@article {959, title = {Euglossa obrima, a new species of orchid bee from Mesoamerica, with notes on the subgenus Dasystilbe Dressler (Hymenoptera, Apidae)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {97}, year = {2011}, chapter = {11-29}, author = {Hinojosa-Diaz, I. A. and Melo, G. A. R. and Engel, M.S.} } @article {694, title = {Forrajeo en colonias de Melipona eburnea (Hymenoptera: Apidae) en el piedemonte llanero (Meta, Colombia)}, journal = {Revista Colombiana de Entomolog{\'{\i}a}, volume = {37}, year = {2011}, chapter = {121-127}, author = {Nates-Parra, G. and Rodriguez, A} } @article {1744, title = {Host records of Physocephala wulpi Camras, with a description of the puparium (Diptera: Conopidae)}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {3038}, year = {2011}, pages = {61-67}, chapter = {61}, abstract = {

Physocephala wulpi Camras was reared from Xylocopa artifex Smith, Xylocopa augusti Lepeletier, and Xylocapa splendidula Lepeletier. The puparium is described. An overview of conopid host records from the Neotropic Region, and records from Conopidae that develop in Xylocopa, is provided

}, keywords = {Argentina, cephalopharyngeal skeleton, Conopidae, DIPTERA, Hymenoptera, Neotropics, Physocephala, puparium, Xylocopa}, issn = {1175-5334}, author = {Jensen-Hermann Stuke and Mariano Lucia and Alberto H Abrahamovich} } @article {1698, title = {Nesting ecology of Megachile (Sayapis) mendozana Cockerell and its synonymy with Megachile (Sayapis) santiaguensis Durante (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {3008}, year = {2011}, chapter = {63-68}, keywords = {Leafcutter bees, Megachilini, taxonomy, Trap-nests}, author = {Torretta, J. P. and Durante, S. P.} } @article {582, title = {A New Species of Dialictus from Sombrero Island, Anguilla (Hymenoptera, Halictidae)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {86}, year = {2011}, type = {Research Article}, chapter = {61-68}, doi = {doi: 10.3897/zookeys.86.909}, author = {Engel, M.S.} } @article {588, title = {A new species of Microsphecodes from Jamaica (Hymenoptera, Halictidae)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {111}, year = {2011}, chapter = {33-40}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.111.1597}, author = {Engel, M.S.} } @article {593, title = {Noctoraptor in Bolivia (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)}, journal = {Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society}, volume = {84}, year = {2011}, chapter = {64-70}, doi = {10.2317/JKES101006.1}, url = {http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.2317/JKES101006.1}, author = {Engel, M.S.} } @article {1761, title = {Revision of the metallic Lasioglossum (Dialictus) of eastern North America (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Halictini)}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {3073}, year = {2011}, pages = {1-216}, chapter = {1}, abstract = {Bees in the subgenus Lasioglossum (Dialictus) are commonly collected, behaviourally diverse and taxonomically challenging. The metallic species of Lasioglossum (Dialictus) occurring east of the Mississippi River are revised. Taxonomic treatments of all 97 species are provided with complete descriptions and illustrations given for the 40 species, which have not been recently described elsewhere. Identification keys for males and females are provided. The following eleven new species are described: Lasioglossum (Dialictus) arantium new species, L. (D.) ascheri new species, L. (D.) batya new species, L. (D.) curculum new species, L. (D.) furunculum new species, L. (D.) georgeickworti new species, L. (D.) gotham new species, L. (D.) izawsum new species, L. (D.) katherineae new species, L. (D.) rozeni new species, and L. (D.) trigeminum new species. Lasioglossum ascheri, L. curculum, L. furunculum, L. izawsum, and L. rozeni are believed to be social parasites or cleptoparasites of nest-building L. (Dialictus). Lasioglossum (D.) smilacinae (Robertson) is resurrected from synonymy with L. laevissimum (Smith). Lasioglossum (D.) nymphaearum (Robertson) is resurrected from synonymy with L. albipenne (Robertson). Lasioglossum rufulipes (Cockerell) and L. testaceum (Robertson) are removed from Evylaeus and placed in Dialictus. The following eleven new synonymies are proposed (junior subjective synonym listed second): L. (D.) flaveriae (Mitchell) = Dialictus tahitensis Mitchell; L. (D.) leucocomum (Lovell) = Dialictus otsegoensis Mitchell; L. (D.) lionotum (Sandhouse) = Paralictus asteris Mitchell; L. (D.) longifrons (Baker) = L. (Chloralictus) robertsonellum Michener; L. (D.) nigroviride (Graenicher) = Evylaeus pineolensis Mitchell; L. (D.) simplex (Robertson) = Halictus Chloralictus) malinus Sandhouse; L. smilacinae (Robertson) = Halictus zophops Ellis, = D. philanthanus Mitchell; L. (D.) testaceum (Robertson) = Halictus (Chloralictus) scrophulariae Cockerell, = Lasioglossum (Chloralictus) sandhouseae Michener; and L. (D.) versans (Lovell) = Evylaeus divergenoides Mitchell. Lectotypes are designated for Halictus albipennis Robertson (1890), Halictus albitarsis Cresson (1872), Halictus cressonii Robertson (1890), Halictus disparilis Cresson (1872), Halictus hortensis Lovell (1905), Halictus nubilis Lovell (1905), Halictus pilosus leucocomus Lovell (1908), Halictus planatus Lovell (1905), Halictus stultus Cresson (1872), Halictus subconnexus rohweri Ellis (1915), Halictus tegularis Robertson (1890), Halictus versans Lovell (1905), and Halictus viridatus Lovell (1905).