CHALCIDOID (HYMENOPTERA) PARASITES OF THE ALFALFA LEAF-CUTTER BEE, MEGACHILE ROTUNDATA, IN CANADA

1969 ◽  
Vol 101 (4) ◽  
pp. 418-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oswald Peck
Keyword(s):  
Megachile Rotundata ◽  
Parasitic Species ◽  
Water Traps ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Alfalfa Leaf ◽  
Fourth Species

AbstractMegachile rotundata (F.) is a domesticated bee used to pollinate alfalfa in southern Alberta. There it may have four species of parasites, all chalcidoids. These parasites are removable by water traps before the hives are set in the field. Three of these parasites, Monodontomerus obscurus Westw., Dibrachys maculipennis Sz., and Pteromalus venustus Wlkr,, are European in origin. The first seems not to be established in Canada; the latter two have been reared from Canadian species of Megachile and thereby may prove a source of parasitism. The fourth species, Melittobia chalybii Ashm., is a widespread, nearctic, multivoltine species and is known as a laboratory pest of hymenopterous nests; it is likely to be the major parasite in rotundata nests. A key is given for the parasitic species.

EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENT AND EQUIPMENT ON PRODUCTIVITY OF ALFALFA LEAFCUTTER BEES (HYMENOPTERA: MEGACHILIDAE) IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA, CANADA

1996 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.W. Richards
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Total Cell ◽  
Significant Positive Effect ◽  
Megachile Rotundata ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Temperature Heat ◽  
Leafcutter Bee ◽  
Nesting Material ◽  
Higher Temperature ◽  
Positive Effect

AbstractFour indicators of productivity and quality for the alfalfa leafcutter bee, Megachile rotundata (Fab.), were examined over a 3-year period and the influence of different shelter designs, nesting materials, and 34 environmental variables evaluated. A higher percentage of cocoons per total cells was produced in polystyrene nesting material than in pinewood nesting material. Both nesting materials had similar percentages of tunnels capped or containing cells and total numbers of cells per hive. Shelters with conspicuous orientation patterns or silhouettes had more tunnels capped per hive, tunnels with cells, and greater total cell production per hive than did other shelter designs. The time of maximum bee production varied greatly among the 3 years. Many environmental variables, especially those associated with higher temperature, heat units, and mean actual temperature, had a significant positive effect on bee productivity and cell quality. The information contained in this study may help delineate those climatic areas where this valuable alfalfa pollinator can be most effective, and may assist beekeepers in making management decisions that will improve their operations.

Use of RAPD analyses to estimate population genetic parameters in the alfalfa leaf-cutting bee, Megachile rotundata

Genome ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 655-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Lu ◽  
Gerald H. Rank
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Distance ◽  
Population Genetic ◽  
Rapd Markers ◽  
Genetic Parameters ◽  
Megachile Rotundata ◽  
Isolated Populations ◽  
Leaf Cutting ◽  
Nucleotide Divergence ◽  
Alfalfa Leaf ◽  
Population Genetic Parameters

RAPD analyses were performed on five geographically isolated populations of Megachile rotundata. We used haploid males of the alfalfa leaf-cutting bee, M. rotundata, to overcome the limitation of the dominance of RAPD markers in the determination of population genetic parameters. Sixteen primers gave rise to 130 polymorphic and 31 monomorphic bands. The unbiased estimators calculated in this study include within- and between-population heterozygosity, nucleotide divergence, and genetic distance. The genetic diversity (H = 0.32–0.35) was found to be about 10 times that of previous estimates (H = 0.033) based on allozyme data. Contrary to the data obtained at the protein level, our results suggest that Hymenoptera do not have a lower level of genetic variability at the DNA level compared with other insect species. Regardless of the different assumptions underlying the calculation of heterozygosity, divergence, and genetic distance, all five populations showed a parallel interrelationship for the three parameters. We conclude that RAPD markers are a convenient tool to estimate population genetic variation in haploid M. rotundata and that with an adequate sample size the technique is applicable to the evaluation of divergence in diploid populations. Key words : Megachile rotundata, RAPD, heterozygosity, genetic distance, nucleotide divergence.

CONTROLLING INSECT ENEMIES OF THE ALFALFA LEAF-CUTTER BEE, MEGACHILE ROTUNDATA

1968 ◽  
Vol 100 (7) ◽  
pp. 781-784 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Hobbs
Keyword(s):  
Incubation Period ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Cryptolestes Ferrugineus ◽  
Megachile Rotundata ◽  
Trogoderma Glabrum ◽  
Screening Off ◽  
Alfalfa Leaf ◽  
Exotic Host

AbstractThe debris-feeding insects Trogoderma glabrum (Hbst.), Tribolium madens Charp., Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Steph.), and Vitula edmandsae Pack, were controlled by cleaning out die nests of Megachile rotundata L. annually and screening off the debris, and by discarding the cells of M. rotundata after emergence was complete. The chalcidoid parasites Monodontomerus obscurus Westw. and Pteromalus venustus Wlkr. and the depredators Coelioxys spp., were removed by light-trapping them in the incubators in which M. rotundata was being hatched. The removal was made possible because the incubation period of each of the indigenous enemies was considerably shorter than that of their exotic host.

