ISSR-PCR. A total of 109 bands were obtained with a significant polymorphism of 72.47%. Estimates of genetic diversity indicated low values of heterozygosity (He and HB values were 0.2616 and 0.2573, resp.. These reduced values have been reported in other studies in stingless bees and maybe justified by dispersion process in the origin of new nests. AMOVA revealed that the higher percentage of variation is within localities (70.39%. The ΦST and θB values were, respectively, 0.2961 and 0.3289, thereby indicating a moderate population structuring. The correlation between genetic and geographic distances (r=0.4542; P<0.01 suggests isolation by distance. Our study contributes to describing the genetic diversity of endemic organisms from Caatinga and may help future efforts to preserve this threatened biome.

Características físico-químicas de amostras de mel de Melipona asilvai (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Souza Bruno de Almeida

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Análises de amostras de mel da abelha Melipona asilvai provenientes dos municípios de Itaberaba e Tucano, região semi-árida do Estado da Bahia, foram realizadas com o objetivo de contribuir para o conhecimento das características físico-químicas desse produto. A maioria dos parâmetros físico-químicos apresentou valores adequados para o consumo humano, o que possibilita a exploração desse produto pelas comunidades rurais da região semi-árida da Bahia. Contudo, o teor de umidade elevado é um aspecto que merece uma maior atenção por parte do produtor, que deverá ter cuidado com a higiene na manipulação do mel durante a coleta e no processo de armazenamento.

Physicochemical characteristics and sensory profile of honey samples from stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponinae submitted to a dehumidification process

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Carlos A.L. Carvalho

2009-03-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a dehumidification process on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of stingless-bee honey. Melipona scutellaris and M. quadrifasciata honey samples were submitted to a dehumidification process and to physicochemical (reducing sugars, apparent sucrose, moisture, diastatic activity, hydroxymethylfurfural, ash, pH, acidity, and electric conductivity and sensory evaluations (fluidity, color, aroma, crystallization,flavor,and acceptability. The results indicated that the dehumidification process does not interfere with honey quality and acceptability.Este estudo foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito do processo de desumidificação sobre as características físico-químicas e sensoriais do mel das abelhas sem ferrão. Amostras de méis de Melipona scutellaris e M. quadrifasciata foram submetidas ao processo de desumidificação, passando em seguida por avaliações físico-químicas (açúcares redutores, sacarose aparente, umidade, atividade diastásica, hidroximetilfurfural, cinzas, pH, acidez e condutividade elétrica e sensoriais (fluidez, cor, aroma, cristalização, sabor e aceitabilidade. Os resultados indicaram que o processo de desumidificação não interfere na qualidade e aceitabilidade do mel.

Genetic Diversity of Melipona mandacaia SMITH 1863 (Hymenoptera, Apidae), an Endemic Bee Species from Brazilian Caatinga, Using ISSR

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Miranda, Elder Assis; Batalha-Filho, Henrique; Oliveira, Priscila Santos; Alves, Rogério Marcos Oliveira; Campos, Lucio Antonio Oliveira; Waldschmidt, Ana Maria

2012-01-01

In order to evaluate the genetic diversity and structure of Melipona mandacaia, we analyzed 104 colonies collected in 12 localities in Bahia state, northeastern Brazil, using ISSR-PCR. A total of 109 bands were obtained with a significant polymorphism of 72.47%. Estimates of genetic diversity indicated low values of heterozygosity (He and HB values were 0.2616 and 0.2573, resp.). These reduced values have been reported in other studies in stingless bees and maybe justified by dispersion proce...

Secretory cycle of the Dufour's gland in workers of the Bumble bee Bombus terrestrisL. (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombini)

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Abdalla, Fábio Camargo; Velthuis, Hayo; Duchateau, Marie José; Cruz-Landim, Carminda da

1999-01-01

The Dufour's gland of Bombus terrestris workers, of different ages and with varying degrees of ovary development, was studied with the aim to verify its involvement in reproduction. Measurements of the diameter and the length of the gland were made using an ocular micrometer adapted to a

Physical interaction between floral specialist bees Ptilothrix bombiformis (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) enhances pollination of hibiscus (section Trionum: Malvaceae)

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Specialist bees, those species with narrow dietary niches, rely on a few related species of floral hosts for food. Accordingly, specialists are thought of as being more efficient pollinators than are generalists. There is growing evidence, however, that this is not true in all cases. For example, we...

Evaluation of the 32P effective and biological half-lives in APIS MELLIFERA L. var. ADANSONI (hymenoptera, apidae)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nascimento Filho, V.F.; Wiendl, F.M.; Sgrillo, R.B.

1980-01-01

It is important in radioisotopes insect labelling to know the influence of the labelling technique on the counting rate variability between the insects of a population and the effective and biological half-lives. If was noted that the labelling of bees can be done with a single feeding of sucrose solution containing 32 P on a 0.02 μCi/bee basis. The bee colony labelled by this method showed coefficient of variation of approximately 10% in the decimal logarihm of counting rate of 100 bees. The feed containing 32 P when given to the bees in two or three portions, did not change the variability. The effective half-life was not different with respect to feeding mode, and it was estimated as 5.37 +- 1.25 days, whereas the biological half-life was 8.62 +- 2.34 (mean and confidence interval of the mean, at 95% probability level). (Author) [pt

Características físico-químicas de amostras de mel de Melipona asilvai (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

OpenAIRE

Souza,Bruno de Almeida; Carvalho,Carlos Alfredo Lopes de; Sodré,Geni da Silva; Marchini,Luis Carlos

2004-01-01

Análises de amostras de mel da abelha Melipona asilvai provenientes dos municípios de Itaberaba e Tucano, região semi-árida do Estado da Bahia, foram realizadas com o objetivo de contribuir para o conhecimento das características físico-químicas desse produto. A maioria dos parâmetros físico-químicos apresentou valores adequados para o consumo humano, o que possibilita a exploração desse produto pelas comunidades rurais da região semi-árida da Bahia. Contudo, o teor de umidade elevado é um as...

Características físico-químicas de amostras de mel de Melipona asilvai (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

OpenAIRE

Souza, Bruno de Almeida; Carvalho, Carlos Alfredo Lopes de; Sodré, Geni da Silva; Marchini, Luis Carlos

2004-01-01

p. 1623-1624 Análises de amostras de mel da abelha Melipona asilvai provenientes dos municípios de Itaberaba e Tucano, região semi-árida do Estado da Bahia, foram realizadas com o objetivo de contribuir para o conhecimento das características físico-químicas desse produto. A maioria dos parâmetros físico-químicos apresentou valores adequados para o consumo humano, o que possibilita a exploração desse produto pelas comunidades rurais da região semi-árida da Bahia. Contudo, o teor de u...

Searching for a manageable pollinator for Acerola orchards: the solitary oil-collecting bee Centris analis (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Centridini).

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Oliveira, Reisla; Schlindwein, Clemens

2009-02-01

Acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC; Malpighiaceae) is an important fruit crop in Brazil. Among its pollinators, Centris (Heterocentris) analis (F.) stands out due to its abundance at flowers and prompt acceptance of trap-nests. For the first time, we propose the commercial use of Centris bees as orchard pollinators. To develop protocols for rearing and management of these bees, we analyzed trap-nest acceptance, brood-cell construction, and larval diet in Acerola orchards. Although Centris species, in general, use numerous pollen host plants, females of C. analis showed remarkable flower fidelity to Acerola for pollen supply when nesting in the orchard. Such fidelity was previously expected only for floral oil collection. The ease of acceptance of trap-nests by females of C. analis, their prolonged yearly activity period, multivoltine life history, and high pollinator efficiency characterize C. analis as an excellent potentially manageable pollinator in Acerola orchards.