}, keywords = {DNA barcoding, Halictinae, lectotype, new species, new synonymy, Sweat bees, taxonomy}, author = {Gibbs, Jason} } @article {1730, title = {Study of the acarofauna of native bumblebee species (Bombus) from Argentina}, journal = {Apidologie}, volume = {42}, year = {2011}, pages = {280-292}, chapter = {280}, abstract = {

A total of 382 bumblebee specimens were examined: Bombus atratus (n = 310), Bombus morio (n = 42), Bombus bellicosus (n = 16), Bombus opifex (n = 8), and Bombus tucumanus (n = 6). Prevalence, abundance, and intensity of mite infestation for each Bombus species and for each caste were recorded. The different mite species infesting bumblebee specimens were: Kuzinia laevis (Dujardin), Kuzinia americana (Delfinado and Baker), Scutacarus acarorum (Goeze), Pneumolaelaps longanalis (Hunter and Husband), Pneumolaelaps longipilus (Hunter), Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank), and Parasitellus fucorum (De Geer). Numbers of mites varied enormously and ranged from 1 individual to over 200 per bumblebee. Kuzinia mites were represented by the phoretic forms (hypopi). Only nymphs of P. fucorum were recorded. Only female mites were recorded for the other mite species. T. putrescientiae, P. longipilus, S. acarorum, and P. fucorum were less abundant, while K. laevis, K. americana, and P. longanalis were the most abundant. These records of T. putrescientiae, P. fucorum, K. laevis, K. americana, P. longipilus, and S. acarorum are the first for Argentine bumblebees.

}, keywords = {bumblebees Argentina associated mites}, issn = {0044-8435}, doi = {DOI: 10.1051/apido/2010060}, url = {http://www.springerlink.com/content/a32116w1g7j1342x/}, author = {Matias Maggi and Mariano Lucia and Alberto H Abrahamovich} } @article {650, title = {Two new species of Paratrigona and the male of Paratrigona ornaticeps (Hymenoptera, Apidae)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {120}, year = {2011}, type = {Research Article}, chapter = {9-25}, keywords = {Anthophila, Ecuador, Meliponini, Neotropics, Paraguay, stingless bees, taxonomy}, doi = {10.3897/ZooKeys.120.1732}, url = {http://www.pensoft.net/journals/zookeys/article/1732/two-new-species-of-paratrigona-schwarz-and-the-male-of-paratrigona-ornaticeps-schwarz-hymenoptera-apidae-}, author = {Gonzalez, V.H. and Griswold, T.} } @article {21475736, title = {Olfactory eavesdropping between two competing stingless bee species.}, journal = {Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology}, volume = {65}, year = {2011}, month = {2011 Apr}, pages = {763-774}, chapter = {763}, abstract = {Foragers can improve search efficiency, and ultimately fitness, by using social information: cues and signals produced by other animals that indicate food location or quality. Social information use has been well studied in predator-prey systems, but its functioning within a trophic level remains poorly understood. Eavesdropping, use of signals by unintended recipients, is of particular interest because eavesdroppers may exert selective pressure on signaling systems. We provide the most complete study to date of eavesdropping between two competing social insect species by determining the glandular source and composition of a recruitment pheromone, and by examining reciprocal heterospecific responses to this signal. We tested eavesdropping between Trigona hyalinata and Trigona spinipes, two stingless bee species that compete for floral resources, exhibit a clear dominance hierarchy and recruit nestmates to high-quality food sources via pheromone trails. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of T. hyalinata recruitment pheromone revealed six carboxylic esters, the most common of which is octyl octanoate, the major component of T. spinipes recruitment pheromone. We demonstrate heterospecific detection of recruitment pheromones, which can influence heterospecific and conspecific scout orientation. Unexpectedly, the dominant T. hyalinata avoided T. spinipes pheromone in preference tests, while the subordinate T. spinipes showed neither attraction to nor avoidance of T. hyalinata pheromone. We suggest that stingless bees may seek to avoid conflict through their eavesdropping behavior, incorporating expected costs associated with a choice into the decision-making process. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00265-010-1080-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.