Petals and leaves: quantifying the use of nest building materials by the world’s most valuable solitary bee

The aim of our study was to assess the nest-building behaviour of two mouse (Mus musculus) strains using different nesting materials and examine possible sex- and housing-specific effects. Adult mice of two strains (C57BL/6J; n = 64 and BALB/cAnNCrl; n = 99) were randomly allocated to the following housing groups: single-housed male, single-housed female, pair-housed male and pair-housed female. One of the following nest-building materials was placed in each home-cage in a random order: nestlets (Plexx BV, The Netherlands), cocoons (Carfil, Belgium), wooden wool, crinklets and compact (all three, Safe, Germany). The following day, nests were rated applying a nest-scoring scale ranging from 0 to 10, the nests were removed, and a different nest-building material provided. In both tested strains, nestlets achieved the highest nest-building scores when compared to the other four nest-building materials. All nest-building materials scored higher in BALB/c mice compared to C57BL/6J animals reaching statistical significance in crinklets only. Sex comparison revealed that female C57BL/6J mice only scored significantly higher using crinklets than males and BALB/c female mice were rated significantly higher using wooden wool, cocoons and compact than their male counterparts. While pair-housed C57BL/6J animals built higher-rated nests than single-housed mice in the C57BL/6J strain in all five materials tested, the scores were not significantly different in the BALB/c strain. Results of the present study reveal significant strain-, sex- and housing-related influences on the complexity of nests using different standardised building materials. Such observations need to be taken into account when planning the optimal enrichment programme for laboratory animals.

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Nest-building Behaviour of the Asian Open Billed Stork Anastomus oscitans, in the Kulik Bird Sanctuary, Raiganj, India

Our Nature ◽

10.3126/on.v7i1.2552 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 39-47

Author(s):

A.K. Pramanik ◽

K.B. Santra ◽

C.K. Manna

Keyword(s):

Breeding Season ◽

Building Materials ◽

Heavy Rain ◽

Egg Laying ◽

Nest Building ◽

Nest Attendance ◽

Nest Protection ◽

The Individual ◽

Building Behaviour ◽

Incubation Pattern

A field study of the nest-building behaviour in the breeding season of the Asian Open-Billed Stork, Anastomus oscitans, was conducted in the Kulik Bird Sanctuary, Raiganj, Uttar Dinajpur, West Bengal, India. Observations were made throughout one complete breeding season (2007-2008) in the sanctuary. The open-billed stork comes in the last week of June at the Kulik bird sanctuary, stays there for 5 to 6 months and leaves the place in the month of December of every year. From the present observations it was noticed that about 58920 storks came to Kulik during 2008. Various types of behaviour were observed during this particular period. Coming to the Kulik, pairing of the individual storks start and mating display was observed within a day or two. Birds of a pair supplied the nest building materials to form the nest. To give a definite shape to the nest it took about 12-15 days before egg laying. The nesting territory consisted of a semicircle, some times circular and approximately with 30.21 ± 0.12 cm radius. The depth of the nest was about 6.9 ± 0.02 cm. The nest building materials consisted of fragments of old branches of trees, some soft green leaves and grasses. These branches helped in strengthening and the leaves and grasses helped in softening of the nest. During the incubation period both sexes were involved to incubate the eggs. Nest attendance of the breeding birds was continuous during the first 2-months period. From regular observation it was noticed that either of the pair took additional care by spreading their wings during the time of heavy sunshine or heavy rain. The main behavioral patterns examined were aerial displays, mating pattern, nest building, egg laying and incubation pattern, nest defense and nest protection. Diversity of nesting behavior in open-billed stork was pointed out and discussed.Key words: Asian Open-Billed Stork, Kulik Bird Sanctuary, Nest-building behaviorDOI: 10.3126/on.v7i1.2552Our Nature (2009) 7:39-47

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A comparison of operant responding by farrowing sows for food and nest-building materials

Applied Animal Behaviour Science ◽

10.1016/s0168-1591(05)80117-0 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 34 (3) ◽

pp. 221-230 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

G.D. Hutson

Keyword(s):

Building Materials ◽

Nest Building ◽

Operant Responding

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Telomere length and dynamics of spotless starling nestlings depend on nest-building materials used by parents

Animal Behaviour ◽

10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.01.018 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 126 ◽

pp. 89-100 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Juan J. Soler ◽

Cristina Ruiz-Castellano ◽

Jordi Figuerola ◽

Manuel Martín-Vivaldi ◽

Josué Martínez-de la Puente ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Telomere Length ◽

Building Materials ◽

Nest Building ◽

Spotless Starling ◽

Materials Used

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Preference of rabbit does among different nest materials