The behaviour of Bombus impatiens (Apidae, Bombini on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., Solanaceae flowers: pollination and reward perception

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Peter Kevan

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The foraging behaviour of pollinators can influence their efficiency in pollinating certain plant species. Improving our understanding of this behaviour can contribute to an improvement of management techniques to avoid pollination deficits. We investigated the relationship between the number of visits of bumble bees (Bombus impatiensto tomato flowers (Lycopersicon esculentum and two variables related to the quality of the resulting fruits (weight, number of seeds, as well as the relationship between foragers’ thoracic weights, physical characteristics of thoracic vibrations (main frequency, velocity amplitude, amount of pollen removed from flowers, and the quality-related variables. In addition, we studied the capability of foragers to assess the availability of pollen in flowers. Tomato weight and seed number did not increase with the number of bee visits, neither were they correlated with the foragers’ thorax weight. Thorax weight also did not correlate with the amount of pollen removed from the flowers nor with the physical characteristics of vibration. Vibration characteristics did not change in response to the amount of pollen available on tomato flowers. Instead, foragers adjusted the time spent visiting the flowers, spending fewer time on flowers from which some pollen had already been removed on previous visits. The quantity and the production-related variables of tomatoes are not dependent on the number of bee visits (usually one visit suffices for full pollination; bigger foragers are not more efficient in pollinating tomato flowers than smaller ones; and B. impatiens foragers are capable of evaluating the amount of pollen on a flower while foraging and during pollination.

Reduced cephalic labial glands in the male bumblebees of the subgenus Rhodobombus Dalla Torre (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus Latreille)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Terzo, M.; Coppens, P.; Valterová, Irena; Toubeau, G.; Rasmont, P.

2007-01-01

Roč. 43, č. 4 (2007), s. 497-503 ISSN 0037-9271 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA4055403 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : Bombus mesomelas * Bombus terrestris * ultrastructure * sexual pheromones Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 0.823, year: 2007

High Elevation Refugia for Bombus terricola (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Conservation and Wild Bees of the White Mountain National Forest.

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Tucker, Erika M; Rehan, Sandra M

2017-01-01

Many wild bee species are in global decline, yet much is still unknown about their diversity and contemporary distributions. National parks and forests offer unique areas of refuge important for the conservation of rare and declining species populations. Here we present the results of the first biodiversity survey of the bee fauna in the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF). More than a thousand specimens were collected from pan and sweep samples representing 137 species. Three species were recorded for the first time in New England and an additional seven species were documented for the first time in the state of New Hampshire. Four introduced species were also observed in the specimens collected. A checklist of the species found in the WMNF, as well as those found previously in Strafford County, NH, is included with new state records and introduced species noted as well as a map of collecting locations. Of particular interest was the relatively high abundance of Bombus terricola Kirby 1837 found in many of the higher elevation collection sites and the single specimen documented of Bombus fervidus (Fabricius 1798). Both of these bumble bee species are known to have declining populations in the northeast and are categorized as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

Recognition and identification of bumblebee species in the Bombus lucorum-complex (Hymenoptera, Apidae – A review and outlook

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Silas Bossert

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The recognition of cryptic species represents one of the major challenges in current taxonomy and affects our understanding of global diversity. In practice, the process from discovery to acceptance in the scientific community can take an extensive length of time. A prime example is the traditionally difficult taxonomy of the cryptic bumblebee species belonging to the Bombus lucorum-complex. The status of the three European species in the group – Bombus lucorum and the closely related Bombus cryptarum and Bombus magnus – has recently become widely accepted, primarily due to investigations of nucleotide sequences and marking pheromones. In contrast, doubts prevail concerning the validity of species identification based on morphology. As a consequence, our knowledge of the species is muddled in a mire of unreliable and confusing literature data from a large number of authors over the centuries. To clarify this issue, this paper provides a recapitulation of the historical literature and highlights the milestones in the process of species recognition. Further, the possibility of a morphologically based species identification is discussed in the context of new molecular data. Finally, this review outlines the current challenges and provides directions for future issues.

Density and Distribution of Xylocopa Nests (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Caatinga Areas in the Surroundings of Passion Fruit Crops.

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, C F; de Siqueira, K M M; Kiill, L H P; Sá, I I S; Aguiar, C M L

2014-08-01

Due to their importance as pollinators of many plant species, this study aimed to know the nest density, spatial distribution, and nesting substrates used by Xylocopa species in the Caatinga, a xerophilous vegetation of Northeastern Brazil. Three areas of Caatinga in the surroundings of passion fruit crops were sampled. The bee species found in these areas were Xylocopa grisescens Lepeletier and Xylocopa frontalis (Olivier). All nests were in Commiphora leptophloeos (Burseraceae) trees (n = 113). Phytosociological analysis showed that this tree species presented the highest absolute density (212.5 individuals/ha) and index of importance value (52.7). The distribution pattern of the C. leptophloeos was aggregated. The nests were located in dead and dried branches with an average diameter of 5.3 ± 2.0 cm (n = 43). The mean number of nests/tree was 3.1 ± 2.8 (n = 113). The less disturbed area showed 6.7 nests/ha and 4.2 nests/tree. In the disturbed areas, 0.9 nests/ha and 2.4 to 2.7 nests/tree were observed. The availability of substrate for nesting in the studied areas and its importance as a limiting factor for nesting are discussed.

Size differences in the Dufour gland of Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera, Apidae between and within the female castes

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Fábio Camargo Abdalla

2001-07-01

Full Text Available The Dufour gland is found closely associated with the sting apparatus of all hymenopteran females, playing multiple roles among bees. In Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758 the gland is connected to the dorsal vaginal wall and, in queens, it produces egg-marking pheromones. In workers the function of this gland is unknown, except by its capacity to mimic the queen secretion in egg-laying workers. In an attempt to understand the development and to substantiate the present knowledge about the Dufour gland in A. mellifera, a morphometric study of the gland between and within the female castes was made. Glands of workers and queens with different ages and life stages were dissected and measured with an ocular micrometer adapted to a stereoscope. The results showed that the Dufour gland is larger in queens than in workers, and that among workers, the gland is larger in egg-laying and foragers than it is in newly emerged and nurse workers. The larger size of the gland in egg-laying queens and workers is in accordance with its role in reproduction. In forager workers the larger size of the gland suggest that, as happens in some species of bees, the gland may participate in pheromone production for nest-mate or nest-entrance recognition.