VOLTINISM IN MEGACHILE ROTUNDATA (MEGACHILIDAE: HYMENOPTERA) IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA

1972 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Krunic
Keyword(s):  
Second Generation ◽  
Wing Venation ◽  
Megachile Rotundata ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
The Difference

AbstractAlmost 40% of the cells of Megachile rotundata (F.) from the earliest completed tunnels in the hives produced as second-generation bees. This percentage rapidly decreased in the later completed tunnels. The difference between wing venation of bees that emerged in spring and of second-generation bees that emerged in summer appears to be related to voltinism.

Contribution toward a monograph of the genus Ascosphaera

1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (12) ◽  
pp. 2541-2560 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Bissett
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Identification Key ◽  
Megachile Rotundata ◽  
Early Instar ◽  
Leaf Cutting ◽  
Alfalfa Leaf ◽  
Three New Species ◽  
Herbarium Collections

Cultures and herbarium collections of the previously described species of Ascosphaera were studied. Additional observations are reported on Ascosphaera strains associated with the alfalfa leaf-cutting bee, Megachile rotundata (Fab.). Three new species of Ascosphaera are described, all occurring in brood cells of the alfalfa leaf-cutting bee. Ascosphaera larvis sp.nov., with short, ellipsoidal ascospores, was frequently associated with a chalkbrood-like disease in early-instar larvae. Ascosphaera pollenicola sp.nov., a homothallic species with subcylindric ascospores, most often occurred on pollen provisions in brood cells. Ascosphaera variegata sp.nov., with conspicuously mottled ascomatal walls, was isolated from pollen and also from larvae that had died from undetermined causes. Descriptions and an identification key are provided for the 11 species of Ascosphaera currently recognized.

OCCURRENCE OF CHALKBROOD CAUSED BY ASCOSPHAERA AGGREGATA SKOU IN A NATIVE LEAFCUTTING BEE, MEGACHILE RELATIVA CRESSON (HYMENOPTERA: MEGACHILIDAE), IN SASKATCHEWAN

1990 ◽  
Vol 122 (6) ◽  
pp. 1269-1270 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.W. Goerzen ◽  
M.A. Erlandson ◽  
J. Bissett
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Megachile Rotundata ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Low Levels

The alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata (Fab.), is an important domesticated pollinator of alfalfa grown for seed in Canada. Chalkbrood, a disease caused by the fungus Ascosphaera aggregata Skou, has caused high mortalities in M. rotundata populations in the northwestern United States since 1972. Chalkbrood was found in Manitoba in 1982, Alberta in 1983, and Saskatchewan in 1984 (Richards 1985). Although subsequent surveys have indicated the presence of A. aggregata at high levels in some southern Alberta M. rotundata populations, the disease has been detected only sporadically and at low levels in Saskatchewan populations (Goerzen 1990).

Reliability of Trapping in Determining the Emergence Period and Sex Ratio of the Sugar-beet Root Maggot Tetanops myopaeformis (Röder) (Diptera: Otitidae)

1962 ◽  
Vol 94 (3) ◽  
pp. 268-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Harper ◽  
T. P. Story
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Sugar Beet ◽  
Emergence Period ◽  
Beet Root ◽  
Water Traps ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Tetanops Myopaeformis ◽  
Field Information ◽  
Sugar Beet Root ◽  
Root Maggot

The sugar-beet root magsot, Tetanops myopaeformis (Röder), is one of the most important pests of sugar-beets in southern Alberta. From 1956 to 1960 studies were made of various phases of its life history (unpublished). In this paper, napping adults of T. myopaeformis by insecticide and water traps is judged for reliahility in determining dates of emergence and sex ratio when compared with data obtained from emergence cages in the field. Information is also given on the influence of color and a wetting agent on the number of flies caught in water traps.

Seasonal changes in glycerol content and supercooling points of Megachile rotundata (F.) and M. relativa Cress.

1971 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 663-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Krunic ◽  
R. W. Salt
Keyword(s):  
Exotic Species ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Megachile Rotundata ◽  
Glycerol Content ◽  
Cold Night ◽  
Southern Alberta

Supercooling points of prepupae of the exotic species Megachile rotundata during storage at 5 °C are not closely related to glycerol content and are not sufficiently low to avoid freezing outdoors in southern Alberta. In contrast, supercooling points of prepupae of the indigenous species M. relativa are inversely related to glycerol concentrations, which are double those of M. rotundata and are low enough for successful overwintering. Neither species is frost-tolerant.Older feeding larvae of M. rotundata also synthesize glycerol in the fall, probably in response to cold night temperatures.

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