6.29 Other Insects

Question 1

Give an example of a solitary bee?

Answer 1

The Red Mason Bee (Osmia bicornis)

Question 2

How do Red Mason Bees (Osmia bicornis overwinter)

Answer 2

They hibernate in coccons over winter.

Question 3

What does the Red Mason bee do upon emergence?

Answer 3

Emerge at 12°C. They will mate, buiild nests, collect food and lay eggs over the next few weeks.

Question 4

Describe the nesting habits of Red Mason Bees

Answer 4

Nest in hollow stems of plants or holes formed by wood boring insects. Clay rich mud is good for nests

Question 5

Describe the reproduction of red mason bees

Answer 5

They have one generation of offspring per year. Males emerge 2-4 days before the first feamles. Mating occurs immedalty after famles emerge so males wait around the nest for them. Males die shortly after mating. The females all lay eggs. She forages for pollen and then makes a pollen-nectar loaf in the nest cell which she lays an egg onto. Partions with mud and then seals that brood cell.

Question 6

Does the female red mason bee lay male or female eggs first?

Answer 6

The eggs at the base of the nest are fmeales and males are at the front. Females are more important so are safer from predators.

Question 7

Describe the development of the solitary bee Osmia bicornis?

Answer 7

The larvae take 1-2 weeks to hatch and consume the pollen load. Spin coccon then enter period of dormancy that lasts 3 months. They pupate but remain domrant through witner as adults. Reduce metabolic acitivity till emergnce in spring.

Question 8

How do the red mason bee (solitary bees) interact with honey bees?

Answer 8

They pollinate the same crops

Question 9

Give an example of a Eusocial bee?

Answer 9

Tree bumble bee (Bombus hypnorum)

Question 10

What does the Tree bumblebee queen do upon emergence?

Answer 10

They emerge in Februrary and establish a nest. Nests are above ground in roof spaces, bir dboxes and tree cavities

Question 11

How long do worker Tree bumblebees take to emerge?

Answer 11

6 weeks

Question 12

How big can Tree bumblebee nests be?

Answer 12

150 workers

Question 13

Describe the reproduction of Tree Bumblebees?

Answer 13

New gynes and males are reared towards the end of the nesting period. Males will fly around in groups outside a nest waiting for a queen to mate.

Question 14

How many genegerations of tree bubmlebee occur each year>

Answer 14

1 main one and a partial second gneration can be seen until the end of august.

Question 15

How do Tree Bumblebees interact with honey bees?

Answer 15

They can share diseases such as Nosema and Braula mites. They can compete with each other food food and they do try and rob honey bee nests.

Question 16

Give an example of a solitary wasp?

Answer 16

Bee Walk (Philanthus Traingulum)

Question 17

Describe the reproduction of the Bee Wolf?

Answer 17

Males mate with females but do not help excavate a nest. Males control terriroties where females prefer to nest and produce sex pheremones in these areas.

Question 18

What is the nest of the bee wolf like?

Answer 18

The tunnesl can be a metre in length and they prefer sandy slopes. Chambers along these contain single egg and 4-5 paralyzed bees.

Question 19

Describe the development of the bee wolf larvae

Answer 19

They feed on the bees in their chamber before spinning a coccon. They hibernate and then emerge in the spring. Can hibernate for 9 months.

Question 20

What is the diet of the Bee Wolf?

Answer 20

Adults are herbivorous and feeds on nectar and pollen, the insemianted fmales hunt bees and take to their nest which are carnivorous

Question 21

What is the gland on the Bee Wolfs anteanne for?

Answer 21

produces bacteria which secretes onto the ceiling to amrk the path of her offsrping to elave the nest.

Question 22

Give an example of a Eusocial wasp?

Answer 22

Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Question 23

Describe the emergence behaviour of the Common Wasp

Answer 23

The queen awakes from hiberantion in spring and starts feeding before building a nest. She lays single eggs which become adults in 28-48 days.

Question 24

Describe the nest of the common Wasp

Answer 24

Succssive layers of comb and the nest grows downards.

Question 25

Describe the development of worker wasps

Answer 25

They start by working in the nest and then go out to food gathering. They bring raw food into the nest and feed it ot he larvae. The larvae they release predigested food which sustains the workers

Question 26

Why does the diet of eusocial wasp change over time?

Answer 26

In autumn there are fewer larvae to feed so they start robbing bees in the autumn for liquid food.

Question 27

How do euoscial wasps interact with honey bees?

Answer 27

Predate on them and rob their nests.