}, keywords = {Cephalic labial glands, Decision making, Dominance, Foraging, Interceptive eavesdropping, Social information}, doi = {10.1007/s00265-010-1080-3}, url = {http://www.springerlink.com/content/q080407tx1455347/}, author = {Lichtenberg, Elinor M and Hrncir, Michael and Turatti, Izabel C and Nieh, James C} } @article {1717, title = {An examination of synchrony between insect emergence and flowering in Rocky Mountain meadows}, journal = {Ecological Monographs}, volume = {81}, year = {2011}, month = {08/2011}, chapter = {469}, keywords = {climate change, elevational gradient, Hymenoptera, PHENOLOGY, POLLINATION, reciprocal transplant experiment, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, solitary bees, trap nests, trophic mismatch}, doi = {10.1890/10-1885.1}, author = {Forrest, Jessica R K and Thomson, James D} } @article {565, title = {Taxonomic notes on the small resin bees Hypanthidioides subgenus Michanthidium (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {117}, year = {2011}, month = {07/2011}, type = {Research Article}, chapter = {51{\textendash}58}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.117.1665}, author = {Gonzalez, V.H. and Griswold, T.} } @article {1720, title = {Walkeromya plumipes (Philippi) (Diptera: Bombyliidae), a parasitoid associated with carpenter bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylocopini) in Argentina}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {2935}, year = {2011}, month = {07/2011}, pages = {41-46}, chapter = {41}, abstract = {

This is the first record of the association between Walkeromya plumipes (Philippi) (Diptera: Bombyliidae) and Xylocopa Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Argentina. The pupal development and morphology of Walkeromya plumipes, a parasitoid of Xylocopa splendidula Lepeletier, are described. A parasitized nest was collected from Santiago del Estero province, Argentina. The development of the bombyliid fly and large carpenter bees in the nest were observed in the laboratory for a period of 28 days. A detailed description of the fly adult and pupal stages were carried out. This is the first record of W. plumipes parasitizing X. splendidula. This is also the first complete description of this fly species, including male genitalia. With the data presented here the geographical distribution of the parasite is expanded. The results suggest a close relation between the parasitoid and its host, as the genus Walkeromya Paranov has been found parasitizing only carpenter bees of genus Xylocopa.

}, keywords = {genitalia description, host-parasitoid association, pupal development}, issn = {1175-5334}, url = {www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/z02935p046f.pdf}, author = {Omar {\'A}valos-Hern{\'a}ndez and Mariano Lucia and Leopoldo J Alvarez and Alberto H Abrahamovich} } @article {563, title = {Global invasion by Anthidium manicatum (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): assessing potential distribution in North America and beyond}, journal = {Biological Invasions}, year = {2011}, month = {06/2011}, type = {Original Paper}, abstract = {

The wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum, is the most widely distributed unmanaged bee in the world. It was unintentionally introduced to North America in the late 1960s from Europe, and subsequently, into South America, New Zealand and the Canary Islands. We provide information on the local distribution, seasonal abundance and sex ratio of A. manicatum from samples collected in an intensive two-year survey across Utah, USA. Anthidium manicatum was detected in 10 of the 29 Utah counties, largely in urban and suburban settings. Combining presence-only and MaxEnt background data from literature, museum databases and new records from Utah, we constructed three species distribution models to examine the potential distribution of A. manicatum in its native Eurasian range as well as invaded ranges of North and South America. The A. manicatum model based on locality and background data from the species\’ native range predicted 50\% of the invasive records associated with high habitat suitability (HS \>= 0.90). The invasive North American model predicted a much broader distribution of A. manicatum (214\% increase); whereas, the South American model predicted a narrower distribution (88\% decrease). The poor predictive power of the latter model in estimating suitable habitats in the invasive South American range of A. manicatum suggests that the bee may still be limited by the bioclimatic constraints associated with a novel environment. Estimates of niche similarity (D) between the native and invasive models find that the North America bioclimatic niche is more similar to the bioclimatic niche of the native model (D = 0.78), whereas the bioclimatic niche of the South America invasion is relatively dissimilar (D = 0.69). We discuss the naturalization of A. manicatum in North America, possibly through punctuated dispersal, the probability of suitable habitats across the globe and the synanthropy exhibited by this invasive species.

