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Akongte PN, Park BS, Son M, Lee CH, Oh D, Choi YS, Kim D. The Influence of Environmental Factors on Site Selection Augment Breeding Success in Honey Bees: An Insight of Honey Bee Genetic Resource Conservation. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:444. [PMID: 38927324 PMCID: PMC11201093 DOI: 10.3390/biology13060444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Honey bee reproductive behavior involves a complicated mating system that embodies a number of factors, including environmental and human-induced factors. Controlled breeding in isolated mating stations is a prerequisite to maintain the genetic resources of honey bees through natural mating. The concept of controlled mating is a challenge in most beekeeping operations due to its low mating success rate. Therefore, a detailed investigation into the suitability of isolated mating stations is of interest. Thus, we bred two subspecies of honey bees (Apis cerana koreana and Apis mellifera L.) in isolated mating stations (island) from 2021 to 2023 and in an open breeding station in 2023. Our results demonstrate that the highest percentage of the mating success rate in isolated mating stations was recorded in the Wido Island, which had the highest percentage of bare land, coniferous forests, deciduous forests, fields, and mixed forests. The mating success rate was higher in the summer and spring for A. cerana and A. mellifera, respectively. The mating success rate was higher in open mating compared to controlled mating (Island) and did not vary between pure-breeding and cross-breeding lines. Our findings suggested that mating stations with mixed forest and fields are potential sites for the successful breeding of honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Njukang Akongte
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea; (P.N.A.); (B.-S.P.); (M.S.); (C.-h.L.); (D.O.); (Y.-S.C.)
- Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Buea PMB 25, Cameroon
| | - Bo-Sun Park
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea; (P.N.A.); (B.-S.P.); (M.S.); (C.-h.L.); (D.O.); (Y.-S.C.)
| | - Minwoong Son
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea; (P.N.A.); (B.-S.P.); (M.S.); (C.-h.L.); (D.O.); (Y.-S.C.)
| | - Chang-hoon Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea; (P.N.A.); (B.-S.P.); (M.S.); (C.-h.L.); (D.O.); (Y.-S.C.)
| | - Daegeun Oh
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea; (P.N.A.); (B.-S.P.); (M.S.); (C.-h.L.); (D.O.); (Y.-S.C.)
| | - Yong-Soo Choi
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea; (P.N.A.); (B.-S.P.); (M.S.); (C.-h.L.); (D.O.); (Y.-S.C.)
| | - Dongwon Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea; (P.N.A.); (B.-S.P.); (M.S.); (C.-h.L.); (D.O.); (Y.-S.C.)
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Runnion EN, Strange JP, Sivakoff FS. Consumption of pollen contaminated with field-realistic concentrations of fungicide causes sublethal effects in Bombus impatiens (Hymenoptera: Apidae) microcolonies. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2024:nvae049. [PMID: 38801278 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvae049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Bumble bees are declining across the globe. The causes of this decline have been attributed to a variety of stressors, including pesticides. Fungicides are a type of pesticide that has been understudied in the context of bumble bee health. As a result, fungicides are often applied to flowering plants without consideration of pollinator exposure. Recent work demonstrates that fungicides have sublethal effects in bumble bees, but little is known about how much fungicide it takes to cause these sublethal effects. To address this gap in the literature, we fed microcolonies of the common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens CressonHymenoptera: ApidaeHymenoptera: ApidaeHymenoptera: ApidaeHymenoptera: Apidae) pollen contaminated with a range of fungicide concentrations. We chose these concentrations based on the range of fungicide concentrations in pollen and nectar that were reported in the literature. Results revealed that later-stage pupae and newly emerged males are potentially sensitive to fungicide exposure, showing smaller size and reduced fat reserves at intermediate levels of contamination. Compared to the control, intermediated levels of fungicide-contaminated pollen led to increased pupal mortality and delayed male emergence. Contrary to expectations, higher fungicide levels did not exhibit a linear relationship with negative impacts, suggesting nuanced effects. Because body size and emergence timing are important aspects of bumble bee reproductive behavior, results have implications for mating success, potentially disrupting colony development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily N Runnion
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 300 Aronoff Laboratories, 318 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 4321, USA
| | - James P Strange
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 2021, USA
| | - Frances S Sivakoff
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 300 Aronoff Laboratories, 318 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 4321, USA
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Zhang L, Shao L, Raza MF, Han R, Li W. The Effect of Comb Cell Size on the Development of Apis mellifera Drones. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:222. [PMID: 38398731 PMCID: PMC10890408 DOI: 10.3390/life14020222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The growth and development of honeybees are influenced by many factors, one of which is the cell size of the brood comb. Larger worker bees can be obtained by being raised in bigger cells. However, whether cell size has the same effect on drone development is still unknown. Here, using 3D-printed foundations, we observed the development of drones kept in comb cells of different sizes from the late larval stage through eclosion. The results showed that drones in larger cell-size combs had heavier body weights, longer body lengths, and larger head widths, thorax widths, and abdomen widths compared to those in smaller cell-size combs. Furthermore, regardless of developmental stages, the drones' body weights increased linearly with the comb's cell size. However, the other morphological changes of drones in different developmental stages were out of proportion to the cell-size changes, resulting in smaller cells with a higher fill factor (thorax width/cell width). Our findings confirm that comb cell size affects the development of honeybees; drones become bigger when raised in large cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifu Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China; (L.Z.); (L.S.); (M.F.R.); (R.H.)
