Notes on the Biology of Halictus (Halictus) Farinosus Smith (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)
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Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All PIRU Publications Pollinating Insects Research Unit 5-1980 Notes on the Biology of Halictus (Halictus) farinosus Smith (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) William P. Nye Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/piru_pubs Part of the Entomology Commons Recommended Citation Nye, W. P. 1980. Notes on the Biology of Halictus (Halictus) farinosus Smith (Hymenoptera: Halictidae). USDA ARR-W-11/May 1980. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Pollinating Insects Research Unit at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All PIRU Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Notes on the Biology of Halictus (Halictus) farinosus Smith (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) ( u.s. Department of Agriculture <;cience and Education Administration (/\gricultural Research Results. ARR-W-11 IMay 1980 ( This publication is available from the Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory. Natural Resources-Biology Building. UHC 53. Utah State University. Logan. Utah 84322. International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) 0193-3817 Science and Education Administration. Agricultural Research Results. Western Series. No. 11. May 1980 Published by Agricultural Research (Western Region). Science and Education Administration. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Oakland. Calif. 94612 ( ( ABSTRACT Describes the habitat, life history, foraging, social behavior, and nest architecture of the subsocial halictine bee Hal ictus (Hal ictus) farinosus Smith. The interplay of host-plant conditions with nest development and generations is discussed. Natural enemies and other associates are noted but not extensively treated. KEYWORDS: halictine bees, Hal ictus farinosus, host plant conditions, nest develop ment, soil-nesting bees. ( ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank G. E. Bohart, Utah State University, and R. W. Thorp, University of California, Davis, for providing critical comments on the manuscript. ( iii ( CONTENTS Page Introduction ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 1 Nesting sites ..................................... 2 Soils conditions and vegetative cover •••••••••••••• 2 Seasonal activity.. ......................... 3 1976 •• ........................... 3 1977 •• 3 Number of active nests. 4 Foraging ••••••••••••••• .................. 5 Pollen identification •• 5 Markings of foragers •••••• 10 Flight activity ••••••••• 10 Nest architecture ••••••• 12 Tumulus-turret ••••••••••• 13 Main 'b..lrrow •••••••••••.•• 13 ( Brood cells ••••• 14 Prov isions •••••• 17 Egg-to-adult development •••••••••• 17 Dormancy and hibernation •• 19 Predators and parasites ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.• 20 Discussion •• 23 Summary •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 25 Literature cited.... • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 26 Appendix. ...•...•.•....•.•••....... 28 Key to symbols used in illustrations •••• 28 Glossary ................................... 28 ( iv ( NOTES ON THE BIOLOGY OF HALICTUS (HALICTUS) PARINOSUS SMITH (HYMENOPTERA: HALICTIDAE) By William P. Nye 1 INTRODUCTION Hal ictus Latreille is a genus of Columbia and found that the species subsocial, soil-nesting, halictine bees. exhibited practically no variation. The subfamily is character ized ~ the Hal ictus farindsus replaces H. par strongly bent rusal vein of the forewing all el us in the States or portions of and the linear, longitudinal pseudopygi States west of the Continental Di dium of the sixth tergum of the females. f vide. On July 21, 1965, G. E. Bohart The genus Hal ictus has apical hair bands and P. F. Torchio (personal communi ( n the abdominal terga. Hal ictus fari cation) collected H. paral1 el us at nosus Smith is nonmetallic (no blue or Shoshoni, Fremont Co., Wyo., located green coloring), 12 to 14 mm in length, barely east of the Continental Divide. and has apical bands of golden-yellow pubescence on the abdominal terga. Ha No special biological studies l ictus parall el us Say is a closely re have been published on Hal ictus (Ha- lated species with a more easterly dis l ictus) farinosus Smith, rut G. E. tribution in North America. It is Bohart (1952) published a diagram of readily distinguished from H. farinosus a nest of H. farinosus and Stephen et ~ its yellowish wings with infumate ale (1979) commented briefly on its (smoky colored) apices. biology. Roberts (1973) prov ided bi ological data on several species of H. farinosus, as reported ~ Sand Hal ictus. Distributional records house (1941),2 extends from New Mexico (with implied habitat information) and west to California and north to British host plant and flight data are con Columbia and Montana. Sandhouse exam tained in several taxonomic papers ~ ined specimens from New Mexico, Colora Ashmead (1903), Crawford (1902), do, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Neva Roberts (1973), Robertson (1928), and da, California, Washington, and British Vachal (1904). Biological studies have been 1 Research entomologist, retired, pu blis hed on H. (Hal ictus) 1 igatus Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory, Say ~ Chandler (1955), Kirkton Utah State University, Logan. (1968), Litte (1977), and Michener 2The year in italic, when it fol- and Bennett (1977). A brief note lows the author (s)' name, refers to was published on H. paral1 el us Say ( iterature Cited, p. 26. ~ Hungerford and Williams (1912). 