}, keywords = {Invasion dynamics, Megachilidae, Species distribution modeling, Synanthropy}, doi = {DOI 10.1007/s10530-011-0030-y}, url = {http://www.springerlink.com/content/103794/?Content+Status=Accepted}, author = {Strange, J.P. and Koch, J.B. and Gonzalez, V.H. and Nemelka, L. and Griswold, T.} } @article {559, title = {A new species of the bee genus Ctenoplectrella in middle Eocene Baltic amber (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae)}, journal = {Zookeys}, volume = {111}, year = {2011}, month = {06/2011}, type = {Research Article}, chapter = {41-49}, keywords = {Ctenoplectrellini, Eocene, Megachilidae, paleontology, taxonomy, Tertiary}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.111.1593}, author = {Gonzalez, V.H. and Engel, M.S.} } @article {552, title = {Alocanthedon, a new subgenus of Chalicodoma from Southeast Asia (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {101}, year = {2011}, pages = {51-80}, chapter = {51}, author = {Engel, M.S. and Gonzalez, V.H.} } @article {1716, title = {Andinopanurgus, a new Andean subgenus of Protandrena (Hymenoptera, Andrenidae)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {126}, year = {2011}, chapter = {57-76}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.126.1676}, author = {Gonzalez, V.H. and Engel, M.S.} } @article {1700, title = {Chalepogenus roitmani Roig Alsina (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Tapinotaspidini): description of the male and new geographical records for the species}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {2797}, year = {2011}, chapter = {21-24}, author = {Torretta, J. P. and Marrero, H. J. and Roig Alsina, A} } @article {1755, title = {Contribution to the taxonomy of the Hylaeus gibbus species group in Europe (Hymenoptera, Apoidea and Colletidae).}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {2932}, year = {2011}, pages = {51-67}, author = {J. Straka and P. Bogusch} } @article { ISI:000290524600003, title = {Morphological and molecular delineation of a new species in the Ceratina dupla species-group (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylocopinae) of eastern North America}, journal = {ZOOTAXA}, number = {{2873}}, year = {2011}, month = {MAY 10}, pages = {35-50}, abstract = {DNA barcoding is used to verify characters to morphologically differentiate genetically distinct species of eastern North American small carpenter bees, Ceratina. Here we reveal that the common eastern North American species, Ceratina dupla s. l., is actually three separate species based on fixed differences in DNA barcode sequences and morphological characters. This study adds a new species, C. mikmaqi Rehan \& Sheffield, to the Ceratina dupla species-group of eastern North America, and raises another form, C. floridana formerly C. dupla floridana, to full species. Temporal niche partitioning between C. dupla and C. mikmaqi and geographic isolation of C. floridana further support the division of the C. dupla s. l. group into three species. A diagnosis and description of the new species are provided, as is a key for eastern North American species of Ceratina.}, keywords = {Cryptic species, DNA barcodes, taxonomy, Zadontomerus}, issn = {1175-5326}, author = {Rehan, Sandra M. and Sheffield, Cory S.} } @article {1614, title = {The alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata: The world{\textquoteright}s most intensively managed solitary bee}, journal = {Annual Review of Entomology}, volume = {56}, year = {2011}, note = {doi: 10.1146/annurev-ento-120709-144836}, month = {2011/12/06/}, pages = {221 - 237}, abstract = {The alfalfa leafcutting bee (ALCB), Megachile rotundata F. (Megachildae), was accidentally introduced into the United States by the 1940s. Nest management of this Eurasian nonsocial pollinator transformed the alfalfa seed industry in North America, tripling seed production. The most common ALCB management practice is the loose cell system, in which cocooned bees are removed from nesting cavities for cleaning and storage. Traits of ALCBs that favored their commercialization include gregarious nesting; use of leaves for lining nests; ready acceptance of affordable, mass-produced nesting materials; alfalfa pollination efficacy; and emergence synchrony with alfalfa bloom. The ALCB became a commercial success because much of its natural history was understood, targeted research was pursued, and producer ingenuity was encouraged. The ALCB presents a model system for commercializing other solitary bees and for advancing new testable hypotheses in diverse biological disciplines}, keywords = {BEHAVIOR-FORAGING, BEHAVIOR-NESTING, DISEASE, EXOTIC, FABACEAE, MEDICAGO, MEGACHILE, Megachilidae, POLLINATION, POLLINATOR, REPRODUCTION}, isbn = {0066-4170}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ento-120709-144836}, author = {Pitts-Singer,T.L. and Cane, J. H.