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de Moura MEK, Faita MR, Bertoldo JG, Poltronieri AS, Contrera FAL. Stingless Bee Foraging Activity Related to Environmental Aspects. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2024:10.1007/s13744-024-01206-w. [PMID: 39354267 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-024-01206-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 10/03/2024]
Abstract
The environment where bee colonies are inserted must provide the necessary resources for their survival. Given this, any biotic and abiotic changes in the environment can affect the development and survival of the colonies. We evaluated the foraging activity of Plebeia droryana (Friese), Scaptotrigona bipunctata (Lepetelier), and Melipona quadrifasciata (Lepetelier) in areas with different land uses and land cover. These areas were classified as predominantly (i) urbanized/forest (CDA-Cidade das Abelhas), (ii) agricultural (FER-Fazenda Experimental da Ressacada), and (iii) with dense vegetation (SFB-Sitio Florbela). We correlated the morphometric characteristics of the bees with the pollen load transported. Four colonies from each species were installed in the three areas. We recorded light, wind speed, humidity, and temperature and counted the foragers returning with nectar, pollen, and resin. Plebeia droryana and S. bipunctata collected more resin and nectar in with dense vegetation area compared to agricultural area. Scaptotrigona bipunctata collected more pollen in urbanized/forest area and with dense vegetation area, and M. quadrifasciata did not show differences in foraging activity between areas. Plebeia droryana and M. quadrifasciata showed moderate and strong correlations between morphometric characteristics and pollen load. SFB had higher luminosity and wind speed. CDA had higher average temperature. FER had higher humidity. The three species showed positive and negative correlations between temperature and light and foraging in the different areas. Smaller species showed a higher gathering of resources in the area predominantly covered by dense vegetation. The reduction of vegetation cover can affect the resource collection activity of stingless bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Estevan Kraemer de Moura
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ciências Biológicas (Entomologia), Depto de Zoologia, Centro Politécnico, Univ Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
| | - Márcia Regina Faita
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais, Univ Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Juliano Garcia Bertoldo
- Depto de Diagnóstico E Pesquisa Agropecuária, Centro de Pesquisa Do Litoral Norte, Maquiné, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Felipe Andrés León Contrera
- Lab de Biologia e Ecologia de Abelhas - LaBee, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Univ Federal Do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
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2
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Straub L, Sittisorn T, Butdee J, Promsart W, Rueangwong A, Camenzind D, Maitip J. Age-dependent hypopharyngeal gland size and protein content of stingless bee workers, Tetragonula pagdeni. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0308950. [PMID: 39150928 PMCID: PMC11329107 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Eusocial insects, such as stingless bees (Meliponini), depend on division of labour, overlapping generations, and collaborative brood care to ensure the functionality and success of their colony. Female workers transition through a range of age-specific tasks during their lifespan (i.e., age-polyethism) and play a central role in the success of a colony. These age-specific tasks (e.g., brood care or foraging) often closely coincide with key physiological changes necessary to ensure optimal performance. However, our understanding of how nutrition, age, and polyethism may affect the development of such physiological traits in stingless bees remains limited. Here we show that pollen consumption and age-polyethism govern hypopharyngeal gland (HPG) acini size and protein content in Tetragonula pagdeni. By conducting a controlled laboratory experiment we monitored the effect of pollen consumption on worker bee survival as well as assessed how a pollen diet and age affected their HPG acini width and protein content. Further, we sampled nurses and foragers from field colonies to measure the effect of age-polyethism on HPG acini width. We found that pollen consumption enhanced survival and led to increased HPG acini width and protein content and that HPG acini were as expected largest in nurse bees. Our findings highlight the beneficial effects of an adequate diet for physiological development and health in stingless bees and reveal that age-polyethism is the key factor governing HPG size in worker bees. As HPGs are imperative for collaborative brood care-an essential component of eusociality-the data provide a foundation for future studies to investigate the impact of potential environmental stressors on a critical physiological trait in stingless bees which may serve as a proxy to understand the effects at the colony level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Straub
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Rayong, Thailand
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour, Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, United Kingdom
| | - Tanatip Sittisorn
- Faculty of Science, Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Rayong, Thailand
| | - Jinatchaya Butdee
- Faculty of Science, Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Rayong, Thailand
| | - Woranika Promsart
- Faculty of Science, Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Rayong, Thailand
| | - Athitta Rueangwong
- Faculty of Science, Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Rayong, Thailand
| | - Domenic Camenzind
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jakkrawut Maitip
- Faculty of Science, Energy and Environment, King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok, Rayong, Thailand
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3
