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FORAGING DYNAMICS OF PEPONAPIS PRUINOSA (HYMENOPTERA: ANTHOPHORIDAE) ON PUMPKIN (CUCURBITA PEPO) IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

D. Susan Willis  and
Peter G. Kevan
D. Susan Willis
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
Peter G. Kevan*
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
*
2 Author to whom reprint requests should be addressed.
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Abstract

A large population of Peponapis pruinosa, a solitary, oligolectic, ground-nesting bee and important pollinator of cucurbits in the United States and Mexico, was studied foraging on pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) at a site in Cambridge, Ontario, from 23 July to 30 August 1990. We measured the diurnal and seasonal foraging trends for P. pruinosa and compared our findings with those for P. pruinosa elsewhere. The females are active on flowers in the mornings from dawn on. The males are active later in the mornings and spend afternoons and nights in closed flowers. The seasonal emergence of the bees closely parallels that of the plants’ anthesis. Diurnal activity is related to the availability of pollen resources on the flowers of C. pepo. Almost all pollen is removed from the synandria within 2 h of the start of foraging by female bees. Ambient temperature threshold for foraging by both sexes is about 10 °C.

Résumé

Une importante population de l’abeille de terre solitaire oligolectique, Peponapis pruinosa, un pollinisateur actif des cucurbitacés aux États-Unis et au Mexique, a visité une culture de citrouilles (Cucurbita pepo) à Cambridge, Ontario, du 23 juillet au 30 août 1990. Nous avons mesuré les tendances quotidiennes et saisonnière de l’alimentation de l’abeille et avons comparé nos résultats à ceux de recherches effectuées à d’autres endroits. Les femelles sont présentes sur les fleurs le matin, dès l’aube. Les mâles sont actifs plus tard le matin et passent leur après-midi et leur nuit à l’intérieur des inflorescences refermées. L’émergence saisonnière des abeilles correspond étroitement à l’anthèse de la plante. L’activité diurne est reliée à la disponibilité du pollen sur les fleurs de C. pepo. Presque tout le pollen est prélevé des synandres en moins de 2 h lorsque les femelles procèdent à leur quête de nourriture. Le seuil inférieur de température ambiante de l’alimentation est d’environ 10 °C, aussi bien chez les mâles que chez les femelles.

[Traduit par la Rédaction]

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 127 , Issue 2 , April 1995 , pp. 167 - 175
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1995

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Footnotes

1

For this paper, Mark L. Winston acted as Scientific Editor.

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