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Linxin Shao
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China; (L.Z.); (L.S.); (M.F.R.); (R.H.)
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Muhammad Fahad Raza
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China; (L.Z.); (L.S.); (M.F.R.); (R.H.)
| | - Richou Han
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China; (L.Z.); (L.S.); (M.F.R.); (R.H.)
| | - Wenfeng Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China; (L.Z.); (L.S.); (M.F.R.); (R.H.)
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Ramírez-Sánchez LF, Hernández BJ, Guzmán PA, Alfonso-Parra C, Avila FW. The effects of female age on blood-feeding, insemination, sperm storage, and fertility in the dengue vector mosquito Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 150:104570. [PMID: 37806552 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Mating induces behavioral and physiological changes in female insects-collectively referred to as the female post-mating response (PMR)-that facilitate the production of progeny. PMRs are elicited by transfer of male-derived seminal components during mating, but are altered by other factors, including adult age. Increased female age is often accompanied by declines in fertility. However, mating shortly after emergence also impacts fertility in the insect model Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we determined the age post-emergence when females of the vector mosquito Aedes aegypti can be inseminated and blood-feed. We next examined fecundity, fertility, and the storage of sperm in the female reproductive tract in "young" (30-41 hours-old) and "old" (2- and 3-week-old) females, finding that blood-feeding began at 14 hours, and mating at ∼24 hours post-emergence. Although young females consumed smaller blood quantities and stored fewer sperm, they were similarly fertile to 4-day-old controls. Old females, however, suffered significant declines in fecundity by 2 weeks of age. Our results show that female Ae. aegypti start to become sexually receptive 1 day after their emergence, but can ingest blood much sooner, suggesting that mating is not a prerequisite to blood-feeding, and that females can ingest an arbovirus infected blood-meal shortly after emergence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brenda Juliana Hernández
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia; Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Colombia
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
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Li WL, Huang Q, Li JL, Wu P, Wei B, Li XJ, Tang QH, Dong ZX, Xiong J, Tang H, Zhang J, Zhao CH, Cao Z, Chen Y, Zhao WZ, Wang K, Guo J. Gut microbiota-driven regulation of queen bee ovarian metabolism. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0214523. [PMID: 37750696 PMCID: PMC10581225 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02145-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
With the global prevalence of Varroa mites, more and more beekeepers resort to confining the queen bee in a queen cage to control mite infestation or to breed superior and robust queen bees. However, the impact of such practices on the queen bee remains largely unknown. Therefore, we subjected the queen bees to a 21-day egg-laying restriction treatment (from the egg stage to the emergence of adult worker bees) and analyzed the queen bees' ovarian metabolites and gut microbiota after 21 days, aiming to assess the queen bees' quality and assist beekeepers in better hive management. Our findings revealed a significant reduction in the relative expression levels of Vg and Hex110 genes in the ovaries of egg laying-restricted queen bees compared to unrestricted egg-laying queens. The diversity of gut microbiota in the queen bee exhibited a notable decrease, accompanied by corresponding changes in the core bacteria of the microbial community, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium increased from 22.34% to 53.14% (P = 0.01) and from 0.053% to 0.580% (P = 0.04), respectively. The relative abundance of Bombella decreased from 25.85% to 1.720% (P = 0.002). Following egg-laying restriction, the activity of the queen bee's ovaries decreased, while the metabolism of glycerophospholipids remained or stored more lipid molecules, awaiting environmental changes for the queen bee to resume egg laying promptly. Furthermore, we observed that Bombella in the queen bee's gut may regulate the queen's ovarian metabolism through tryptophan metabolism. These findings provide novel insights into the interplay among queen egg laying, gut microbiota, and ovarian metabolism. IMPORTANCE With Varroa mite infestation, beekeepers often confine the queen bee in cages for control or breeding. However, the impact on the queen bee is largely unknown. We evaluated queen bee quality by restricting egg laying and analyzing ovarian metabolites and gut microbiota. In this study, we provided a comprehensive explanation of the expression of ovarian genes, the diversity of gut microbiota, and changes in ovarian metabolism in the queen bee. Through integrated analysis of the queen bee's gut microbiota and ovarian metabolism, we discovered that the gut microbiota can regulate the queen bee's ovarian metabolism. These findings provide valuable insights into the interplay among egg laying, gut microbiota, and the reproductive health of the queen bee. Understanding these relationships can contribute to the development of better strategies for Varroa mite control and queen bee breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Li Li
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan province, China
| | - Qi Huang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan province, China