Recurso polínico coletado por abelhas sem ferrão (Apidae, Meliponinae em um fragmento de floresta na região de Manaus - Amazonas Pollen resources collected by stingless bees (Apidae, Meliponinae in a forest fragment in the Manaus region, Amazonas

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Francisco Plácido Magalhães Oliveira

2009-09-01

Full Text Available O recurso polínico coletado por operárias de Melipona seminigra merrillae Cockerell, Melipona fulva Lepeletier, Trigona fulviventris (Smith e CephaloTrigona femorata Guérin, no Campus da UFAM, Manaus (AM foi estudado no período de março a outubro de 2001. Noventa tipos polínicos foram coletados pelas abelhas, distribuídos em 31 famílias, 67 gêneros e 10 formas Tipo. Trigona fulviventris diversificou mais suas coletas, utilizando 58 fontes no período. O tamanho do nicho polínico utilizado pelas abelhas ficou assim distribuído: T. fulviventris (58, M.s. merrillae (41, C. femorata (34 e M. fulva (25. Dos tipos determinados, os que mais contribuíram para a dieta das abelhas, apresentando as maiores freqüências nas amostras de pólen, foram Miconia myriantha (12,91%, Leucaena leucocephala (9,52%, Tapirira guianensis (6,53%, Eugenia stipitata (6,22%, Protium heptaphyllum (6,17% e Vismia guianensis (5,93%. As abelhas de modo geral concentraram suas coletas em um número reduzido de espécies vegetais e com um grau diferenciado de uso para cada uma das fontes. Tipos polínicos com freqüência acima de 10% ocorreram em pequena proporção na maioria dos meses, sendo responsáveis por mais de 50% do total do pólen coletado em cada mês. A utilização das fontes de pólen variou conforme a espécie. T. fulviventris teve uma dieta mais ampla e diversificada, enquanto M. fulva foi a que menos diversificou suas coletas. T. fulviventris apresentou maior uniformidade no uso das fontes polínicas e a sobreposição de nichos polínicos foi maior entre M.s. merrillae e M. fulva e menor entre T. fulviventris e C. femorata.The objective of this study was to characterize the resources used by Amazonian bees Melipona seminigra merrillae, Melipona fulva, Trigona fulviventris and CephaloTrigona femorata, in an urban Forest patch at Manaus city from March to October 2001. The pollen analysis determined 90 pollen types, distributed in 31 families, 67 genera and 10 palynologycal types unidentified. Trigona fulviventris was the bee species that presented the most diversified pollen types, using 58 sources in that period. The size of pollen types used were distributed as follows: T. fulviventris (58, M.s. merrilae (41, C. femorata (34 and M. fulva (25. Plant species contributing the most for the diet of the bees and presenting the highest frequencies on the pollen samples were Miconia myriantha (12,91%, Leucaena leucocephalla (9,52%, Tapirira guianensis (6,53%, Eugenia stipitata (6,22%, Protium heptaphyllum (6,17% and Vismia guianensis (5,93%. Generally the bees concentrated their collections on a reduced number of plant species and with a differentiated degree of use for each source. Pollen types with frequency above 10% occurred in a small proportion for most months, being responsible for more than 50% of all the pollen collected every month. Pollen source used varied according to the species, T. fulviventris had a more broad and diversified diet, whereas M. fulva was the bees species that least diversified its diet. T. fulviventris presented higher uniformity on the use of pollen sources and the pollen niches overlap was higher between M.s. merrillae and M. fulva and lower between T. fulviventris and C. femorata.

Caracterização sazonal de acúmulos isolados de própolis em colônias de Plebeia emerina (Hymenoptera, Apidae no sul do Brasil Seasonal characterization of isolated propolis clusters in Plebeia emerina (Hymenoptera, Apidae colonies in the south of Brazil

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Camila G. dos Santos

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Em colônias de abelhas sem ferrão a aplicação da própolis é ampla, sendo utilizada como matéria-prima nas construções e defesa contra inimigos. Há registros de armazenamento de própolis viscosa, sob forma de acúmulos isolados. Neste trabalho propõe-se a caracterização sazonal da área, do número e da distribuição espacial dos acúmulos isolados de própolis em colônias de Plebeia emerina (Friese, 1900. Colônias foram avaliadas entre outubro/2003 e setembro/2004, medindo-se mensalmente os acúmulos isolados de própolis e registrando-se a posição relativa dos mesmos nas colméias. Entre outubro e março, a área dos acúmulos de própolis nas colônias variou entre 0,50 e 4,92 cm² e o número de acúmulos foi de 3 a 16. No período de abril a setembro, a área foi de 4,54 a 18,48 cm² e o número de acúmulos de 9 a 36. Sugere-se que o aumento da própolis acumulada possa estar relacionado à preparação das colônias para o outonoinverno quando a coleta do produto é reduzida. A análise sazonal da distribuição dos depósitos isolados de própolis corrobora com os registros da área total, indicando preferência da posição anterior da colônia para acumular a própolis. Esta constatação fortalece a hipótese do uso da própolis viscosa dos depósitos isolados na defesa, principalmente junto à entrada das colônias.In colonies of stingless bees, propolis is used for many applications, such as in raw material for constructions and for their defense against enemies. There are records of viscous propolis storage, in form of isolated clusters. In this work, the seasonal characterization of area, number and spatial distribution of isolated propolis clusters in Plebeia emerina (Friese, 1900 colonies is proposed. Colonies were evaluated between October/2003 and September/2004, by measuring in a monthly basis the isolated propolis clusters and recording the relative position of these clusters within the beehives. Between October and March, the area of propolis clusters in the colonies varied between 0.50 and 4.92 cm², and the number of clusters from 3 to 16. In the period from April to September, the area varied between 4.54 and 18.48 cm², and the number of clusters from 9 to 36. It is suggested that the increase of clustered propolis may be related to the preparation of the colonies for the autumn-winter seasons, when there is a reduced collection of the product. The seasonal analysis of the distribution of isolated propolis storages corroborates with the total area records, indicating a preference of the anterior position of the colony for propolis clustering. This fact strengthens the hypothesis that viscous propolis of isolated deposits is used for defense, mainly along the entrance of the colonies.

Ensayo a campo sobre la eficacia del Colmesan® contra el ácaro Varroa destructor (Varroidae en colmenas de Apis mellifera (Apidae Field assay of Colmesan® efficacy against the mite Varroa destructor (Varroidae in honey bee colonies of Apis mellifera (Apidae

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Jorge Marcangeli

2004-12-01

Full Text Available El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la eficacia del producto Colmesan® para el control del ácaro Varroa destructor (Anderson &Trueman en colmenas de abejas durante el otoño de 2003. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en el apiario experimental ubicado en la ciudad de La Plata, provincia de Buenos Aires. Se trabajó sobre un total de 10 colmenas tipo "Langstroth" que se dividieron en dos grupos iguales. El primer grupo recibió dos dosis de Colmesan® (amitraz, 2,05 g, aplicadas a intervalos de 10 días. El segundo grupo, no recibió ningún tipo de tratamiento. Semanalmente, se recolectaron los ácaros muertos caídos en pisos especiales que evitaban que las abejas los eliminen. Posteriormente, los dos grupos recibieron tres dosis semanales de 5 ml del producto Oxavar® (64,6g/l ácido oxálico en agua destilada por cuadro cubierto por abejas para eliminar los ácaros remanentes en las colonias y poder así calcular la eficacia del tratamiento. El producto Colmesan® presentó una eficacia promedio de 70,92% ± 11,93 (rango = 57,92 - 85,42, registrándose diferencias significativas frente al grupo control (pThe aim of this work was to evaluate the acaricide efficacy of Colmesan® to control Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman in Apis mellifera (L. colonies during the autumn 2003. Work was done at an experimental apiary located in La Plata city, province of Buenos Aires. Ten Langstroth hives were used divided in two equal groups. The first group received Colmesan® (amitraz, 2,05 g in 2 doses at 10 days period. The second one represented the control group. Dead mites were collected weekly from special floors designed to avoid mite removal by adult honeybees. Then, 3 weekly doses of 5 ml of Oxavar® (64.6 g/l oxalic acid in destilled water were placed in each colony to kill remanent mites and the acaricide efficacy was calculated. Colmesan® showed an average acaricide efficacy of 70.92% ± 11.93 (range = 57.92 -85.42, showing significant differences with the control group (p< 0.05. No negative effects on honeybee brood was recorded. Colmesan® showed a moderate and high variation in acaricide efficacy. These results suggest that at present, this product is not effective to control the parasite. This work represents the first experience of Colmesan® acaricide efficacy. Accordingly, other field trials would need to be carried out in order to confirm the results presented in this assay.

