scholarly journals Establishing Bumble Bees as a Supplementary System for Honey Bees in the Pollination of Watermelon, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.)

HortScience ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 668f-668
Author(s):  
Michael S. Stanghellini ◽  
John T. Ambrose ◽  
Jonathan R. Schultheis
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Statistical Difference ◽  
Seed Set ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Bumble Bees ◽  
Bombus Impatiens ◽  
Lower Percentage ◽  
Fruit Abortion ◽  
The Individual

The effectiveness of bumble bees, Bombus impatiens, and honey bees, Apis mellifera, on the pollination of watermelon, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.), was compared at the individual bee level. Correlations between the number of bee visits a flower received and the resultant seed set and fruit abortion rates were established. Using `Royal Jubilee' watermelon, B-impatiens-visited flowers resulted in higher seed sets than A. mellifera when compared at equal bee visit numbers. This difference between bee types was highly significant. With respect to fruit abortion rates, no statistical difference between bee types was detected. However, bee visit count was significant. Increasing the number of bee visits received by a flower resulted in a lower percentage of aborted fruit.

scholarly journals Using Commercial Bumble Bee Colonies as Backup Pollinators for Honey Bees to Produce Cucumbers and Watermelons

1998 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 590-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.S. Stanghellini ◽  
J.T. Ambrose ◽  
J.R. Schultheis
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Seed Set ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Bumble Bees ◽  
Bumble Bee ◽  
Insect Visitation ◽  
Parasitic Mite ◽  
Fruit Abortion ◽  
Bee Colonies

The effectiveness of bumble bees, Bombus impatiens Cresson, and honey bees, Apis mellifera L., on the pollination of cucumber, Cucumis sativus L., and watermelon, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai, was compared under field conditions. Comparisons were based on fruit abortion rates and seed set as influenced by bee type (honey bee or bumble bee) and the number of bee visits to treatment flowers (1, 6, 12, and 18 bee visits), plus two controls: a no-visit treatment and an open-pollinated (unrestricted visitation) treatment. For both crops, an increased number of bee visits had a strong positive effect on fruit and seed set. All cucumber and watermelon flowers bagged to prevent insect visitation aborted, demonstrating the need for active transfer of pollen between staminate and pistillate flowers. Bumble bee-visited flowers consistently had lower abortion rates and higher seed sets in the cucumber and watermelon studies than did honey bee-visited flowers when compared at the same bee visitation level. Only slight differences in fruit abortion rates were detected between bee types in the watermelon study. However, abortion rates for bumble bee-visited flowers were consistently less than those for honey bee-visited flowers when compared at equal bee visitation levels, with one exception at the 12 bee visit level. As the number of honey bee colonies continues to decline due to parasitic mite pests and based on the data obtained, we conclude that bumble bees have a great potential to serve as a supplemental pollinator for cucumbers, watermelons, and possibly other vine crops, when honey bees available for rental are in limited supply.

Stigmatic Pollen Grain Deposition by Honey Bees and Bumble Bees after Single Bee Visits to Pistillate Watermelon Flowers

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 484a-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.S. Stanghellini ◽  
J.T. Ambrose ◽  
J.R. Schultheis
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Light Microscopy ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Pollen Grain ◽  
Bumble Bees ◽  
Bombus Impatiens ◽  
Single Visit ◽  
Microscope Slides

As a means to assess pollinator efficiency, the number of pollen grains deposited by honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) and bumble bees (Bombus impatiens Cresson) after single visits to pistillate watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] flowers was compared. Pistillate flowers were enclosed in nylon bags prior to anthesis, and were then exposed to single visits by each bee species (RCBD: 10 flowers per bee species per replicate; 4 replicates). Pollen grains were removed from stigmata immdiately after bee visitation by use of a glycerin jelly-gelatin mixture that was mounted onto microscope slides. Light microscopy was used to count the number of pollen grains per slide. Bumble bees deposited significantly more pollen grains than did honey bees (P < 0.05). After single bee visits to flowers, bumble bees deposited an average of 481 pollen grains, while honey bees deposited an average of 119 pollen grains. Although multiple bee visits are usually required to set watermelon fruit, this work demonstrates that bumble bees are more-efficient pollinators of watermelon at the single visit level than are honey bees.

scholarly journals The factors influencing the pollinators visitation of the oilseed rape cultivars