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Liu Z, Li C, Yang W, Wu Q, Xiao W, Zhu Y, Wei Q, Dong Z, Zhang G, Lu C, Pan M, Chen P. The Bombyx mori singed Gene Is Involved in the High-Temperature Resistance of Silkworms. INSECTS 2024; 15:264. [PMID: 38667394 PMCID: PMC11049829 DOI: 10.3390/insects15040264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Temperature is an important factor in the growth, development, survival, and reproduction of organisms. The high-temperature resistance mechanism of insects may be significant for use in the prevention and control of insect pests. The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is an important Lepidoptera model species for studies on pest control in agriculture and forestry. We identified a gene in B. mori, the B. mori singed (Bmsn) gene, which is involved in the high-temperature resistance of silkworms. Sn proteins are highly conserved among species in many taxonomic groups. The overexpression of the Bmsn gene promoted the proliferation of silkworm cells, reduced oxidation, and reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species under stress. Interfering with the Bmsn gene had the opposite result. We constructed a transgenic B. mori strain that overexpressed the Bmsn gene. The physiological traits of the transgenic strain were significantly improved, and it had stronger high-temperature resistance. The Bmsn gene is involved in the process by which fat bodies respond to high-temperature stress. These findings provide insights into the mechanism of high-temperature resistance of insects and offer a new perspective on agricultural and forestry pest control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenye Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.L.); (C.L.); (W.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.X.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (Z.D.); (C.L.)
| | - Cong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.L.); (C.L.); (W.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.X.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (Z.D.); (C.L.)
| | - Wenyu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.L.); (C.L.); (W.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.X.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (Z.D.); (C.L.)
| | - Qiao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.L.); (C.L.); (W.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.X.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (Z.D.); (C.L.)
| | - Wenfu Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.L.); (C.L.); (W.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.X.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (Z.D.); (C.L.)
- Sericultural Research Institute, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchong 637000, China
| | - Yan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.L.); (C.L.); (W.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.X.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (Z.D.); (C.L.)
| | - Qiongqiong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.L.); (C.L.); (W.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.X.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (Z.D.); (C.L.)
| | - Zhanqi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.L.); (C.L.); (W.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.X.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (Z.D.); (C.L.)
| | - Guizheng Zhang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Sericultural Genetic Improvement and Efficient Breeding, Sericulture Technology Promotion Station of Guangxi, Nanning 530007, China;
| | - Cheng Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.L.); (C.L.); (W.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.X.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (Z.D.); (C.L.)
| | - Minhui Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.L.); (C.L.); (W.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.X.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (Z.D.); (C.L.)
| | - Peng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (Z.L.); (C.L.); (W.Y.); (Q.W.); (W.X.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (Z.D.); (C.L.)
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Alves DA, George EA, Kaur R, Brockmann A, Hrncir M, Grüter C. Diverse communication strategies in bees as a window into adaptations to an unpredictable world. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219031120. [PMID: 37279263 PMCID: PMC10268221 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219031120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Communication is a fundamental feature of animal societies and helps their members to solve the challenges they encounter, from exploiting food sources to fighting enemies or finding a new home. Eusocial bees inhabit a wide range of environments and they have evolved a multitude of communication signals that help them exploit resources in their environment efficiently. We highlight recent advances in our understanding of bee communication strategies and discuss how variation in social biology, such as colony size or nesting habits, and ecological conditions are important drivers of variation in communication strategies. Anthropogenic factors, such as habitat conversion, climate change, or the use of agrochemicals, are changing the world bees inhabit, and it is becoming clear that this affects communication both directly and indirectly, for example by affecting food source availability, social interactions among nestmates, and cognitive functions. Whether and how bees adapt their foraging and communication strategies to these changes represents a new frontier in bee behavioral and conservation research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise A. Alves
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Lausanne,13418-900Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Ebi A. George
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore, University of Lausanne, Bristol1015, Switzerland
| | - Rajbir Kaur
- School of Biological Sciences, University of BristolBS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
| | - Axel Brockmann
- National Centre for Biological Sciences – Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru560065, India
| | - Michael Hrncir
- Department of Physiology, Bioscience Institute, University of São Paulo05508-090São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Christoph Grüter
- School of Biological Sciences, University of BristolBS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
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5
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Abstract
Stingless bees form perennial colonies of honey-making insects. The >600 species of stingless bees, mainly Neotropical, live throughout tropical latitudes. Foragers influence floral biology, plant reproduction, microbe dispersal, and diverse ecosystem functions. As tropical forest residents since the upper Cretaceous, they have had a long evolutionary history without competition from honey bees. Most stingless bees are smaller than any Apis species and recruit nest mates to resources, while their defense strategies exclude stinging behavior but incorporate biting. Stingless bees have diversified ecologically; excel in nesting site selection and mutualisms with plants, arthropods, and microbes; and display opportunism, including co-opting plant defenses. As their biology becomes better known, applications to human endeavors are imposing selective pressures from exploitation and approaches to conservation that entail colony extraction from wildlands. Although some meliponines can adjust to new conditions, their populations shall require tropical diversity for survival and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Roubik