Caracterização físico-química de amostras de méis de Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae do Estado do Ceará Physical-chemical characterization of honey samples of Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae from Ceará State

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Geni da Silva Sodré

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Com o objetivo de verificar as características físico-químicas de amostras de méis coletadas em cidades do Estado do Ceará (Araripe, Santana do Cariri, Assaré, Iguatu, Crato, Missão Velha e Pacajús, foram determinados no Laboratório de Apicultura do Departamento de Entomologia, Fitopatologia e Zoologia Agrícola da Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", USP: açúcares totais, açúcares redutores, sacarose aparente, umidade, atividade diastásica, hidroximetilfurfural, proteína, cinzas, pH, acidez, índice de formol, condutividade elétrica, viscosidade e cor de 20 amostras de méis Apis mellifera L., 1758, coletadas entre março de 2002 e agosto de 2002. A maioria das amostras de méis analisadas (65% encontra-se dentro das especificações brasileiras para as características físico-químicas, com exceção das características sacarose aparente (10% das amostras, umidade (10% das amostras, atividade diastásica (35% das amostras e HMF (20% das amostras. Os resultados indicaram condutividade elétrica e a sacarose aparente como as características que mais influenciaram no agrupamento das amostras.This research was aimed at to determining physico-chemical characteristics honey samples collected in cities of Ceara States (Araripe; Santana do Cariri 1 sample; Assaré 1 sample; Iguatu 8 samples; Crato 4 samples; Missão Velha 2 samples and Pacajús 3 samples, they were determined at the laboratory of Apiculture in the "Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz" (ESALQ University of São Paulo, in Piracicaba, São Paulo State: total sugar, reducing sugars, apparent sucrose, humidity, diastase activity, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF, protein, ash, pH, acidity, formol index, electrical conductivity, viscosity and color of 20 samples of Apis mellifera L., 1758 honey collected between March of 2002 and August of 2002. Most of the samples of honey analyzed (65% are inside of the Brazilian specifications for the characteristics physical-chemistries except for the characteristics apparent sucrose (10% of the samples, humidity (10% of the samples, diastase activity (35% of the samples and HMF (20% of the samples. The results showed electrical conductivity and apparent sucrose as characteristics that most influenced grouping samples.

Pollination and reproductive biology of thirteen species of Begonia in the Serra do Mar State Park, São Paulo, Brazil

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Graham Edward Wyatt

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The reproductive biology of 13 monoecious species of Begonia L. (Begoniaceae that occur in the Serra do Mar State Park, São Paulo, Brazil, was investigated. These species flower annually and present flowers with mostly white tepals, light and sweet odour, pollen as a reward but no nectar, numerous yellow stamens, and coiled yellow styles. Anthesis is diurnal and floral duration is long (6 - 15 days. The unusual appearance of pistillate flowers of these species supports the view that they are intersexual mimics of the staminate flowers. Despite consistently high levels of fruit-set, none of the 11 species tested proved to be apomictic. In contrast to earlier reports of self-compatibility in Begonia, self-pollinations of B. integerrima and B. itatinensis produced no fruits or seeds, and the complete absence of pollen tubes in the styles of self-pollinated flowers of B. integerrima suggests that the species is genetically self-incompatible. Flowers pollinated under natural conditions showed many pollen tubes that reached ovules, suggesting that adequate numbers of compatible pollen grains had been transported by pollinators. The principal pollinators were small bees of the Apidae and Halictidae. Ten species of bees were observed to visit eight species of Begonia, and pollen collection occurred by means of vibration, except for Trigona spinipes. Visits to rewarding staminate flowers were significantly more frequent than visits to unrewarding pistillate flowers. Duration of visits to pistillate flowers also was significantly shorter than the duration of visits to staminate flowers. We conclude that visits to pistillate flowers occur by mistake but with sufficient frequency to allow for successful reproduction in natural populations of these species.

Urban gardens promote bee foraging over natural habitats and plantations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaluza, Benjamin F; Wallace, Helen; Heard, Tim A; Klein, Alexandra-Maria; Leonhardt, Sara D

2016-03-01

Increasing human land use for agriculture and housing leads to the loss of natural habitat and to widespread declines in wild bees. Bee foraging dynamics and fitness depend on the availability of resources in the surrounding landscape, but how precisely landscape related resource differences affect bee foraging patterns remains unclear. To investigate how landscape and its interaction with season and weather drive foraging and resource intake in social bees, we experimentally compared foraging activity, the allocation of foragers to different resources (pollen, nectar, and resin) and overall resource intake in the Australian stingless bee Tetragonula carbonaria (Apidae, Meliponini). Bee colonies were monitored in different seasons over two years. We compared foraging patterns and resource intake between the bees' natural habitat (forests) and two landscapes differently altered by humans (suburban gardens and agricultural macadamia plantations). We found foraging activity as well as pollen and nectar forager numbers to be highest in suburban gardens, intermediate in forests and low in plantations. Foraging patterns further differed between seasons, but seasonal variations strongly differed between landscapes. Sugar and pollen intake was low in plantations, but contrary with our predictions, it was even higher in gardens than in forests. In contrast, resin intake was similar across landscapes. Consequently, differences in resource availability between natural and altered landscapes strongly affect foraging patterns and thus resource intake in social bees. While agricultural monocultures largely reduce foraging success, suburban gardens can increase resource intake well above rates found in natural habitats of bees, indicating that human activities can both decrease and increase the availability of resources in a landscape and thus reduce or enhance bee fitness.

Impact of bee pollinators on seed set and yield of Vicia villosa spp. dasycarpa (Leguminosae grown under semiarid conditions

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Shahera Zaitoun

2010-01-01

Full Text Available A field experiment was conducted during 2005/2006 at Jordan University of Science and Technology campus (32°30” N, 35°59” E, Irbid, Jordan, to study the role of bee visitors on seed set and production of Vicia villosa spp. dasycarpa grown under semiarid conditions. Two treatments were imposed on Vicia villosa plants before flowering: 1 Plants were covered in cages (control or 2 Plants were left uncovered to permit bee visiting. The results of this experiment showed that V. villosa flowers were very attractive to worker honeybees as well as to few numbers of wild bees. The most frequent visitor species were A. mellifera and Anthophora albigena of family Apidae. V. villosa flowers attracted most of the bee visitors in the early hours of the day. The duration of their visit on the flowers also peaked early in the day and decreased toward the end of the day. The percentage of pod set of the un-covered plants averaged 14% out of the total florets on the plants, which was significantly higher than the covered plants (2%. These results indicated that the percentage of flower abscission was high and averaged more than 86%. Plant covering significantly reduced seed yield by reducing seed and pod number per plant and seed number per pod, but had no effect on individual seed weight. In conclusion, preventing bees from visiting during flowering of V. villosa spp. dasycarpa decreased seed set, seed yield and yield components. Further studies are needed to understand the high flower abscission and failure of seed set in this species.