| | - Jia-Li Li
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan province, China
| | - Ping Wu
- Nanchuan District Livestock, Veterinary and Fisheries Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Bangrong Wei
- Chongqing Nanchuan District Livestock, Veterinary and Fishery Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Xi-Jie Li
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan province, China
| | - Qi-He Tang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan province, China
| | - Zhi-Xiang Dong
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan province, China
| | - Jian Xiong
- Yunnan Zhongfeng Technology Development Co. Ltd., Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Hong Tang
- Chongqing Nanchuan Bee Breeding Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan province, China
| | - Chong-Hui Zhao
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan province, China
| | - Zhe Cao
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan province, China
| | - Yuan Chen
- Pujia Life Technology (Fuzhou) Co., LTD, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wen-zheng Zhao
- Faculty of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Heilongtan, North Suburb, China
| | - Kai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Guo
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan province, China
- Yunnan Zhongfeng Technology Development Co. Ltd., Kunming, Yunnan, China
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Fitzgerald JL, Ogilvie JE, CaraDonna PJ. Ecological Drivers and Consequences of Bumble Bee Body Size Variation. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 51:1055-1068. [PMID: 36373400 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvac093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Body size is arguably one of the most important traits influencing the physiology and ecology of animals. Shifts in animal body size have been observed in response to climate change, including in bumble bees (Bombus spp. [Hymenoptera: Apidae]). Bumble bee size shifts have occurred concurrently with the precipitous population declines of several species, which appear to be related, in part, to their size. Body size variation is central to the ecology of bumble bees, from their social organization to the pollination services they provide to plants. If bumble bee size is shifted or constrained, there may be consequences for the pollination services they provide and for our ability to predict their responses to global change. Yet, there are still many aspects of the breadth and role of bumble bee body size variation that require more study. To this end, we review the current evidence of the ecological drivers of size variation in bumble bees and the consequences of that variation on bumble bee fitness, foraging, and species interactions. In total we review: (1) the proximate determinants and physiological consequences of size variation in bumble bees; (2) the environmental drivers and ecological consequences of size variation; and (3) synthesize our understanding of size variation in predicting how bumble bees will respond to future changes in climate and land use. As global change intensifies, a better understanding of the factors influencing the size distributions of bumble bees, and the consequences of those distributions, will allow us to better predict future responses of these pollinators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacquelyn L Fitzgerald
- Plant Biology and Conservation, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
- Chicago Botanic Garden, Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science & Action, Glencoe, IL 60022, USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
| | - Jane E Ogilvie
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
| | - Paul J CaraDonna
- Plant Biology and Conservation, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
- Chicago Botanic Garden, Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science & Action, Glencoe, IL 60022, USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
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Bratu IC, Igna V, Simiz E, Dunea IB, Pătruică S. The Influence of Body Weight on Semen Parameters in Apis mellifera Drones. INSECTS 2022; 13:1141. [PMID: 36555051 PMCID: PMC9785928 DOI: 10.3390/insects13121141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The quantity and quality of the honey bee drone semen have a significant determination on the performance of bee colonies. The existence of a smaller number of mature drones to participate in the mating of queens, as well as a sufficient number of drones but with poor quality semen can have serious implications for the productivity of bee colonies. Our study aimed to investigate the correlation between two body weight ranges of drones and semen parameters in the Buckfast honey bee, data that could be integrated into the optimization of instrumental insemination in been queens. Semen was collected from two groups of drones with different body weights (200−240 mg and 240−280 mg). Semen volume, semen concentration, motility, morphology and membrane integrity of spermatozoa were analyzed. The phenotype indicator related to body weight in correlation with the main semen parameters studied gives a weak influence or causality ratio. In drones with 240−280 mg body weight, a higher percentage of spermatozoa with abnormal morphology (>9.60%) was recorded, compared to drones with 200−240 mg body weight. The study reveals that a higher weight of honey bee drones is correlated with higher sperm concentration and total number of spermatozoa/ejaculate, with an increase in the percentage of spermatozoa with abnormal morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioan Cristian Bratu