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Republic of Panamá;
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6
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Walters J, Zavalnitskaya J, Isaacs R, Szendrei Z. Heat of the moment: extreme heat poses a risk to bee-plant interactions and crop yields. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 52:100927. [PMID: 35500861 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Extreme heat events threaten the development, functioning, and success of bee pollinators and crops that rely on pollinators for high yields. While direct effects of extreme heat and climate warming have gained more attention, the indirect effects on bees and crops remain largely unexplored. Extreme heat can directly alter the nutritional value of floral rewards, which indirectly contributes to lower bee survival, development, and reproduction with implications for pollination. Phenological mismatches between bee activity and crop flowering are also expected. Heat-stressed crop plants with reduced floral rewards may reduce bee foraging and nesting, limiting pollination services. Understanding how extreme heat affects bee-crop interactions will be essential for resilient production of pollinator-dependent crops in this era of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Walters
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
| | | | - Rufus Isaacs
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Zsofia Szendrei
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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Santos CF, Acosta AL, Halinski R, Souza‐Santos PD, Borges RC, Gianinni TC, Blochtein B. The widespread trade in stingless beehives may introduce them into novel places and could threaten species. J Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Charles Fernando Santos
- Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução da Biodiversidade Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - André Luis Acosta
- Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de BiociênciasLaboratório de Ecologia de Paisagens e Conservação ‐ LEPACUniversidade de São Paulo São Paulo Brazil
| | - Rosana Halinski
- Escola Politécnica Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Patrick Douglas Souza‐Santos
- Departamento de Biologia Laboratório de Biologia do Desenvolvimento de Abelhas Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto Universidade de São Paulo Ribeirão Preto Brazil
| | - Rafael Cabral Borges
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale Belém Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Pará Belém Brazil
| | | | - Betina Blochtein
- Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução da Biodiversidade Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
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8
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Maebe K, Hart AF, Marshall L, Vandamme P, Vereecken NJ, Michez D, Smagghe G. Bumblebee resilience to climate change, through plastic and adaptive responses. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:4223-4237. [PMID: 34118096 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Bumblebees are ubiquitous, cold-adapted eusocial bees found worldwide from subarctic to tropical regions of the world. They are key pollinators in most temperate and boreal ecosystems, and both wild and managed populations are significant contributors to agricultural pollination services. Despite their broad ecological niche at the genus level, bumblebee species are threatened by climate change, particularly by rising average temperatures, intensifying seasonality and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. While some temperature extremes may be offset at the individual or colony level through temperature regulation, most bumblebees are expected to exhibit specific plastic responses, selection in various key traits, and/or range contractions under even the mildest climate change. In this review, we provide an in-depth and up-to-date review on the various ways by which bumblebees overcome the threats associated with current and future global change. We use examples relevant to the fields of bumblebee physiology, morphology, behaviour, phenology, and dispersal to illustrate and discuss the contours of this new theoretical framework. Furthermore, we speculate on the extent to which adaptive responses to climate change may be influenced by bumblebees' capacity to disperse and track suitable climate conditions. Closing the knowledge gap and improving our understanding of bumblebees' adaptability or avoidance behaviour to different climatic circumstances will be necessary to improve current species climate response models. These models are essential to make correct predictions of species vulnerability in the face of future climate change and human-induced environmental changes to unfold appropriate future conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Maebe
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Alex F Hart
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Leon Marshall
- Agroecology Lab, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Vandamme
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Denis Michez
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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de Paula GT, Menezes C, Pupo MT, Rosa CA. Stingless bees and microbial interactions. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 44:41-47. [PMID: 33271364 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Stingless bees (Meliponini) are a monophyletic group of eusocial insects inhabiting tropical and subtropical regions. These insects represent the most abundant and diversified group of corbiculate bees. Meliponini mostly rely on fermentation by symbiont microbes to preserve honey and transform pollen in stored food. Bee nests harbor diverse microbiota that includes bacteria, yeasts, filamentous fungi, and viruses. These microorganisms may interact with the bees through symbiotic relationships, or they may act as food for the insects, or produce biomolecules that aid in the biotransformation of bee products, such as honey and bee bread. Certain microbial species can also produce antimicrobial compounds that inhibit opportunistic bee pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Toninato de Paula
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Cristiano Menezes
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Embrapa Meio Ambiente, Jaguariúna, SP, Brazil
| | - Mônica Tallarico Pupo
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Carlos Augusto Rosa
- Departamento de Microbiologia, ICB, C.P. 486, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil.