Desempenho de cultivares de morango submetidas a diferentes tipos de polinização em cultivo protegido

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Sidia Witter

2012-01-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes tipos de polinização sobre a qualidade de frutos de cultivares de morangueiro e sua contribuição isolada para a massa dos frutos, bem como determinar o potencial de Plebeia nigriceps (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponini como agente polinizador em ambiente protegido. As cultivares Aromas, Diamante e Cegnidarem foram submetidas a tratamentos com autopolinização, polinização por P. nigriceps e polinização livre. Os experimentos foram conduzidos em estufa tipo pampeana, coberta com polietileno transparente e desprovida de telas anti-insetos nas laterais, com 1.344 plantas. Para as avaliações, foram marcadas 56 flores primárias em botão, de cada cultivar, e considerou-se cada planta uma repetição. Avaliaram-se massa de matéria fresca, peso, diâmetro, comprimento e presença de deformação nos frutos. A polinização entomófila tem contribuição variada à massa dos frutos, de acordo com a cultivar. As cultivares apresentam sensibilidade variada à autopolinização, no que se refere à incidência de frutos deformados. A interferência da polinização entomófila na produtividade do morangueiro está mais relacionada à redução do percentual de frutos deformados do que ao aumento da massa dos frutos em si. O comportamento de P. nigriceps indica que a espécie apresenta potencial para polinização da cultura do morangueiro em ambiente protegido.

Is Nocturnal Foraging in a Tropical Bee an Escape From Interference Competition?

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Smith, Adam R; Kitchen, Shannon M; Toney, Ryan M; Ziegler, Christian

2017-01-01

Temporal niche partitioning may result from interference competition if animals shift their activity patterns to avoid aggressive competitors. If doing so also shifts food sources, it is difficult to distinguish the effects of interference and consumptive competition in selecting for temporal niche shift. Bees compete for pollen and nectar from flowers through both interference and consumptive competition, and some species of bees have evolved nocturnality. Here, we use tropical forest canopy towers to observe bees (the night-flying sweat bees Megalopta genalis and M. centralis [Halictidae], honey bees, and stingless bees [Apidae]) visiting flowers of the balsa tree (Ochroma pyramalidae, Malvaceae). Because Ochroma flowers are open in the late afternoon through the night we can test the relative influence of each competition type on temporal nice. Niche shift due to consumptive competition predicts that Megalopta forage when resources are available: from afternoon into the night. Niche shift due to interference competition predicts that Megalopta forage only in the absence of diurnal bees. We found no overlap between diurnal bees and Megalopta in the evening, and only one instance of overlap in the morning, despite the abundance of pollen and nectar in the late afternoon and evening. This supports the hypothesis that Megalopta are avoiding interference competition, but not the hypothesis that they are limited by consumptive competition. We propose that the release from interference competition enables Megalopta to provision cells quickly, and spend most of their time investing in nest defense. Thus, increases in foraging efficiency directly resulting from temporal shifts to escape interference competition may indirectly lead to reduced predation and parasitism. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.

Visitantes florais de plantas invasoras de áreas com fruteiras irrigadas Floral visitors of weed plants of irrigated orchard areas

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Lúcia Helena Piedade Kiill

2000-09-01

Full Text Available As plantas invasoras afetam a produtividade das fruteiras irrigadas, sendo necessários estudos sobre sua ecologia, principalmente formas de reprodução e associação com insetos. O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido em Petrolina-PE, objetivando classificar os visitantes florais de plantas invasoras em polinizadores e pilhadores, de acordo com o comportamento apresentado. As observações foram feitas de maio a outubro de 1998, em 26 dias não consecutivos, no intervalo das 7h00 às 16h00. As invasoras foram classificadas em nectaríferas e poliníferas, quando visitadas para retirada exclusiva de néctar ou de pólen; e em mistas, quando visitadas para retirada dos dois recursos. Para a análise de freqüência foi adotado um sistema de notas: a- número de visitas >30, b- entre 10 e 30 e c- Weeds can impair yield of irrigated fruit crops, studies about their ecology being needed, especially ways of reproduction and association with insects. This work was carried out in Petrolina, PE, Brazil with the objective of identifying the floral visitors of weeds, and classifying them as pollinators and pollen and/or nectar thieves, according to their behavior. The observations were made between May and October of 1998, in 26 not consecutive days, between 7:00 am and 4:00 pm. The weeds were classified in nectariferous and polliniferous when these were visited exclusively for collection of nectar or pollen, and mixed when these were visited to collect both. A grade system was adopted for the frequency evaluation: a- number of visits >30, b - between 10 to 30, c - <10. Among the 24 weeds observed, 14 were classified as nectariferous, six as polliniferous and four were considered mixed. Among the floral visitors, the following bees were registered (Xylocopa grisescens, X. frontalis, Centris aff. perforator, Ptilotrix aff. plumata, Diadasina riparia, Apis mellifera, Trigona spinipes, Eulaema nigrita, butterflies (Ascia monuste, Papilio thoas brasiliensis

Registro de Nephridiophaga sp. (Protista: Nephridiophagidae en Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae del Sur de la región Pampeana

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Santiago PLISCHUK

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Durante estudios prospectivos tendientes a la detección de protistas asociados a ápidos en la región Pampeana, se observó la presencia de esporos ovales bicóncavos y grupos de esporos (cúmulos en los túbulos de Malpighi de abejas de Dufaur, partido de Saavedra, sudoeste de la provincia de Buenos Aires. Los esporos maduros midieron 4,8 ± 0,05 x 2,4 ± 0,03 μm y la carga (intensidad promedió 5,71 ± 1,49 x 106 esporos/abeja. Las detecciones se efectuaron entre julio y octubre de 2006 y la prevalencia en las colmenas positivas osciló entre 1 y 16,7 %. Las características morfológicas de los esporos, el lugar de desarrollo y la especie huésped involucrada sugieren que el microorganismo en cuestión, pertenece al género Nephridiophaga y sería N. apis Ivanić, especie tipo cuyo conocimiento es extremadamente limitado. El hallazgo constituye el primer registro de un nefridiofágido asociado a A. mellifera fuera del continente europeo.

Diversity, local knowledge and use of stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) in the municipality of Nocupétaro, Michoacan, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Stingless bees were significant resources managed by Mesoamerican peoples during pre-Columbian times and remain important in particular areas. Our study aimed at inventorying stingless bees’ species, traditional knowledge and forms of use and management of them at the municipality of Nocupetaro, Michoacán, Mexico, a region of the Balsas River Basin. Methods We inventoried the stingless bees of the municipality of Nocupétaro, Michoacán, México, through extensive collecting of bee specimens in different vegetation types. We then conducted semi-structured interviews to local experts in order to document their knowledge and management techniques of stingless bees’ species. Results We identified a total of eight stingless bees’ species in the study area as well as three additional unidentified taxa recognized by people through the local names. Our inventory included one new record of species for the region (Lestrimelitta chamelensis Ayala, 1999). The taxa identified are all used by local people. Scaptotrigona hellwegeri Friese, 1900; Melipona fasciata Latreille, 1811; Frieseomelitta nigra Cresson, 1878 and Geotrigona acapulconis Strand, 1919 are particularly valued as food (honey), medicinal (honey and pollen), and material for handcrafts (wax). All species recorded are wild and their products are obtained through gathering. On average, local experts were able to collect 4 nests of stingless bees per year obtaining on average 6 L of honey and 4 Kg of wax but some came to collect up 10–12 hives per year (18 L of honey and 24 Kg of wax). Conclusions Local knowledge about use, management and ecological issues on stingless bees is persistent and deep in the study area. Information about this group of bees is progressively scarcer in Mexico and significant effort should be done from ethnobiological and ecological perspectives in order to complement the national inventory of bee resources and traditional knowledge and management of them. PMID:24903644

Analysis of the intercaste transcriptional profile of Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) by mRNA differential display.

