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Learning Ability and Factors Influencing Nest Establishment of the Solitary Bees Osmia Lignaria and Megachile Rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

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Learning Ability and Factors Influencing Nest Establishment of the Solitary Bees Osmia Lignaria and Megachile Rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 5-2010 Learning Ability and Factors Influencing Nest Establishment of the Solitary Bees Osmia lignaria and Megachile rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) Cory A. Vorel Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd Part of the Biology Commons Recommended Citation Vorel, Cory A., "Learning Ability and Factors Influencing Nest Establishment of the Solitary Bees Osmia lignaria and Megachile rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)" (2010). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 557. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/557 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. LEARNING ABILITY AND FACTORS INFLUENCING NEST ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SOLITARY BEES OSMIA LIGNARIA AND MEGACHILE ROTUNDATA (HYMENOPTERA: MEGACHILIDAE) by Cory A. Vorel A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Biology Approved: ______________________________ ______________________________ Michael E. Pfrender Theresa L. Pitts-Singer Major Professor Committee Member ______________________________ ______________________________ William P. Kemp Carl D. Cheney Committee Member Committee Member ______________________________ ______________________________ Edward W. Evans Byron Burnham Committee Member Dean of Graduate Studies UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2010 ii Copyright © Cory A. Vorel All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Learning Ability and Factors Influencing Nest Establishment of the Solitary Bees Osmia lignaria and Megachile rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) by Cory A. Vorel, Doctor of Philosophy Utah State University, 2010 Major Professor: Dr. Michael E. Pfrender Department: Biology Over the last several decades, the use of solitary bees as an alternative to honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) for pollination of commercial crops has increased, in part as a response to ongoing problems faced by commercial honey bee populations. Two solitary bee species have exhibited great commercial potential: the blue orchard bee, Osmia lignaria Say, and the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). However, growth of O. lignaria and M. rotundata populations is limited in commercial systems, mainly due to low establishment of females at provided nesting sites, possibly due to mortality, dispersal, or other causes. Rough handling of pre-emergent bees may possibly contribute to post-emergence dispersal in O. lignaria. The current work addressed this hypothesis by using shaking as a proxy for rough handling. However, shaken bees did not establish fewer nests than unshaken bees. Therefore, commercial fruit growers using O. lignaria as pollinators iv should be able to remove cocoons from their nests as part of their management plan, without fear of increasing bee dispersal. When searching for a nest site, M. rotundata females are known to be attracted to previously used nest materials. The current work verified the attraction of M. rotundata females to old conspecific nests. It also sought to determine which nest components were most attractive to females. It was found that all components were equally attractive. It may be useful to establish these species’ learning abilities in a laboratory setting. The current work attempted to design a conditioning protocol for solitary bees. Initially, a method utilizing the proboscis extension reflex was sought. However, O. lignaria and M. rotundata did not reflexively extend their proboscises upon antennal stimulation with sucrose solution. Therefore, another method of conditioning was implemented. Bees were conditioned to respond to floral odors in a feeding bioassay. Results are compared for both species, as well as for males and females. The research completed for this dissertation may provide helpful information for commercial managers of solitary bees seeking to decrease both bee dispersal and the incidence of disease and parasites. (139 pages) v DEDICATION To my wonderful sons, Malaki and Ethan. You are amazing, despite me. You make me proud every day, and I love you. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank my research advisor, Dr. Theresa Pitts- Singer, for all of her advice, support, and friendship over the past five years. I would also like to thank everyone at the USDA-ARS Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory, without whom my research would have been a spectacular flop. Everyone was always willing to help me with anything I asked: questions about experimental design, advice on greenhouse maintenance, and especially when I needed help with some physical labor. Glen Trostle, Ellen Klomps, Shaila Kalaskar, Ellen Klinger, Craig Huntzinger, Joyce Knoblett, Stephanie Miller, Melissa Weber, Kristal Watrous, Katie Swoboda, Seth Nafziger, Jessica Belcher, Daniel Young, Daniel Sharp, Charles Hutchings, Spencer Banks, Byron Love, Jon Koch, Harold Ikerd, Dr. Jim Cane, Dr. Terry Griswold, Dr. Rosalind James, and Dr. Jamie Strange – thank you all for everything, especially your friendship. Of course, a huge debt of gratitude is owed to all of the undergraduates that helped me through every field season, collecting my data and doing all of the dirty work: Sarah Clark, Nicole Boehme, Michael Barker, Lizie Sharp, Shannon Woolley, and Hannah Turner. Dr. Jordi Bosch provided very helpful input and suggestions on Chapter 2. Sherm Thomson, the management and staff of Zollinger’s Tree Farm, Schoonmaker’s Apple Orchard, and Agpollen, LLC deserve acknowledgment for not just allowing me to conduct my research in their orchards and fields, but for facilitating it. I would also like to acknowledge my fantastic committee. In addition to Theresa, Dr. Mike Pfrender, Dr. Ted Evans, Dr. Bill Kemp, and Dr. Carl Cheney helped me in countless ways, including helping me navigate the waters of graduate school, assisting vii me with experimental design, being incredibly supportive in general, and occasionally even helping me face cold, hard reality. I have received a great deal of financial support while in graduate school, for which I am immensely grateful. The USDA-ARS Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory has given me both research funding and financial support through research assistantships. The USU Department of Biology has provided me with teaching assistantships. The USU School of Graduate Studies supported me with a fellowship during my first year at Utah State. I am also thankful for several scholarships which I have received: the Claude E. Zobell Scholarship, the Seely-Hinckley Scholarship, and the James A. and Patty MacMahon Ecology Scholarship. The Almond Board of California was also kind enough to fund a grant in support of my research. Most of all I would like to thank my husband, Will, my son Malaki, and my son Ethan for all of their sacrifices over the last nine years while I drudged through school. I would like to acknowledge all of my parents for their support: Chris Hennessy and Richard Hurst, Norm and Cindee Stanley, and Dave and Diane Hennessy. My siblings, Mik, Kelly, and Candi, have been great friends to me, always. Many other friends have supported me along the way, too numerous to name here, but appreciated nonetheless. Finally, I would like to thank my sweet, furry friends, who have provided distraction and meaning in my life, as well as a limitless supply of hugs and affection: Shadow, Pat, Bree, Bailey, Puff, and especially Boomer, the dog of my dreams, and Rowdy, king of the basset hounds. Cory Ann Vorel viii CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................. iii DEDICATION .............................................................................................................. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................ vi LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 2. INFLUENCE OF ROUGH HANDLING ON BLUE ORCHARD BEE (OSMIA LIGNARIA) NEST ESTABLISHMENT ............................................................. 13 3. ATTRACTION TO OLD NEST CUES DURING NEST SELECTION BY THE SOLITARY BEE MEGACHILE ROTUNDATA (HYMENOPTERA: MEGACHILIDAE) ........................................................... 34 4. EVALUATION OF THE PROBOSCIS EXTENSION REFLEX IN HYMENOPTERA OF VARIOUS SOCIAL LEVELS UNDER LABORATORY CONDITIONS ....................................................................... 58 5. OLFACTORY CONDITIONING OF THE SOLITARY BEES OSMIA LIGNARIA AND MEGACHILE ROTUNDATA (HYMENOPTERA: MEGACHILIDAE) ........................................................................................... 76 6. CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................ 102 APPENDIX ............................................................................................................... 107 CURRICULUM VITAE ...........................................................................................
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