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Maia-Silva C, Limão AAC, Silva CI, Imperatriz-Fonseca VL, Hrncir M. Stingless Bees (Melipona subnitida) Overcome Severe Drought Events in the Brazilian Tropical Dry Forest by Opting for High-Profit Food Sources. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 49:595-603. [PMID: 32103461 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-019-00756-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In the Brazilian Tropical Dry Forest, the Caatinga, stingless bees (Apidae, Meliponini) need to adjust their foraging behavior to a very short and unpredictable blooming period. Melipona subnitida Ducke 1910 is one of the few meliponine species adapted to the environmental peculiarities of this biome. To get an insight into how these highly eusocial bees are able to maintain their perennial colonies despite extended periods of food scarcity, we asked the following questions: (1) At which plant species do colonies of M. subnitida collect their food during the rainy season? And (2) are there any plant species during the dry season, from which the colonies may profit for replenishing their food stores? During 1 year, we collected monthly honey and pollen samples from recently built storage pots of five colonies of M. subnitida and identified the botanical origin of the collected resources. In the course of our study, the colonies foraged at native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous species, demonstrating the importance of all plant strata for the bees' diet. Profitable plants, which bloom mainly during the rainy season and usually produce a great number of flowers, were frequently sampled in new pots throughout the entire study, even during the dry season. From our results, we compiled a list of the most important plant species providing floral resources for bees throughout the year, including periods of drought. We recommend these plants for restoration areas to improve the conservation of native bee species and local beekeeping in the Brazilian Tropical Dry Forest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Maia-Silva
- Univ Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, Brasil.
- Univ Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.
| | - A A C Limão
- Univ Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, Brasil
| | - C I Silva
- Univ de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
- Univ do Estado de São Paulo, Rio Claro, SP, Brasil
| | - V L Imperatriz-Fonseca
- Univ Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, Brasil
- Univ de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - M Hrncir
- Univ Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, Brasil
- Univ de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
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11
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Koethe S, Fischbach V, Banysch S, Reinartz L, Hrncir M, Lunau K. A Comparative Study of Food Source Selection in Stingless Bees and Honeybees: Scent Marks, Location, or Color. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:516. [PMID: 32435253 PMCID: PMC7218124 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In social bees, the choice of food sources is based on several factors, including scent marks, color, and location of flowers. Here, we used similar setups, in which two stingless bee species, Melipona subnitida and Plebeia flavocincta, and the Western honeybee, Apis mellifera, were tested regarding the importance of chemical cues, color cues, and location-dependent cues for foraging behavior. It was determined whether workers chose food sources according to (1) scent marks deposited by conspecifics, (2) the color hue of a food source, (3) the trained location or the proximity of a food source to the hive. All three species preferred the scent-marked over an unmarked feeder that was presented simultaneously, but M. subnitida showed a weaker preference compared to the other species. When trained to blue feeders all three bee species preferred blue, but A. mellifera showed the strongest fidelity. The training to yellow feeders led to less distinct color choices. Only workers of M. subnitida mostly orientated at the training position and the close proximity to the nest. Whether the distance of a feeding site influenced the choice was dependent on the tested parameter (color or scent marks) and the species. Workers of M. subnitida preferably visited the feeder closer to the nest during the scent mark trials, but choose randomly when tested for color learning. Worker honeybees preferred the closer feeding site if trained to yellow, but not if trained to blue, and preferred the more distant feeder during the scent mark trials. Workers of P. flavocincta preferred the closer feeder if trained to blue or yellow, and preferred the more distant feeder during the scent mark trials. The disparity among the species corresponds to differences in body size. Smaller bees are known for reduced visual capabilities and might rely less on visual parameters of the target such as color hue, saturation, or brightness but use scent cues instead. Moreover, the dim-light conditions in forest habitats might reduce the reliability of visual orientation as compared to olfactory orientation. Honeybees showed the most pronounced orientation at floral color cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Koethe
- Institute of Sensory Ecology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Vivian Fischbach
- Institute of Sensory Ecology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sarah Banysch
- Institute of Sensory Ecology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lara Reinartz
- Institute of Sensory Ecology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michael Hrncir
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, Brazil
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Klaus Lunau