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Siquieroli, Ana Carolina S; Vieira, Carlos U; Carvalho-Zilse, Gislene A; Goulart, Luiz R; Kerr, Warwick E; Bonetti, Ana M

2009-01-01

In colonies of Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 workers can be found with four ganglion nerve cells, a morphological characteristic of the queen. It is hypothesized that these workers, called intercastes, or phenocopies, are phenotypically-like workers, but genotypically identical to queens due to this specific trait. Workers with the same number of ganglion as queens seem to be intercastes between queens and workers. Our objective was to analyze the mRNA pro files of workers, queens, and intercastes of M. scutellaris through DDRT-PCR. Three hundred (300) pupae with white eyes were collected and externally identified according to the number of abdominal nerve ganglions: workers (5 ganglions), queens (4 ganglions) and intercastes (4 ganglions). The analysis identified differentially expressed transcripts that were present only in workers, but absent in intercastes and queens, confirming the hypothesis, by demonstrating the environmental effect on the queen genotype that generated phenotype-like workers.

The deposition of anal excretions by Melipona favosa foragers (Apidae: Meliponinae): behavioural observations concerning the location of food sources

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aguilar, I. (Ingrid); Sommeijer, M.J.

2000-01-01

Melipona favosa consistently deposited anal excretions while foraging. Anal depositions were released more frequently and by more bees on artificial food sources at a greater distance from the nest. Our hypothesis that these deposits serve as scent marks is supported by experimental evidence

Analysis of the Intercaste Transcriptional Profile of Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini by mRNA Differential Display

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ANA CAROLINA S SIQUIEROLI

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In colonies of Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 workers can be found with four ganglion nerve cells, a morphological characteristic of the queen. It is hypothesized that these workers, called intercastes, or phenocopies, are phenotypically-like workers, but genotypically identical to queens due to this specific trait. Workers with the same number of ganglion as queens seem to be intercastes between queens and workers. Our objective was to analyze the mRNA pro files of workers, queens, and intercastes of M. scutellaris through DDRT-PCR. Three hundred (300 pupae with white eyes were collected and externally identified according to the number of abdominal nerve ganglions: workers (5 ganglions, queens (4 ganglions and intercastes (4 ganglions. The analysis identified differentially expressed transcripts that were present only in workers, but absent in intercastes and queens, confirming the hypothesis, by demonstrating the environmental effect on the queen genotype that generated phenotype-like workers.

Variation in daily flight activity and foraging patterns in colonies of uruçu - Melipona scutellaris Latreille (Apidae, Meliponini

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Leonardo Monteiro Pierrot

2003-12-01

Full Text Available The flight activities of five colonies of Melipona (Michmelia scutellaris Latreille, 1811 kept among mixed fruit crop plantations in within fragments of Atlantic Rainforest in Pernambuco, NE-Brazil was examined. The daily deployment of foragers to collect pollen, nectar, resin and mud was observed. The colonies performed between 2,640 and 14,250 flights per day. Variations in the number of total daily flights were similar between colonies on all observation days. Proportional allocation of foragers to the different resources also among colonies showed similar variation. More than 90% of the pollen collection flights were made early in the morning. Nectar was collected in similar proportional frequencies with a reduction in activity at noon. On a single day, was observed atypical intense pollen foraging during the afternoon by all colonies. This indicates a high plasticity in foraging behaviour and efficient recruitment to resources which are presented by mass flowering trees with synchronised big bang or multiple bang flowering. Resource availability of the surrounding vegetation, therefore, seems to be the major factor in defining the forager activities on a given day.

Diversity, local knowledge and use of stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) in the municipality of Nocupétaro, Michoacan, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes-González, Alejandro; Camou-Guerrero, Andrés; Reyes-Salas, Octavio; Argueta, Arturo; Casas, Alejandro

2014-06-05

Stingless bees were significant resources managed by Mesoamerican peoples during pre-Columbian times and remain important in particular areas. Our study aimed at inventorying stingless bees' species, traditional knowledge and forms of use and management of them at the municipality of Nocupetaro, Michoacán, Mexico, a region of the Balsas River Basin. We inventoried the stingless bees of the municipality of Nocupétaro, Michoacán, México, through extensive collecting of bee specimens in different vegetation types. We then conducted semi-structured interviews to local experts in order to document their knowledge and management techniques of stingless bees' species. We identified a total of eight stingless bees' species in the study area as well as three additional unidentified taxa recognized by people through the local names. Our inventory included one new record of species for the region (Lestrimelitta chamelensis Ayala, 1999). The taxa identified are all used by local people. Scaptotrigona hellwegeri Friese, 1900; Melipona fasciata Latreille, 1811; Frieseomelitta nigra Cresson, 1878 and Geotrigona acapulconis Strand, 1919 are particularly valued as food (honey), medicinal (honey and pollen), and material for handcrafts (wax). All species recorded are wild and their products are obtained through gathering. On average, local experts were able to collect 4 nests of stingless bees per year obtaining on average 6 L of honey and 4 Kg of wax but some came to collect up 10-12 hives per year (18 L of honey and 24 Kg of wax). Local knowledge about use, management and ecological issues on stingless bees is persistent and deep in the study area. Information about this group of bees is progressively scarcer in Mexico and significant effort should be done from ethnobiological and ecological perspectives in order to complement the national inventory of bee resources and traditional knowledge and management of them.

Survey and Risk Assessment of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Exposure to Neonicotinoid Pesticides in Urban, Rural, and Agricultural Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, T J; Culbert, E M; Felsot, A S; Hebert, V R; Sheppard, W S

2016-04-01

A comparative assessment of apiaries in urban, rural, and agricultural areas was undertaken in 2013 and 2014 to examine potential honey bee colony exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides from pollen foraging. Apiaries ranged in size from one to hundreds of honey bee colonies, and included those operated by commercial, sideline (semicommercial), and hobbyist beekeepers. Residues in and on wax and beebread (stored pollen in the hive) were evaluated for the nitro-substituted neonicotinoid insecticides imidacloprid and its olefin metabolite and the active ingredients clothianidin, thiamethoxam, and dinotefuran. Beebread and comb wax collected from hives in agricultural landscapes were more likely to have detectable residues of thiamethoxam and clothianidin than that collected from hives in rural or urban areas (∼50% of samples vs. bee behavior or colony health.

Determination of chemical elements in africanized Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae honey samples from the State of Piauí, Brazil

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Geni da Silva Sodré

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Honey is a food used since the most remote times, appreciated for its characteristic flavor, considerable nutritional value and medicinal properties; however, little information exists about the presence of chemical elements in it. The objectives of this work were to determine the chemical elements present in 38 honey samples, collected directly from beekeepers from the State of Piauí, Brazil and to verify whether they presented any contamination. The chemical elements were determined by means of Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence. The means of three replicates were: K (109.671 ± 17.487, Ca (14.471 ± 3.8797, Ti (0.112 ± 0.07, Cr (0.196 ± 0.11, Mn (0.493 ± 0.103, Fe (1.722 ± 0.446, Co (0.038, Ni (0.728 ± 0.706, Cu (0.179 ± 0.0471, Zn (0.967 ± 0.653, Se (not detected, Br (not detected, Rb (0.371 ± 0.097, Sr (0.145 ± 0.45, Ba (11.681, Hg (not detected, and Pb (0.863 µg g-1.

