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Nesting biology of the leafcutting bee Megachile (Pseudocentron) gomphrenoides (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in an agro-ecosystem

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Abstract

The nesting biology of the leafcutting bee Megachile (Pseudocentron) gomphrenoides Vachal (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) was studied in an agro-ecosystem in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Data were obtained from trap-nests placed in the field margin during two agricultural years (2008/2009 and 2009/2010). Females made an average of 7.55 cells per nest, and used leaves of at least three plant species to build their nests. Provisions of cells were principally of Asteraceae pollen. Adult emergence showed a bimodal pattern suggesting a facultative bivoltinism life cycle. Approximately, 30 % of all offspring failed to complete development to the adult stage and an additional 10 % were killed by natural enemies. These included parasitic wasps (Eulophidae: Melittobia and Horismenus), a cleptoparasite bee (Megachilidae: Coelioxys), and a bristle beetle (Meloidae: Tetraonyx). The host/cleptoparasite association between M. gomphrenoides and Coelioxys remissa constitutes the first such record for both species, and the Megachile–Tetraonyx interaction was previously unknown. M. gomphrenoides possesses some characteristics that make it an interesting potential opportunity to use this species for pollination of commercial sunflowers in the Pampean region.

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Acknowledgments

To J. J. Martinez for the determination of Melittobia and Horismenus, H.J. Marrero and V. Fernández Corujo for unpublished data of interaction Tetraonyx and floral host. The manuscript benefited from critical reading by John L. Neff and two anonymous reviewers. Field work was supported by ANPCyT (PICT 08-12504 and 0851), Argentina. JPT is affiliated with CONICET.

Biologie de la nidification de l’abeille découpeuse de feuilles Megachile (Pseudocentron) gomphrenoides (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) dans un agro-écosystème.

Abeilles solitaires / nid piège / pollinisation / Argentine

Nestbiologie der Blattschneiderbiene Megachile (Pseudocentron) gomphrenoides (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)in einem Agrar-Ökosystem.

Solitärbiene / Fallennest / Bestäubung / Argentinien

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Agronomía, Cátedra de Botánica Agrícola, UBA. Av. San Martín 4453, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Juan Pablo Torretta

  2. División Entomología, Museo de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, B1900DNG, La Plata, Argentina

    Silvana Patricia Durante & María Guadalupe Colombo

  3. Cunicultura y Apicultura, Facultad de Agronomía, Cátedra de Avicultura, UBA. Av. San Martín 4453, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Alicia Mabel Basilio

  4. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Juan Pablo Torretta

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  1. Juan Pablo Torretta
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  2. Silvana Patricia Durante
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  4. Alicia Mabel Basilio
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Correspondence to Juan Pablo Torretta.

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Manuscript editor: James Nieh

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Torretta, J.P., Durante, S.P., Colombo, M.G. et al. Nesting biology of the leafcutting bee Megachile (Pseudocentron) gomphrenoides (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in an agro-ecosystem. Apidologie 43, 624–633 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-012-0137-x

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