} } @article {1592, title = {Specialist Osmia bees forage indiscriminately among hybridizing Balsamorhiza floral hosts}, volume = {167}, year = {2011}, month = {2011/09/01/}, pages = {107 - 116}, abstract = {Pollinators, even floral generalists (=polyleges), typically specialize during individual foraging bouts, infrequently switching between floral hosts. Such transient floral constancy restricts pollen flow, and thereby gene flow, to conspecific flowers in mixed plant communities. Where incipient flowering species meet, however, weak cross-fertility and often similar floral traits can yield mixed reproductive outcomes among pollinator-dependent species. In these cases, floral constancy by polyleges sometimes serves as an ethological mating barrier. More often, their foraging infidelities instead facilitate host introgression and hybridization. Many other bee species are oligolectic (taxonomic specialists for pollen). Oligoleges could be more discriminating connoisseurs than polyleges when foraging among their limited set of related floral hosts. If true, greater foraging constancy might ensue, contributing to positive assortative mating and disruptive selection, thereby facilitating speciation among their interfertile floral hosts. To test this Connoisseur Hypothesis, nesting females of two species of oligolectic Osmia bees were presented with randomized mixed arrays of flowers of two sympatric species of their pollen host, Balsamorhiza, a genus known for hybridization. In a closely spaced grid, the females of both species preferred the larger flowered B. macrophylla, evidence for discrimination. However, both species{\textquoteright} females showed no floral constancy whatsoever during their individual foraging bouts, switching randomly between species proportional to their floral preference. In a wider spaced array in which the bouquets reflected natural plant spacing, foraging oligolectic bees often transferred pollen surrogates (fluorescent powders) both between conspecific flowers (geitonogamy and xenogamy) and between the two Balsamorhiza species. The Connoisseur Hypothesis was therefore rejected. Foraging infidelity by these oligolectic Osmia bees will contribute to introgression and hybridization where interfertile species of Balsamorhiza meet and flower together. A literature review reveals that other plant genera whose species hybridize also attract numerous oligolectic bees, providing independent opportunities to test the generality of this conclusion.}, keywords = {ASTERACEAE, BALSAMORHIZA, BEHAVIOR-FORAGING, CONSTANCY, HYBRIDIZATION, Megachilidae, OLIGOLECTY, OSMIA, POLLEN FLOW, STATISTICS}, isbn = {0029-8549}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00442-011-1977-1}, author = {Cane,James} } @article {1591, title = {Nectar and pollen sugars constituting larval provisions of the alfalfa leaf-cutting bee (Megachile rotundata) (Hymenoptera: Apiformes: Megachilidae)}, volume = {42}, year = {2011}, month = {2011/05//}, pages = {401 - 408}, abstract = {As with most solitary bees, larvae of the alfalfa leaf-cutting bee, Megachile rotundata Fab., eat a diet blended from pollen and nectar of unknown proportions. In this study, we developed protocols to isolate and quantify sugars from larval provision masses. The method removed free amino acids that leach from pollen and confound chromatography, but without autohydrolyzing sucrose. Pollen sugars were a negligible fraction of provision mass sugars. Glucose and fructose constituted about half of the provision fresh weight. Sucrose in alfalfa pollen and nectar is absent from the provision, presumably enzymatically hydrolyzed to glucose and fructose in the provision. Provision masses are composed of two to three times more floral equivalents in pollen than nectar. Female M. rotundata, and other solitary bees with pasty provisions, gather proportionally more pollen than nectar compared with the resource needs of colonies of social honeybees and bumblebees}, keywords = {CHROMATOGRAPHY, LARVAL PROVISIONS, MEDICAGO, MEGACHILE, Megachilidae, METHODS, NECTAR, NECTAR COMPOSITION, POLLEN-CHEMISTRY, SUGAR}, isbn = {0044-8435}, url = {ISI:000292612900015}, author = {Cane, J. H. and Gardner,D.R. and Harrison,P.A.