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Plastic nesting behavior of Centris (Centris) flavifrons (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Centridini) in an urban area

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Abstract

Centris flavifrons is a ground-nesting solitary bee species that has an important role in crop and native plant species pollination in the Neotropical region. However, the nesting biology and ecology of this species are little understood. We studied the nesting biology of C. flavifrons by observing 287 nests in an urban garden. Females built nests only during the dry season from September to March and exhibit notable flexibility in the amount of time each nest is active and the number of brood cells produced as a consequence. Nests were established on horizontal, sunny, sandy surfaces without vegetation. Our nest excavations revealed a main tunnel with lateral branches and an average of five cells per nest (range, 1–12 cells). The duration of a nest from digging to closure was on average 6.9 days (range of 2–19 days, n = 141) with 69 % of nests active for 2–7 days. Mesoplia regalis was observed entering the nests and emerged from the cells of C. flavifrons, but the parasitism rate was low. The implications of this flexibility in nest activity duration and brood cell number and the low pressure from parasites are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Carolina Liberal, Jerônimo Kahn Villas-Bôas, Liedson Tavares Carneiro, Renata Marinho Cruz, Rita P. Lima and Vaneide Lopes do Nascimento, for the help in field work; Jim Cane and Kim McFarland for reading the manuscript and constructive criticism; and CAPES and the Brazilian Research Council (CNPq) for their financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia/CCEN, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Universitária, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil

    Celso F. Martins

  2. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia)/CCEN, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Universitária, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil

    Marcella P. Peixoto

  3. Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Av. Transnordestina, s/n, 44036-900, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil

    Cândida M. L. Aguiar

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  1. Celso F. Martins
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  2. Marcella P. Peixoto
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  3. Cândida M. L. Aguiar
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Correspondence to Celso F. Martins.

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Manuscript editor: Klaus Hartfelder

Plasticité du comportement de nidification de Centris (Centris) flavifrons (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Centridini) en zone urbaine

Ecologie / nid souterrain / abeille solitaire / abeille récolteuse d’huile / Mesoplia regalis / Brésil

Flexibilitát im Nistverhalten von Centris (Centris) flavifrons (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Centridini) in einer städtischen Umgebung

Nistökologie / Bodennester / solitäre Bienen / ölsammelnde Bienen / Mesoplia regalis

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Martins, C.F., Peixoto, M.P. & Aguiar, C.M.L. Plastic nesting behavior of Centris (Centris) flavifrons (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Centridini) in an urban area. Apidologie 45, 156–171 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-013-0235-4

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