- Faculty of Bioengineering of Animal Resources, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, Calea Aradului No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Violeta Igna
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, Calea Aradului No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Eliza Simiz
- Faculty of Bioengineering of Animal Resources, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, Calea Aradului No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ioan Bănățean Dunea
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, Calea Aradului No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Silvia Pătruică
- Faculty of Bioengineering of Animal Resources, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, Calea Aradului No. 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania
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Chole H, de Guinea M, Woodard SH, Bloch G. Field-realistic concentrations of a neonicotinoid insecticide influence socially regulated brood development in a bumblebee. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220253. [PMID: 36382527 PMCID: PMC9667354 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The systemic neonicotinoid insecticides are considered as one of the key culprits contributing to ongoing declines in pollinator health and abundance. Bumblebees are among the most important pollinators of temperate zone plants, making their susceptibility to neonicotinoid exposure of great concern. We report that bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) colonies exposed to field-realistic concentrations of the commonly used neonicotinoid Imidacloprid grew slower, consumed less food, and produced fewer workers, males and gynes, but unexpectedly produced larger workers compared to control colonies. Behavioural observations show that queens in pesticide-treated colonies spend more time inactive and less time caring for the brood. We suggest that the observed effects on brood body size are driven by a decreased queen ability to manipulate the larva developmental programme. These findings reveal an intricate and previously unknown effect of insecticides on the social interactions controlling brood development in social insect colonies. Insecticide influences on the social mechanisms regulating larval development are potentially detrimental for bumblebees, in which body size strongly influences both caste differentiation and the division of labour among workers, two organization principles of insect societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Chole
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Miguel de Guinea
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - S. Hollis Woodard
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Guy Bloch
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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Zhao H, Liu Y, Zhang H, Breeze TD, An J. Worker-Born Males Are Smaller but Have Similar Reproduction Ability to Queen-Born Males in Bumblebees. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12111008. [PMID: 34821809 PMCID: PMC8622041 DOI: 10.3390/insects12111008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Queen-worker conflict over the reproduction of males exists in the majority of haplodiplioidy hymenpteran species such as bees, wasps, and ants, whose workers lose mating ability but can produce haploid males in colony. Bumblebee is one of the representatives of primitively eusocial insects with plastic division labor and belongs to monandrous and facultative low polyandry species that have reproductive totipotent workers, which are capable of competing with mother queen to produce haploid males in the queenright colony compared to higher eusocial species, e.g., honeybees. So, bumblebees should be a better material to study worker reproduction, but the reproductive characteristics of worker-born males (WMs) remain unclear. Here, we choose the best-studied bumblebee Bombus terrestris to evaluate the morphological characteristics and reproductive ability of WMs from the queenless micro-colonies. The sexually matured WMs showed smaller in forewing length and weight, relatively less sperm counts but equally high sperm viability in comparison with the queen-born males (QMs) of the queenright colony. Despite with smaller size, the WMs are able to successfully mate with the virgin queens in competition with the QMs under laboratory conditions, which is quite different from the honeybees reported. In addition, there was no difference in the colony development, including the traits such as egg-laying rate, colony establishment rate, and populations of offspring, between the WM- and the QM-mated queens. Our study highlights the equivalent reproductive ability of worker-born males compared to that of queens, which might exhibit a positive application or special use of bumblebee rearing, especially for species whose males are not enough for copulation. Further, our finding contributes new evidence to the kin selection theory and suggests worker reproduction might relate to the evolution of sociality in bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiyue Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (H.Z.); (Y.L.); (H.Z.)
| | - Yanjie Liu
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (H.Z.); (Y.L.); (H.Z.)
| | - Hong Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (H.Z.); (Y.L.); (H.Z.)
| | - Tom D. Breeze
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, Reading University, Reading RG6 6AH, UK;
| | - Jiandong An
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; (H.Z.); (Y.L.); (H.Z.)
- Correspondence:
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