Biology of the Leaf-Cutter Bee, Megachile Rotundata (Febricius) in New York State PDF Download

Author: Siu-lam Lee
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 94

View

Book Description

Author: Siu-Lam Lee
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Alfalfa leafcutting bee
Languages : en
Pages : 218

View

Book Description

Author: Siu-Lam Lee
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 94

View

Book Description

Author: Charles Edgar Osgood
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bees
Languages : en
Pages : 208

View

Book Description
The study provides the details of the ethology of Megachile rotundata (Fabricius), and presents preliminary observations on its foraging and nesting behavior. Development from prepupae to adults proceeds most rapidly at 32 degrees C., and is retarded when held at lower and higher temperatures. Male behavior is distinct from that of the female. Mating, including the copulation process arid sleeping, are described. Requirements necessary for nesting are presented. These included: types of nesting places, natural and artificial; size range of tunnels; and the effects of competition on nesting. Females used leaf sections from a variety of plant species in construction of their cells. Description included desirable leaf characteristics, cutting procedures used to remove leaf sections from plants and return of bees to given leaf sources. The construction of the cell cup is detailed as to leaf placement, number of leaves used, cell dimensions, and arrangement of cells under various nesting conditions. After formation of the cell cup it is provisioned with pollen and nectar. Procedures of pollen collection, removal of pollen from the scopa, and the use of nectar for moistening the pollen mass were included as were descriptions of oviposition and cell capping. Upon completion of a cell series, the entrance to the tunnel was sealed, using leaf cuttings. All procedures of cell construction were influenced by the age of the bee and behavioral changes noted toward the end of the flight season. It was found that orientation to the nesting site is largely through visual association with gross characteristics of the area and that markers aided in orientation. Preliminary observations on color discrimination indicated that bees could distinguish between colors. Foraging studies were conducted in the presence and absence of alfalfa and included notes on flower preference and pollen collecting. Flight range studies indicated that bees forage plants closest to their nesting site and increase their range as close bloom is no longer available. Attempts made to relocate bees in new areas met with only limited success. Morning and evening behavior of bees were characterized and climatic conditions responsible for commencement and cessation of flight outlined.

Author: Rosalind James
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199717877
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 247

View

Book Description
For many agricultural crops, bees play a vital role as pollinators, and this book discusses the interplay among bees, agriculture, and the environment. Although honey bees are well recognized as pollinators, managed bumble bees and solitary bees are also critical for the successful pollination of certain crops, while wild bees provide a free service. As bees liberally pass pollen from one plant to the next, they also impact the broader ecosystem, and not always to the benefit of humankind. Bees can enhance the unintentional spread of genes from genetically engineered plants, and may increase the spread of invasive weeds. Conversely, genetically engineered plants can impact pollinators, and invasive weeds can supply new sources of food for these insects. Bees' flower-visiting activities also can be exploited to help spread biological control agents that control crop pests, and they are important for native plant reproduction. Managing bees for pollination is complex and the factors that must be taken into consideration are treated here, including bee natural history, physiology, pathology, and behavior. Furthermore, transporting bees from native ranges to new areas for pollination services can be controversial, and needs to be done only after assuring that it will not disrupt various ecosystems. Even though bees are small, unobtrusive creatures, they play large roles in the ecosystem. The connection between bees and humankind also is symbolic of a broader interconnection between humans and the natural world.

Author: Tibor Imre Szabo
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 84

View

Book Description

Author: Charles Edgar Osgood
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bee culture
Languages : en
Pages : 258

View

Book Description
The leaf- cutter bee Megachile rotundata (Fabricius) is an important alfalfa pollinator in western North America. This study was designed to provide information on methods of orientation used by M. rotundata in order to make recommendations regarding the parameters within which adult nesting populations may be relocated. Preliminary studies suggest that this bee species may possess a sun compass although they depend predominantly on landmarks for orientation. Color discrimination experiments with bees conditioned to various colors (i.e., red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple) showed that they could distinguish all colors except red from 22 shades of gray, black and white, Tests with yellow indicate that it was a much stronger stimulus for homing bees than other colors I) . tested. Bees appeared to be unable to distinguish red from black and therefore are thought to be color blind to red. Figure studies indicated that bees could discriminate between a variety of configurations including squares, circles, triangles, crosses, stars, I's and Y's. In these studies, bees were conditioned to a cross - shaped figure and tested for their ability to discriminate between it and triangles, squares and circles, all of three -inch maximum diameters. The data indicate that bees are quite able to make the distinction. Adult relocation studies indicated that population losses were high (50 per cent or more) when bees were moved from nesting sites possessing many landmarks (e. g., buildings, rows of trees) into alfalfa fields with few prominant landmarks; from field situations providing an abundance of foraging blossoms into fields with little bloom; and when strong winds prevailed. Conditions favoring minimum relocation population losses were moving bees with their original shelters into areas similar in landmark composition to original nesting sites; moving them in progressive steps of 20 -100 yards when relocating populations over short distances; color conditioning bees to shelters painted various colors before short distance moves; moving bees into areas with sufficient bloom to maintain themselves; and conducting moves when strong winds did not exist. General orientation was discussed with respect to flight range, landmark importance, nest entrance location and orientation inside the nest. With the advent of commercial nesting boards containing hundreds of similar nesting tunnels, bees experience major orientation difficulties. Recommendations are outlined in this study regarding methods to ameliorate proximate orientation problems using combinations of figures and colors applied to the surface of nesting boards.

Author: Charles Duncan Michener
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bees
Languages : en
Pages : 90

View

Book Description

Author: Xerox University Microfilms
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Dissertations, Academic
Languages : en
Pages : 1240

View

Book Description

Author: Charles Edgar Osgood
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Animal orientation
Languages : en
Pages : 258

View

Book Description