Effects of abamectin and deltamethrin to the foragers honeybee workers of Apis mellifera jemenatica (Hymenoptera: Apidae under laboratory conditions

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Dalal Musleh Aljedani

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This study aimed at evaluating the toxicity of some insecticides (abamectin and deltamethrin on the lethal time (LT50 and midgut of foragers honeybee workers of Apis mellifera jemenatica were studied under laboratory conditions. The bees were provided with water, food, natural protein and sugar solution with insecticide (concentration: 2.50 ppm deltamethrin and 0.1 ppm abamectin. The control group was not treated with any kind of insecticides. The mortality was assessed at 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hour (h after insecticides treatment and period to calculate the value of lethal time (LT50. But the samples the histology study of midgut collected after 24 h were conducted by Scanning Electron Microscope. The results showed the effects of insecticides on the current results show that abamectin has an adverse effect on honeybees, there is a clear impact on the lethal time (LT50 was the abamectin faster in the death of honeybee workers compared to deltamethrin. Where have reached to abamectin (LT50 = 21.026 h, deltamethrin (LT50 = 72.011 h. However, abamectin also effects on cytotoxic midgut cells that may cause digestive disorders in the midgut, epithelial tissue is formed during morphological alterations when digestive cells die. The extends into the internal cavity, and at the top, there is epithelial cell striated border that has many holes and curves, abamectin seems to have crushed the layers of muscle. Through the current results can say abamectin most toxicity on honeybees colony health and vitality, especially foragers honeybee workers.

The effects of cavity length on nest size, sex ratio and mortality of Centris (Heterocentris) analis (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Centridini)

OpenAIRE

Alonso , Juliana; Silva , Janaina; Garófalo , Carlos

2012-01-01

International audience; This study investigated the effects of different cavity lengths in trap-nests on the number of cells constructed per nest, sex ratio and mortality of offspring of Centris analis at three sites in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. Cavity length did not affect the occupation rates of the trap-nests, with the exception of a preference for the shortest trap-nests found at one site. The number of cells per nest increased with trap-nest length. Cavity length affected neithe...

A vertical compartmented hive design effective to reduce post-harvest colony loss in Afrotropical stingless bee species (Apidae: Meliponinae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kiatoko, Nkoba; Raina, Suresh Kumar; Langevelde, van F.

2016-01-01

Domestication of Meliponinae in log hive or simple box has often been used in Africa. However, colonyloss in these two hive types due to pest infestation after honey harvesting still occurs. We hypothesized that the two hive types were the probable causes for the infestations.We designed and

Genetic characterization of commercial honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) populations in the United States by using mitochondrial and microsatellite markers

Science.gov (United States)

D. A. Delaney; M.D. Meixner; N.M. Schiff; W.S. Sheppard

2009-01-01

Genetic diversity levels within and between the two commercial breeding areas in theUnited States were analyzed using the DraI restriction fragment length polymorphism of the COICOII mitochondrial region and 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci. The western commercial breeding population (WCBP) and the southeastern commercial...

Análise cladística das abelhas do gênero Augochloropsis cockerell, 1897 (Hymenoptera:Apidae s.l.:Augochlorini)

OpenAIRE

Santos, Leandro Mattos

2014-01-01

Resumo: O gênero de abelhas Augochloropsis Cockerell, 1897 é o táxon mais diverso dentre os Augochlorini, com 146 espécies válidas, sendo a maioria descrita do ínicio até a metade do século vinte. Após este período pouco foi feito em referência à taxonomia e sistemática do gênero que nunca foi revisado e sua classificação é instável em relação aos subgêneros: Augochloropsis s.str., A. (Glyptobasia) Moure, 1941, A. (Glyptochlora) Moure, 1958 e A. (Paraugochloropsis) Schrottky, 1906. Estas abel...

Revealing Pesticide Residues Under High Pesticide Stress in Taiwan's Agricultural Environment Probed by Fresh Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Pollen.

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Nai, Yu-Shin; Chen, Tsui-Yao; Chen, Yi-Cheng; Chen, Chun-Ting; Chen, Bor-Yann; Chen, Yue-Wen

2017-10-01

Significant pesticide residues are among the most serious problems for sustainable agriculture. In the beekeeping environment, pesticides not only impact a honey bee's survival, but they also contaminate bee products. Taiwan's agricultural environment has suffered from pesticide stress that was higher than that found in Europe and America. This study deciphered problems of pesticide residues in fresh honey bee pollen samples collected from 14 monitoring apiaries in Taiwan, which reflected significant contaminations within the honey bee population. In total, 155 pollen samples were screened for 232 pesticides, and 56 pesticides were detected. Among the residues, fluvalinate and chlorpyrifos showed the highest concentrations, followed by carbendazim, carbaryl, chlorfenapyr, imidacloprid, ethion, and flufenoxuron. The average frequency of pesticide residues detected in pollen samples was ca. 74.8%. The amounts and types of pesticides were higher in winter and in southwestern Taiwan. Moreover, five of these pollen samples were contaminated with 11-15 pesticides, with average levels between 1,560 and 6,390 μg/kg. Compared with the literature, this study emphasized that pollen gathered by honey bee was highly contaminated with more pesticides in Taiwan than in the America, France, and Spain. The ubiquity of pesticides in the pollen samples was likely due to the field applications of common pesticides. Recently, the Taiwanese government began to improve the pesticide policy. According to the resurvey data in 2016, there were reductions in several pesticide contamination parameters in pollen samples from west to southwest Taiwan. A long-term investigation of pollen pesticide residues should be conducted to inspect pesticides usage in Taiwan's agriculture. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Polliniferous plants aud foraging strategles Of Apis mellifera (Hyínenoptera: Apidae in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

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Rogel Villanueva-G

2002-12-01

Full Text Available A study of the most important polliniferous plants for European and Africanized honeybees (Apis mellifera L. was made in Quintana Roo state. Comparisons were made between the plants visited by both bee types in order to determine whether there were qualitative or quantitative differences in their choice of plant species. Also some foraging strategies of the honeybees were analysed. Pollen from pollen load samples was acetolysed and mounted on slides. Subsequently the polien grains were identified, counted and photographed. A total of 206 pollen load samples were collected at Palmas and St. Teresa during two years. The most frequent species in the ponen load samples from European and Africanized honeyhees were Cecropia peltata, Metopium brownei, Lonchocarpus sp. 2, Viguiera dentata, Eragrostis sp. 1, Bursera simaruba and Eupatorium albicaule. Both types of honey bees show a high reliance on pollen from only a few species, the first five named above comprised around 50% of all the mean percentage frequencies. Families that contributed with the largest number of polien species were Fabaceae, Asteraceac, Boraginaceae, Convolvulaecae, Euphorbiaceae, Sapindaceae, Poaceac, Myrtaceae, Sapotaceae and Tiliaceae. C. peltata, Trema micrantha, B. simaruba, Eugenia sp. 1, Thouinia canesceras, Pouteria sp. 1, Mimosa bahamensis and V. dentata, were the pollen species with the largest percentages of oceurrence in both European and Africanized bee pollen load samples, and also represent a "long-term" food resources during the year.Un estudio de las plantas poliníferas más importantes para las abejas europeas y africanizadas (Apis melifera L. se realizó en el estado de Quintana Roo. Se hicieron comparaciones entre plantas visitadas por ambos tipos de abejas, con el objetivo de determinar si hay diferencias cualitativas o cuantitativas en la elección de la especie de planta. Adicionalmente, se analizaron algunas estrategias de forrajeo de las abejas. Muestras de cargas de pólen se acetolizaron y se montaron en láminas. Posteriormente, los granos de pólen se identificaron, se contaron y se fotografiaron. Se recolectaron un total de 206 muestras de cargas de pólen en Las Palmas y Sta. Teresa durante dos años. Las especies más frecuentes en las muestras de cargas de pólen fueron Cecropia peltata, Metopium brownei, Lonchocarpus sp. 2, Viguiera dentata, 1, Eragrostis sp. 1, Bursera simaruba y Eupatorium albicaule. Ambos tipos de abejas mostraron una alta dependencia hacia sólo unas pocas especies de plantas, las primetas cinco de las mencionadas anteriormente constituyen aproximadamente un 50% de todas las frecuencias de porcentaje promedio. Las familias que contribuyeron con un mayor número de especies de pólen fueron Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Boraginaceae, Convolvulaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Sapindaceae, Poaceae, Myrtaceae, Sapotaceae y Tiliaceae. En tanto que C. peltata, Trema micrantha, B. simaruba, Eugenia sp. 1, Thouinia canesceras, Pouteria sp. 1, Mimosa bahamensis y V. dentata, fueron las especies de pólen con los más altos porcentajes de presencia en las cargas de pólen de las abejas y representan además, una fuente de recursos alimenticios de larga duración durante todo el año.