} } @article {1631, title = {Breeding biology of the threadstalk milkvetch, Astragalus filipes (Fabaceae), with a review of the genus}, journal = {American Midland Naturalist}, volume = {165}, year = {2011}, month = {2011///}, pages = {225 - 240}, abstract = {Astragalus L. (Fabaceae) is an enormous and diverse plant genus with a cosmopolitan distribution, but relatively few breeding biologies are known for its member species. Threadstalk (or basalt) milkvetch, Astragalus filipes Torrey ex. A. Gray, is common and widespread throughout the US Intermountain West, including the Great Basin. It is being studied and ultimately propagated for extensive rangeland restoration projects throughout the sagebrush steppe. Understanding the breeding biology of A. filipes will be necessary for reliable and consistent commercial seed production with this species. We examined reproductive output from four manual pollination treatments (autogamy, geitonogamy, xenogamy and distant xenogamy) in a common garden. As measures of fitness, we counted fruit and seed set, then germinated viable seeds, to assess reproductive output. This species is weakly self compatible; xenogamous pollen transfer results in nine times more seed per pollination. Pollen transfer between geographically distant seed accessions resulted in a decrease in seed germination, but no difference in fruit or seed set. Cross pollination by bees will be necessary for copious seed production by this species. In the wild, flowers of A. filipes are visited most commonly and ubiquitously by a diversity of Osmia bee species plus several bee species each of Eucera, Anthidium, Bombus and sometimes Hoplitis.}, keywords = {ASTRAGALUS, BOMBUS, FABACEAE, FRUIT SET, Megachilidae, OSMIA, OUTCROSSING, POLLINATION, POLLINATOR, SEED PRODUCTION, SEED SET, SELF-COMPATIBILITY}, author = {Watrous,K.W. and Cane, J. H.} } @article {1593, title = {Pollination value of male bees: The specialist bee Peponapis pruinosa (Apidae) at summer squash (Cucurbita pepo)}, journal = {Environmental Entomology}, volume = {40}, year = {2011}, month = {2011///}, pages = {614 - 620}, abstract = {Male bees can be abundant at flowers, particularly floral hosts of those bee species whose females are taxonomic pollen specialists (oligolecty). Contributions of male bees to host pollination are rarely studied directly despite their prevalence in a number of pollination guilds, including those of some crop plants. In this study, males of the oligolectic bee, Peponapis pruinosa Say, were shown to be effective pollinators of summer squash, Cucurbita pepo L. Seven sequential visits from male P. pruinosa maximized squash fruit set and growth. This number of male visits accumulated during the first hour of their foraging and mate searching at flowers soon after sunrise. Pollination efficacy of male P. pruinosa and their abundances at squash flowers were sufficient to account for most summer squash production at our study sites, and by extrapolation, to two-thirds of all 87 North American farms and market gardens growing squashes that were surveyed for pollinators by collaborators in the Squash Pollinators of the Americas Survey. We posit that the substantial pollination value of male Peponapis bees is a consequence of their species{\textquoteright} oligolecty, their mate seeking strategy, and some extreme traits of Cucurbita flowers (massive rewards, flower size, phenology).}, keywords = {CUCURBITACEAE, FRUIT SET, FRUIT SIZE, OLIGOLECTY, Peponapis, POLLINATION, POLLINATION EFFICIENCY, POLLINATION INTENSITY, SEED SET}, url = {http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/esa/envent/2011/00000040/00000003/art00014;http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/EN10084}, author = {Cane,James H. and Sampson,Blair J. and Miller,Stephanie A.} }