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (No. 12) ◽  
pp. 574-580
Author(s):  
Jan Kazda ◽  
Aneta Bokšová ◽  
Martina Stejskalová ◽  
Tomáš Šubrt ◽  
Jan Bartoška ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Oilseed Rape ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Bumble Bees ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Winter Oilseed Rape ◽  
Pollinator Visitation ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Visitation Rates ◽  
The Individual

Currently, the hybrid cultivars are predominant in the cultivation of winter oilseed rape in Europe. Cultivation of hybrid cultivars instead of the traditional line can affect the visitation of pollinators. Beekeepers and farmers claim that hybrid cultivars are not visited by pollinators as much as the line. Ten yellow and one white flowering oilseed rape cultivars were used to compare the visitation rates of pollinators (Apis mellifera L. and Bombus sp.) during flowering in the years 2015–2017. At the same time, the visitation of hybrid and line cultivars by pollinators was evaluated. Visitation of pollinators on each cultivar was calculated from observed visitations to flowering oilseed rape plants in an area 2.1 m<sup>2</sup> from the edge of single plots for 20 s. The results from this study clearly show that the individual cultivars, whether hybrids or lines, did not have a major influence on the pollinators’ visitation, either by honey bees or bumble bees. It is thus proved that hybrid cultivars do not affect the pollinator visitation and there is no need to worry about the prevalence of these cultivars in the Czech fields. However, a more significant effect for both pollinator groups appears to have been the color of the flower.

scholarly journals Mass-length Relationships for 3 Bee Species in Northwest Ohio

2018 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 31
Author(s):  
Justin D. Burdine ◽  
Erin Plummer ◽  
Melissa Seidel ◽  
Kevin E. McCluney
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Bumble Bees ◽  
Bombus Impatiens ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
Sweat Bees ◽  
The Relationship

The ability to accurately estimate bee mass through measurements of intertegular distance (ITD) is an important tool for field biologists. ITD is the distance between the bases of the 2 wing tegulae on the bee’s thorax. However, the relationship between ITD and bee mass can vary based on species and sampling region. A collection of 92 bees—representing 3 species—was examined to assess the accuracy of ITD in estimating dry mass for bees in northwest Ohio.  The focus was on 3 species: silky striped sweat bees (Agapostemon sericeus), honey bees (Apis mellifera), and common eastern bumble bees (Bombus impatiens).  Overall, there was a positive correlation between ITD and dry mass across all individuals sampled (R2 = 0.77), but within species the degree of correlation varied significantly. The results suggest that ITD accurately estimates dry mass in silky striped sweat bees (R2 = 0.93), but the correlation weakens in common eastern bumble bees (R2 = 0.54) and is non-existent in honey bees (R2 = 0.39). Field biologists interested in using ITD to estimate bee mass should take preliminary measurements when investigating bumble bees, and should avoid ITD estimates in honey bees.

scholarly journals Seed Production in Watermelon: A Comparison between Two Commercially Available Pollinators

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.S. Stanghellini ◽  
J.T. Ambrose ◽  
J.R. Schultheis
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bees ◽  
Seed Set ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Bumble Bees ◽  
Bumble Bee ◽  
Pollen Transfer ◽  
Insect Visitation ◽  
Parasitic Mite ◽  
Limited Supply

The number of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) continues to decline due to parasitic mite pests and other factors. Honey bees and bumble bees (Bombus impatiens Cresson) were therefore compared for their effects on the seed set of watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] in a 2-year field experiment. The experiment was a 2 x 4 + 2 factorial, comparing bee type (honey bee or bumble bee) at four visitation levels (1, 6, 12, and 18 bee visits) to pistillate flowers, with two controls: a no-visit treatment and an open-pollinated treatment. Bee visitation level had a strong positive influence on seed set (P ≤ 0.0001). All flowers bagged to prevent insect visitation aborted, demonstrating the need for active pollen transfer between staminate and pistillate watermelon flowers. Flowers visited by B. impatiens consistently contained more seed than those visited by A. mellifera, when compared at equal bee visitation levels (P ≤ 0.0001). We conclude that bumble bees have great potential to serve as a supplemental pollinator for watermelon when honey bees available for rental are in limited supply.

scholarly journals BUMBLEBEES: AN ALTERNATIVE POLLINATOR FOR CUCUMBER

HortScience ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 746b-746
Author(s):  
Michael S. Stanghellini ◽  
John T. Ambrose ◽  
Jonathan R. Schultheis
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Cucumis Sativus ◽  
Seed Set ◽  
Bombus Impatiens ◽  
The Individual

The effectiveness of bumblebees, Bombus impatiens, and honeybees, Apis mellifera, on the pollination of cucumber, Cucumis sativus, was compared at the individual bee level. A correlation between the number of bee visits a flower received and the resultant seed set was established. In both cucumber varieties, `Calypso' and `Dasher II', B. impatiens-visited flowers consistently had higher seed sets than A. mellifera when compared at equal visit numbers. This difference between bee types was found to be highly significant.

