Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T05:48:11.916Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

OVARIAN DEVELOPMENT OF QUEEN AND WORKER BUMBLE BEES (HYMENOPTERA: APIDAE) IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

K. W. Richards
Affiliation:
Research Station, Agriculture Canada, Lethbridge, Alberta

Abstract

Oocytes of queen bumble bees from southern Alberta were partly developed when the queens emerged from hibernation in the spring. Early emerging species had less autumnal ovariole development and fed longer in spring before establishing a nest than did later emerging species. The main increase in oocyte size was synchronous with the finding of a suitable nest. The mean length of the largest oocyte for workers for all species was small, less than 0.7 mm, clearly indicating that workers contribute few males to the population.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1977

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alford, D. V. 1969. A study of the hibernation of bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Bombidae) in southern England. J. Anim. Ecol. 38: 149170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cumber, R. A. 1949. The biology of bumblebees, with special reference to the production of the worker caste. Trans. Roy. ent. Soc. Lond. 100: 145.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cumber, R. A. 1954. The life-cycle of bumble-bees in New Zealand. N.Z. J. Sci. Technol. 36: 95107.Google Scholar
Free, J. B. and Butler, C. G.. 1959. Bumblebees. Collins, London. 208 pp.Google Scholar
Friden, F. 1966. Some studies on bumblebees in captivity. Bee World Suppl. 47: 151166.Google Scholar
Hobbs, G. A., Virostek, J. F., and Nummi, W. O.. 1960. Establishment of Bombus spp. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in artificial domiciles in southern Alberta. Can. Ent. 92: 868872.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holm, S. N. 1960. Experiments on the domestication of bumblebees (Bombus Latr.) in particular B. lapidarius L. and B. terrestris L. Yb. Roy. Vet. Agric. Coll. (Copenhagen), pp. 119.Google Scholar
Holm, S. N. 1965. The emergence of bumblebee queens (Bombus Latr.) under controlled conditions. Vea. Pr. Vysk. Ustavu. Vcelarskeho v. Dole, pp. 7983.Google Scholar
Hopkins, C. R. 1964. The histochemistry and fine structure of the accessory nuclei in Bombus terrestris. Ql. J. microsc. Sci. 105: 475480.Google Scholar
Hopkins, C. R. and King, P. E.. 1964. Occurrence of microvilli and micropinocytosis trophocyte of Bombus. Nature (Lond.) 204: 298299.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hopkins, C. R. and King, P. E.. 1966. An electron microscopical and histochemical study of the oocyte periphery in Bombus terrestris during vitellogenesis. J. Cell Sci. 1: 201216.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Medler, J. T. 1962. Development and absorption of eggs in bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Can. Ent. 94: 825833.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miyamoto, S. 1960. Biological studies on Japanese bees XIII. Observations on the behavior of Bombus diversus Smith. Insectes soc. 7: 3956.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Poinar, G. and van der Lann, P.. 1972. Morphology and life history of Sphaerularia bombi. Nematologica 18: 239252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Palm, N. B. 1948. Normal and pathological histology of the ovaries in Bombus Latr. (Hymenoptera). Opusc. ent. Suppl. 7. 101 pp.Google Scholar
Richards, K. W. 1973. Biology of Bombus polaris Curtis and B. hyperboreus Schönherr at Lake Hazen, Northwest Territories (Hymenoptera: Bombini). Quaest. ent. 9: 115157.Google Scholar
Richards, O. W. 1946. Observations on Bombus agrorum (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Bombidae). Proc. Roy. ent. Soc. Lond. 21: 6671.Google Scholar
Röseler, P. F. 1974. Vergleichende Untersuchungen sur Oogenese bei weiselrichtigen and weisellosen Arbeitrerinnen der Hummelart Bombus terrestris L. Insectes soc. 21: 249274.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Szabo, T. I. and Pengelly, D. H.. 1973. The over-wintering and emergence of Bombus (Pyrobombus) impatiens (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in southern Ontario. Insectes soc. 20: 125132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wheeler, W. M. 1922. Social life among the insects. Constable, London. 375 pp.Google Scholar
Zucchi, R. 1973. Aspectos bionômicos de Exomalopsis aureopilosa e Bombus atratus incluindo consideracões sobre e evolucão do compartmento social (Hymenoptera-Apoidea). Ph.D. Thesis, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (S.P.). 172 pp.Google Scholar