Nest structure, pollen utilization and parasites associated with two west-Mediterranean bees (Hymenoptera, Apiformes, Megachilidae) nesting in empty snail shells

By

Bogusch, Petr, 1980-
Hlaváčková, Lucie
Petr, Libor
Bosch, Jordi, 1961-

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2020

Original Publication

Journal of Hymenoptera research

Volume

76

Pages

113--125

Subjects

cleptoparasite , Hoplitis fertoni , Lleida , Osmia ferruginea , parasitoid , pollen specialization , Spain

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Washington, D.C International Society of Hymenopterists

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.76.49579

 

Abstract

Around thirty species of European solitary bee species in the family Megachilidae nest in empty gastropod shells. We surveyed this group of bees in semi-natural sites adjacent to almond orchards near Lleida (north-eastern Spain) and collected 35Hoplitis fertoniand 58Osmia ferrugineanests in shells of six snail species. We describe the nest structure and report the identity of pollens collected by the two bee species. Both species adjust the number of brood cells to the size of the shell and occasionally build intercalary (empty) cells.H. fertoniuses clay andO. ferrugineachewed plant leaves for building cell partitions and nest plugs. Most nests of both species were built inSphincterochila candidissimashells. Analysis of the pollen of selected nests confirmed thatH. fertoniis oligolectic on Boraginaceae (in our study all pollen was fromLithodora fruticosa) andO. ferrugineais a polylectic species (collecting mostly pollen from Cistaceae, Fabaceae, and Lamiaceae in our study area). Nests ofH. fertoniwere parasitized by five species, the golden waspChrysura hybrida, the cuckoo beeDioxys moesta, the velvet antsStenomutilla collarisandStenomutilla hotentotta, and the bee-flyAnthrax aethiops; nests ofO. ferrugineawere parasitized by the sapygid waspSapyga quinquepunctataandA. aethiops. Except forC. hybridathese are newly recorded host-parasite associations. Our results confirm previous information and bring new findings on the ecology of both species.