World Rabbit Science ◽

10.4995/wrs.2018.7373 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

pp. 81 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

T.P. Farkas ◽

Zs. Szendrő ◽

Zs. Matics ◽

I. Radnai ◽

I. Nagy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Building Materials ◽

Nest Building ◽

Gestation Length ◽

Wild Rabbit ◽

Nest Material ◽

Nest Box ◽

Nest Boxes ◽

Wood Shavings ◽

Nest Materials ◽

Nest Quality

Nest quality is important for the survival of new-born rabbits. Nesting material in rabbit farms generally consists of wood shavings, which is completely different from the dry grass used by the European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). The aim of the experiments was to examine which nest materials are preferred by rabbit does when building their nest. In experiment 1, the choice of multiparous rabbit does (n=37) among nest boxes bedded with different nesting materials was monitored. In each pen (1.0×1.83 m) 1 doe and 4 nest boxes (0.37×0.23×0.31 m) with different nest materials (meadow hay [H], wheat straw [S], fine fibre material [Lignocel®, L] or wood shavings [W]) were placed 3 days before the expected parturition (gestation length is about 31 d in the Pannon White breed). Some 48.6% of the does kindled in nest boxes that contained pure materials (L: 40.5%, S: 5.4%, H: 2.7%), and 51.3% of the does kindled in nest boxes where the nest materials of different nest boxes were mixed by the does (S with L: 21.5%, S with L and H: 5.4%, W with L: 8.1%, L with H and S: 5.4%). Does preferred kindling in the nest box bedded with L, and most of them refused the nest box with W. In experiment 2/a (n=32 does) and 2/b (n=25 does), each pen (1×0.91 m) was equipped with 3 and 2 hay racks and filled with H, S or L, and H or S, respectively. The experiments lasted from the 27th day of pregnancy until the day of parturition and 24-h video recordings (10 does/experiment) were evaluated throughout the experiment. The events of carrying the nest materials from the hay racks were registered. In experiment 2/a, the frequency of nest material carrying was highest on the day of parturition. The preferred nest material was L (compared to H and S) on each experimental day except day 30 of pregnancy. At the day of kindling, 87.5, 6.3 and 6.3% of the nests contained pure L, mixed L-H and L-S, respectively. In experiment 2/b, the frequency of nest material carrying (mostly S) was highest on the day of parturition, and on days 27 and 30 of pregnancy. More does built nests with only S (72%) than H (16%), and in 12% of the cases the S and H were mixed. For the purpose of nest building, material S was the most frequently used (72%) compared to other possibilities (H: 16%, S-H: 12%). It can be concluded that rabbit does showed the following clear preferences for specific nest building materials: L>S>H>W.

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Some Social and Hormonal Determinants of Nest-Building Behaviour in the Ring Dove (Streptopelia Risoria)

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853974x00570 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 45 (1-2) ◽

pp. 12-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Carl J. Erickson ◽

Marie Christine Martinez-Vargas

Keyword(s):

Building Materials ◽

Nest Site ◽

Pine Needles ◽

Nest Building ◽

Diurnal Changes ◽

Streptopelia Risoria ◽

Ring Dove ◽

Nest Materials ◽

Building Behaviour ◽

Ring Doves

AbstractTwo experiments were performed to evaluate some of the controlling factors in ring dove nest-building behaviour. In the first study six pairs of animals were observed each day until the first egg appeared. Behaviour was recorded during four intervals on each day in order to obtain estimates of diurnal changes in behaviour. Moreover, each pair was presented with a variety of nest-building materials in order to determine those kinds that would be most acceptable to the animals in subsequent studies. The birds showed striking diurnal changes in behaviour. Bow-cooing, aggressive pecking by the male, nest soliciting, time-in-the-nest, and allopreening exhibited a steady decline throughout the day. Nest-building activity reached a peak between one and seven hours after the lights came on in the morning and then declined throughout the remainder of the day. By contrast, copulatory behaviour, though infrequent in the morning hours, rose sharply in the late afternoon and reached a peak during the evening watch. Feeding and self-preening also increased slightly during the afternoon and evening. The ring doves also showed marked preferences in their choice of nest materials. Light-colored reed was preferred almost exclusively to dark-colored reed. Moreover, as nest construction progressed, there was a change in the type of material collected. During early building approximately equal numbers of pine needles as well as light and heavy reed were collected. As the nest neared completion, reed collection diminished and pine needles alone were collected. The resulting structure consisted of a base of several materials lined with pine needles alone. Observations in this first experiment suggested that gathering activity by the male was elicited by the presence of the female in the nest site. A second experiment was designed to examine this relationship. Twelve female ring doves were injected with progesterone and diethylstilboestrol while another twelve females served as oil-injected controls. Hormone-treated females were found to become more firmly established at the nest site during the first two days after introduction to a male. The males mated with these hormone-treated females engaged in more nest material gathering than did males mated with oil-treated females. It was concluded that gathering behaviour by the male is determined, at least in part, by relevant social cues from the female.

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Scanning electron microscopy of asbestos-containing material where the asbestos fibers are considered locked in a binder

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100148198 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. 472-473

Author(s):

J. R. Millette ◽

R. S. Brown

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽

Environmental Protection Agency ◽

Building Materials ◽

The United States ◽

Protection Agency ◽

Asbestos Fibers ◽

Different Types ◽

Binder Material ◽

Scanning Electron

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has labeled as “friable” those building materials that are likely to readily release fibers. Friable materials when dry, can easily be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder using hand pressure. Other asbestos containing building materials (ACBM) where the asbestos fibers are in a matrix of cement or bituminous or resinous binders are considered non-friable. However, when subjected to sanding, grinding, cutting or other forms of abrasion, these non-friable materials are to be treated as friable asbestos material. There has been a hypothesis that all raw asbestos fibers are encapsulated in solvents and binders and are not released as individual fibers if the material is cut or abraded. Examination of a number of different types of non-friable materials under the SEM show that after cutting or abrasion, tuffs or bundles of fibers are evident on the surfaces of the materials. When these tuffs or bundles are examined, they are shown to contain asbestos fibers which are free from binder material. These free fibers may be released into the air upon further cutting or abrasion.

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