1 NESTING SITES Hal ictus farinosus nests in dry long between the road and the dry mesic canyons in mountainous regions, was h. The nest area sloped from 50 on scattered grass and brush-covered to 150 in a southerly direction slopes, or in open woodlands. The nests (f ig. 1). may l:e singly or gregariously situated, a result of site utilization rather than any l:enefits derived from such groupings. My study area was located in Green Canyon, Cache Co., Utah, approximately 3,200 m northeast of the Utah State University campus in Logan. The fol lowing four Green Canyon sites were studied: Site 1·--800 m east of the Cache National Forest (CNF) boundary line on an "island" about 1.5 m wide and 25 m long in the middle of the roadway and on roth sides of the road. Figure 1.--Nesting site 3 on a nar row grass-covered slope between Site 2.--Approximately 1,100 m up the road and the dry wash. Green the canyon from the CNF boundary line Canyon, Utah. on the north side of the road in an area about 10 by 22 m. Site 4.--2,400 ill up the canyon from the CNF boundary line on the Site 3.--1,600 m up the canyon eas tern edge of the road and along from the CNF boundary line on a narrow the hard packed trails, an area of slope a bout 2 to 3 m wide and 30 m approximately 40 by 60 m. SOILS CONDITIONS AND VEGETATIVE COVER The soil at the four nesting sites crumble and ruin cells in the nest was classified as Millville Silt Loam. dissection. The surface did not The physical characteristics of the crack when dry, rut when disturbed, soil from the nesting sites in Green formed a fine dust. During rains, Canyon were analyzed as follows: fine the water was rapidly absorbed. The to very fine sand, 37 percent; silt, 50 only large cav ities in the soil were percent; clay, 13 percent; pH, 8.1. The those made ~ bees, ants, tiger humus content seemed to be low, except beetle larvae, and root decornpos i- in the top 7 to 10 cm where plant roots t ion. The bees seemed to prefer were abundant. The soil, when dry, was rat her dry, compact, and well-drained light gray-brown to a depth of approxi soil along roadsides and trails mately 60 cm. In general, the soil was sparsely covered with short vege hard and quite rocky, except at site 2, tation. which had very few rocks. When moist, the soil was darker in color, easier to During the study, most of the manipulate, but also more likely to soil surface in the four nesting 2 ~ites was covered with sparse growth of ment of nests. Since the vegetation crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum was low and sparse, the nests re (L.) Gaertn.), scattered gum plant ceived very little shading during (Grindelia squarrosa (Pursh) Dunal), and the early part of the day. Many Gray's lomatium (Lomatium grayi (Coult. nests established in the spring were & Rose) Coult. & Rose). The edges of hidden by vegetation as the plants roads, trails, and trampled or partial grew taller, partially shading the ly denuded areas favored the establish- nest by midsummer. SEASONAL ACTIVITY 1976 The second female progeny began flying early in August and were last In 1976, the first overwintering seen flying and taking nectar from females (queens) of Hal ictus farinosus rabbit brush on September 15. These emerged from hibernation on April 1st females were not seen to provision and continued emerging until early May. any cells rut left the nesting area During this period, the bees visited to void wastes, feed, mate, and hi Lomatium grayi for nectar and pollen, bernate. I 0 !:served several success and each individual dug a separate (25 ful matings on 'flowers of rabbit to 45 cm deep) main rurrow. They re brush. mained in the completed burrows (25 to 45 cm deep) for a number of day~ with The firs t male bees were seen out further activity. The first brood flying in late July, and the last cells were constructed in late May and were seen flying and taking nectar early June, 10 to 15 em below the sur- from rabbit brush on September 25. f ace. In guarding the nes t, the bee Male pupae were found in all nests faced the nest entrance. She usually after the emergence of the first assumed the guard position in dim light generation females. a bout 10 to 15 mm below the entrance of the main rurrow. From this position, she could effectively block the entrance with her body and repel any intruder, including the small Leucophora flies (f ig. 2). The first progeny (all females) appeared as adults in late June and early July and became active as workers in the parental nests. As workers, they enlarged the nest, constructed and provisioned cells, and fashioned pollen balls on which the queen laid eggs.