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The effects of diet, mating duration, female to male ratios, and temperature on ovary activation, mating success, and fecundity of Aethina tumida

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Abstract

The effects of natural diet (brood, pollen, honey, and their various combinations), mating duration (1 day versus 2 days), female (F) to male (M) ratio (1F/1M, 2F/1M, and 1F/2M), and temperature (34 versus 27–29 °C) on ovary activation, mating success, and fecundity of small hive beetles (SHBs) were studied. Our results indicated that regardless of mating duration, (1) a diet of brood, pollen, and honey presented together supported the highest fecundity; (2) intake of protein-rich diets encouraged ovary activation and egg-laying; and (3) diet of honey alone did not encourage ovary activation, mating success, and egg-laying at room temperature. Regardless of the number of males available for mating, egg-laying varied through time. Overall, females that were presented with two males for a 5-day mating period had higher fecundity than females provided with one male or three male partners. High temperature accelerated ovary activation and egg-laying regardless of female to male ratio during a 15-h mating period. Knowledge of these factors that influence fecundity helps elucidate why SHBs are very successful pests of honey bees.

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Acknowledgments

We thank J.A. Stelzer, J. Wales, and G. Delatte for their technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA-ARS, Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Road, Baton Rouge, LA, 70820-5502, USA

    Lilia I. de Guzman, Thomas E. Rinderer & Amanda M. Frake

Authors
  1. Lilia I. de Guzman
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  2. Thomas E. Rinderer
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  3. Amanda M. Frake
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Correspondence to Lilia I. de Guzman.

Additional information

Les effets du régime alimentaire, de la durée de l’accouplement, du ratio femelle/mâle et de la température sur l’activation ovarienne, le succès de l’accouplement et la fécondité d’ Aethina tumida

petit coléoptère des ruches / succès reproducteur / partenaire sexuel / ennemi de la ruche

Auswirkungen der Diät, Paarungsdauer, des Geschlechterverhältnisses und der Temperatur auf die Ovaraktivierung, den Parrungserfolg und die Fekundität von Aethina tumida

Aethina tumida / Fekundität / Ovaraktivierung / Paarungsdauer / Paarungspartner

Manuscript editor: Stan Schneider

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de Guzman, L.I., Rinderer, T.E. & Frake, A.M. The effects of diet, mating duration, female to male ratios, and temperature on ovary activation, mating success, and fecundity of Aethina tumida . Apidologie 46, 326–336 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-014-0325-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-014-0325-y

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