Control del Ácaro Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae en Colmenas de Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae mediante la Aplicación de distintos Principios Activos Control of Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae in honeybee colonies of Apis mellifera Hymenoptera: Apidae by means of different active agents

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Jorge Augusto Marcangeli

2003-12-01

Full Text Available El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la eficacia acaricida de cuatro productos utilizados para el control del ácaro Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman en colmenas de Apis mellifera (L.. Se seleccionaron 25 colmenas dividivas en cinco lotes iguales a las que se les suministró Apistan®, Bayvarol®, Apitol® y Folbex®. El último lote representó el control. Los ácaros muertos se recolectaron en pisos especiales que se controlaron semanalmente. Finalizada la experiencia cada lote fue sometido a un cruzamiento con otros productos con el fin de eliminar los ácaros remanentes y poder calcular las eficacias. El producto Apistan® fue el más efectivo con un valor promedio de 85,38% seguido por el Bayvarol® (83,83%, Apitol® (71,77% y Folbex® (62,78%. En todos los casos, los valores obtenidos resultaron inferiores a los estipulados por los laboratorios productores. Estos resultados alertan sobre la posible generación de resistencias por parte de las poblaciones del ácaro y la necesidad de buscar nuevos agentes de control eficaces para esta enfermedad.The aim of this work was to evaluate the acaricide efficacy of four commercial products against the mite Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman in honeybee colonies of Apis mellifera (L.. Twenty five honeybee colonies divided in five equal groups were selected. Groups received Apistan®, Bayvarol®, Apitol® and Folbex®. Final group was the control. Dead mites were collected weekly in special floors. After treatment, each colony received a shock treatment with the other three products to kill remnant mites and to obtain acaricide efficacy. Average values of efficacy were Apistan® 85,38%, Bayvarol® 83,83%, Apitol® 71,77% and Folbex® 62,78%. In all cases these values were lower than those reported by the laboratories that produce them. These results alert about the possible generation of resistant mite populations and justify research directed to search for alternative products for the control this parasite.

Ocorrência do pólen de Podocarpus sp. (Podocarpaceae nas coletas de Frieseomelitta varia Lepeletier 1836 (Apidae: Meliponinae em uma área de Manaus, AM, Brasil Occurrence of Podocarpus sp. (Podocarpaceae pollen on Frieseomelitta varia Lepeletier 1836 (Apidae: Meliponinae in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil

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Antonio Carlos Marques-Souza

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Durante o período de doze meses, o pólen transportado por Frieseomelitta varia Lepeletier 1836 foi coletado das corbículas das operárias, logo após o fechamento da entrada das colméias. Feita a identificação polínica dos grãos de pólen e sua frequência mensal nas amostras, constatou-se que as espécies das famílias mais visitadas pela ordem de coleta, foram: Cecropiaceae, Sapotaceae, Myrtaceae e Moraceae. As operárias coletaram o pólen de 79 espécies de plantas distribuídas em 60 gêneros e 37 famílias, sendo as mais frequentes: Cecropia sp. visitada o ano todo com atratividade em janeiro de 82,03%, Morus sp. com atratividade de 37,46% em dezembro; Myrcia amazonica DC. com atratividade em abril de 32,34% e Pouteria macrophylla (A.DC. Eyma em junho com atratividade de 36,54%. Quanto a Podocarpus sp. esse é o primeiro relato da presença do pólen dessa espécie em coletas de meliponíneos, o que não deixa de ser um fato curioso, uma vez que se trata de uma gimnosperma encontrada em áreas específicas da região amazônica e que apresentou atratividade para Frieseomelitta varia Lepeletier 1836 de 4,94% no mês de março.Over a 12 month period, pollen was sampled from the corbiculae of workers of the stingless bee Frieseomelitta varia Lepeletier 1836. Collections were obtained immediately after sealing the hives, located in a forest fragment in the city of Manaus. Pollen was identified and monthly frequency of each type was tallied. The most-visited plant families in decreasing order of frequency were Cecropiaceae, Sapotaceae, Myrtaceae and Moraceae. Identified pollen was harvested from 79 plant species in 60 genera and 37 families. The most frequent species were: Cecropia sp., visited year-round but with highest attractiveness (82% in January; Morus sp., with peak attractiveness (37% in December; Myrcia amazonica DC. with 32% peak attractiveness in April; and Pouteria macrophylla (A.DC. Eyma, with 37% peak attractiveness in June. Curiously, we found pollen of the gymnosperm Podocarpus, which is quite rare in Amazonia, known from only a few sites. As far as we know, this is the first report of Podocarpus pollen on Meliponinae bees. For these urban hives of Frieseomelitta varia Lepeletier, Podocarpus had a peak attractiveness of 4.94% in the month of March.

Wing shape of four new bee fossils (Hymenoptera: Anthophila provides insights to bee evolution.

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Manuel Dehon

Full Text Available Bees (Anthophila are one of the major groups of angiosperm-pollinating insects and accordingly are widely studied in both basic and applied research, for which it is essential to have a clear understanding of their phylogeny, and evolutionary history. Direct evidence of bee evolutionary history has been hindered by a dearth of available fossils needed to determine the timing and tempo of their diversification, as well as episodes of extinction. Here we describe four new compression fossils of bees from three different deposits (Miocene of la Cerdanya, Spain; Oligocene of Céreste, France; and Eocene of the Green River Formation, U.S.A.. We assess the similarity of the forewing shape of the new fossils with extant and fossil taxa using geometric morphometrics analyses. Predictive discriminant analyses show that three fossils share similar forewing shapes with the Apidae [one of uncertain tribal placement and perhaps near Euglossini, one definitive bumble bee (Bombini, and one digger bee (Anthophorini], while one fossil is more similar to the Andrenidae. The corbiculate fossils are described as Euglossopteryx biesmeijeri De Meulemeester, Michez, & Engel, gen. nov. sp. nov. (type species of Euglossopteryx Dehon & Engel, n. gen. and Bombus cerdanyensis Dehon, De Meulemeester, & Engel, sp. nov. They provide new information on the distribution and timing of particular corbiculate groups, most notably the extension into North America of possible Eocene-Oligocene cooling-induced extinctions. Protohabropoda pauli De Meulemeester & Michez, gen. nov. sp. nov. (type species of Protohabropoda Dehon & Engel, n. gen. reinforces previous hypotheses of anthophorine evolution in terms of ecological shifts by the Oligocene from tropical to mesic or xeric habitats. Lastly, a new fossil of the Andreninae, Andrena antoinei Michez & De Meulemeester, sp. nov., further documents the presence of the today widespread genus Andrena Fabricius in the Late Oligocene of France.