Ovary activation does not correlate with pollen and nectar foraging specialization in the bumblebee Bombus impatiens

Biology, Genetic Diversity, and Conservation of Wild Bees in Tree Fruit Orchards

Different species of bees provide essential ecosystem services by pollinating various agricultural crops, including tree fruits. Many fruits and nuts depend on insect pollination, primarily by wild and managed bees. In different geographical regions where orchard crops are grown, fruit growers rely on wild bees in the farmscape and use orchard bees as alternative pollinators. Orchard crops such as apples, pears, plums, apricots, etc., are mass-flowering crops and attract many different bee species during their bloom period. Many bee species found in orchards emerge from overwintering as the fruit trees start flowering in spring, and the active duration of these bees aligns very closely with the blooming time of fruit trees. In addition, most of the bees in orchards are short-range foragers and tend to stay close to the fruit crops. However, the importance of orchard bee communities is not well understood, and many challenges in maintaining their populations remain. This comprehensive review paper summarizes the different types of bees commonly found in tree fruit orchards in the fruit-growing regions of the United States, their bio-ecology, and genetic diversity. Additionally, recommendations for the management of orchard bees, different strategies for protecting them from multiple stressors, and providing suitable on-farm nesting and floral resource habitats for propagation and conservation are discussed.

Spatiotemporal variation in Lepidochelys olivacea sea turtle nests and their influence on the abundance and reproductive phenology of the sapro-necrophagous beetle Omorgus suberosus

The olive ridley sea turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829), nests en masse in the protected natural area of La Escobilla, Mexico. On this beach, Omorgus suberosus (Fabricius, 1775), a sapro-necrophagous beetle, feeds on the sea turtles' decomposing and live eggs and is considered to be a threat for the conservation of L. olivacea. However, the abundance and reproductive phenology of O. suberosus in relation to the spatial and temporal availability of this food resource are unknown. We tested two alternative hypotheses during the 2013-2014 nesting season of L. olivacea: (i) abundance and female reproductive phenology of beetles are determined by the spatial and temporal availability of decomposing eggs that accumulate during the turtle nesting season, and (ii) abundance and female reproductive phenology of beetles are related to the increase in the concentration of seasonal and/or new turtle nests. Twenty-four plots (1 m²) were sampled in three areas with different turtle nesting densities. Spatially, beetle abundance was greater where turtle nest density was high and decomposed eggs were abundant. At the temporal level, old nests (> 45 days after egg deposition) were abundant and the presence of seasonal and new nests (~ 45 or fewer days after egg deposition) appeared to trigger sexual maturation in female beetles. Immature female beetles were more abundant throughout the turtles' nesting season, and mature females were only abundant during the turtle arribadas with the highest number of seasonal nests. We conclude that abundance and female reproductive phenology of O. suberosus females are influenced by the quantity and quality of the resource. These findings are useful to understand the interaction of L. olivacea with other species and to strengthen the conservation plans of this turtle species.