- Institute of Sensory Ecology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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12
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Souza-Junior JBF, Teixeira-Souza VHDS, Oliveira-Souza A, de Oliveira PF, de Queiroz JPAF, Hrncir M. Increasing thermal stress with flight distance in stingless bees (Melipona subnitida) in the Brazilian tropical dry forest: Implications for constraint on foraging range. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 123:104056. [PMID: 32387237 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The thoracic temperature (TTX) of foraging bees usually exceeds ambient air temperatures (TAIR) by several degrees. In hot tropical climate zones, therefore, individuals may reach body temperatures close to their critical thermal maxima, which might constrain their activity. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that thermal stress increases with flight distance in nectar foragers of M. subnitida, a stingless bee species native to the hottest regions of the Brazilian tropical dry forest. Using infrared thermography, we recorded the body surface temperature of individuals foraging at distances of 15, 50, and 100 m. Closest to the nests, foragers stabilized TTX at 40 °C when collecting sugar solution at TAIR > 30 °C. The simultaneous decrease of the temperature excess ratio of head and abdomen suggests evaporative cooling at these body parts. With increasing foraging distance, foragers increased heat dissipation to the head and abdomen. Thus, despite more intensive heating of the thorax due to faster and longer flights, the bees maintained similar TTX as foragers at close feeding sites. However, at TAIR > 30 °C, bees could no longer compensate the elevated heat gain at the head (50 m) and abdomen (50, 100 m), which caused an increasing temperature excess in these body parts. Thus, foragers of M. subnitida suffer overheating of the head and abdomen instead of the thorax when foraging in high temperatures at far feeding sites. Consequently, to avoid heat stress in the Brazilian tropical dry forest, the bees should forage close to the nest.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Batista Freire Souza-Junior
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Avenida Francisco Mota, 575, Presidente Costa e Silva, Mossoró, RN 59625-900, Brazil.
| | - Vinício Heidy da Silva Teixeira-Souza
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Avenida Francisco Mota, 575, Presidente Costa e Silva, Mossoró, RN 59625-900, Brazil; Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Avenida Mister Hull, s/n, Campus do Pici, Fortaleza, CE 60440-900, Brazil.
| | - Aline Oliveira-Souza
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Avenida Francisco Mota, 575, Presidente Costa e Silva, Mossoró, RN 59625-900, Brazil.
| | - Paloma Fernandes de Oliveira
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Avenida Francisco Mota, 575, Presidente Costa e Silva, Mossoró, RN 59625-900, Brazil; Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Avenida Mister Hull, s/n, Campus do Pici, Fortaleza, CE 60440-900, Brazil.
| | - João Paulo Araújo Fernandes de Queiroz
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Roraima, BR 174 - Km 12, Distrito de Monte Cristo, Boa Vista, RR 69301-970, Brazil; Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Avenida Mister Hull, s/n, Campus do Pici, Fortaleza, CE 60356-000, Brazil.
| | - Michael Hrncir
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Avenida Francisco Mota, 575, Presidente Costa e Silva, Mossoró, RN 59625-900, Brazil; Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, trav. 14, 321, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-090, Brazil.
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Harano KI, Maia-Silva C, Hrncir M. Adjustment of fuel loads in stingless bees (Melipona subnitida). J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2020; 206:85-94. [PMID: 31955221 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-019-01398-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Eusocial bee foragers leave their nest with nectar as flight fuel, therewith reducing the risk of starvation during a foraging trip. Yet, the extra mass results in an increase of energetic expenditure for flight. Thus, bees should tune their fuel loads to the respective foraging situation. In the present study, we investigated the fuel adjustment in the Brazilian stingless bee Melipona subnitida (Apidae, Meliponini). Specifically, we examined whether foragers of this species increase their fuel loads when they have low expectation for nectar collection during a foraging trip. Crop load measurements revealed that nectar foragers carried significantly less fuel on departing the nest than foragers collecting either pollen, clay, or resin. Surprisingly, 75% of nectar foragers left the nest without any detectable amount of nectar, which suggests that the majority of bees collected at nearby nectar sources and avoided an increase in foraging costs. Moreover, foragers increased their fuel loading when repeatedly experiencing empty food sources that had previously been rewarding. These results support our hypothesis and demonstrate that the capability of fuel adjustment is not restricted to honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken-Ichi Harano
- Honeybee Science Research Center, Tamagawa University, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8610, Japan.
| | - Camila Maia-Silva
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, 59625-900, Brazil.,Departamento de Zootecnia, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, 60440-900, Brazil
| | - Michael Hrncir
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, 59625-900, Brazil.,Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil
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