Mirror Image Pattern Matching By Bumble Bees

Behaviour ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 132 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 87-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.M.S. Plowright ◽  
Y.G. Korneluk
Keyword(s):  
Pattern Matching ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Mirror Image ◽  
Bumble Bees ◽  
Bombus Impatiens ◽  
Artificial Flower ◽  
Choice Tests ◽  
Image Transformations ◽  
Image Pattern

AbstractBumble bees (Bombus impatiens) were trained to discriminate between a rewarding and non-rewarding artificial flower that differed only in their configuration of four identical petals. On choice tests between 2 empty flowers, the bees chose the flower with the configuration of the rewarding flower over the mirror image, but the mirror image over a novel flower. This behaviour is the same as has been observed with honey bees and functional interpretations are considered. The problem of distinguishing between left-right pattern reversals and true mirror image transformations is discussed.

scholarly journals Longevity of africanized worker honey bees (Apis mellifera) carrying eye color mutant alleles

2003 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosana de Almeida ◽  
Ademilson Espencer Egea Soares
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Statistical Difference ◽  
Close Association ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Brown Pigment ◽  
Eye Color ◽  
Color Mutant ◽  
Extended Lifespan ◽  
Eye Pigmentation

The dark coloration of insects eyes is attributed to the accumulation of the brown pigment insectorubin, a mixture of ommochromes, xanthommatin and several ommins, biosynthesized from tryptophan. When any of the events in the synthesis chain is interrupted, formation and accumulation of pigments other than insectorubin occurs, and a new eye color will appear. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the longevity of worker honey bees Apis mellifera, homozygous and heterozygous for the mutant alleles cream (cr), snow-laranja (s la) and brick (bk). Eye pigmentation and average longetivity of bees are very closely related. Mutant bees carrying lighter eye pigmentation are unable to return to the hive; there is, therefore, a close association between the eye pigmentation and honey bees lifespan. Experiments ran in confinement cages confirm the orientation problems of mutant honey bees, which kept in a limited space, were able to return to the hive and had an extended lifespan in comparison to that observed in the nature, and did not present statistical difference (P>0.05) relative to the control group. Confinement to restricted areas improves honey bees orientation abilities and facilitates return to the hive.

scholarly journals Age and Method of Inoculation Influence the Infection of Worker Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) by Nosema ceranae

Insects ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Almudena Urbieta-Magro ◽  
Mariano Higes ◽  
Aránzazu Meana ◽  
Laura Barrios ◽  
Raquel Martín-Hernández
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Parasite Load ◽  
Nosema Ceranae ◽  
Microsporidian Parasite ◽  
Age Cohort ◽  
Group A ◽  
Time Of Infection ◽  
Group B ◽  
The Individual

The microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae is a highly prevalent, global honey bee pathogen. Apis mellifera is considered to be a relatively recent host for this microsporidia, which raises questions as to how it affects its host’s physiology, behavior and longevity, both at the individual and colony level. As such, honey bees were inoculated with fresh purified spores of this pathogen, both individually (Group A) or collectively (Group B) and they were studied from 0 to 15 days post-emergence (p.e.) to evaluate the effect of bee age and the method of inoculation at 7 days post-infection. The level of infection was analyzed individually by qPCR by measuring the relative amount of the N. ceranae polar tubule protein 3 (PTP3) gene. The results show that the bee’s age and the method of infection directly influence parasite load, and thus, early disease development. Significant differences were found regarding bee age at the time of infection, whereby the youngest bees (new-born and 1 day p.e.) developed the highest parasite load, with this load decreasing dramatically in bees infected at 2 days p.e. before increasing again in bees infected at 3–4 days p.e. The parasite load in bees infected when older than 4 days p.e. diminished as they aged. When the age cohort data was pooled and grouped according to the method of infection, a significantly higher mean concentration and lower variation in N. ceranae infection was evident in Group A, indicating greater variation in experimental infection when spores were administered collectively to bees through their food. In summary, these data indicate that both biological and experimental factors should be taken into consideration when comparing data published in the literature.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document