Entomology Commons^™

Creating Sustainable School And Home Gardens: Misconceptions About Bees, Kaitlin U. Campbell, Kathy Cabe Trundle, Rita Hagevik

All Current Publications

Bees are fascinating creatures that play a crucial role in pollination and ecosystem health. However, misconceptions about bees are widespread. Understanding the facts about bees helps us appreciate their significance and take appropriate action to protect them. This fact sheet dispels common myths about bees and explains the facts behind the misconceptions.

Evolutionary Transitions In Social Behavior Are Associated With Convergent And Partially Reversible Expansions Of Transcription Factor Binding Sites, Savanna G. Ploessl, Beryl M. Jones

Entomology Faculty Publications

The evolution of sociality involves shifts in physiology and behavior, most notably the emergence of a reproductive division of labor. Within social colonies, these distinct behavioral phenotypes arise from differential regulation of a shared genome. Changes in transcription factor (TF) binding motifs are one potential mechanism underpinning this plasticity, with prior studies suggesting that social species exhibit expansions in TF binding sites. However, it remains unclear whether motif expansions are reversed when sociality is lost. Here we analyze predicted TF motif occurrences across gene promoters in 42 bee species spanning millions of years of evolutionary divergence and multiple independent gains …

Creating Sustainable School And Home Gardens: The Buzz About Bees, Kaitlin U. Campbell, Rita Hagevik, Kathy Cabe Trundle

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes bees--honey bees and native bees--and the services they provide as pollinators. It describes the threats that bees face, including habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and diseases and parasites. It also outlines ways to help bees.

Preferred Plants And Nectar Collecting Times For Honey Production, David Macfawn, Jennifer M.K. O'Keefe, Sophie Warny, Carol Wymer, June Rampy Ponder

Clemson Extension Publishing

This book addresses three important questions for South Carolina beekeepers – which plants are bees in South Carolina using for nectar forage, when bees collect nectar from those plants, and how can understanding nectar foraging habits inform beekeepers as they work to gather specific types of premium honey? In 2021, the South Carolina Beekeeper’s Association, led by David MacFawn, designed and implemented a statewide pollen study, the first in any state in over fifty years, to answer these questions. Informed by data gathered from 19 apiaries across the state, this book contains the results of that study, including large-scale melissopalynological …

Pollination Synchrony Along A Great Lakes Thermal Gradient, Joe Armstrong

Biology Theses

Pollination is an essential mutualistic interaction between plants and animals. Often agricultural crops rely on successful pollination to provide profitable and nutrient rich harvests. Successful pollination requires synchrony between flowers and pollinators. Western New York with its proximity to the Great Lakes has benefited as a Climate refugia; however, recent climate change and increased temperature variation have threatened regional fruit crops. In this thesis, I explored the synchrony between native pollinators, non-native pollinators, and apple flowering along a coastal to inland gradient for farms in Niagara County. I measured temperature, evaluated apple flower phenology, and harvested pollinators during the Spring …

Land Use Change Consistently Reduces Α- But Not Β- And Γ-Diversity Of Bees., Toby P N Tsang, A A Amado De Santis, Gabriela Armas-Quiñonez, John S Ascher, Eva Samanta Ávila-Gómez, András Báldi, Kimberly M Ballare, Mario V Balzan, Weronika Banaszak-Cibicka, Svenja Bänsch, Yves Basset, Adam J Bates, Jessica M Baumann, Mariana Beal-Neves, Ashley Bennett, Antonio Diego M Bezerra, Betina Blochtein, Riccardo Bommarco, Berry Brosi, Laura A Burkle, Luísa G Carvalheiro, Ignacio Castellanos, Marcela Cely-Santos, Hamutahl Cohen, Drissa Coulibaly, Saul A Cunningham, Sarah Cusser, Isabelle Dajoz, Deborah A Delaney, Ek Del-Val, Monika Egerer, Markus P Eichhorn, Eunice Enríquez, Martin H Entling, Natalia Escobedo-Kenefic, Pedro Maria Abreu Ferreira, Gordon Fitch, Jessica R K Forrest, Valérie Fournier, Robert Fowler, Breno M Freitas, Hannah R Gaines-Day, Benoît Geslin, Jaboury Ghazoul, Paul Glaum, Jose L Gonzalez-Andujar, Adrian González-Chaves, Heather Grab, Claudio Gratton, Solène Guenat, Catalina Gutiérrez-Chacón, Mark A Hall, Mick E Hanley, Annika Hass, Ernest Ireneusz Hennig, Martin Hermy, Juliana Hipólito, Andrea Holzschuh, Sebastian Hopfenmüller, Keng-Lou James Hung, Kristoffer Hylander, Jordi Izquierdo, Mary A Jamieson, Birgit Jauker, Steve Javorek, Shalene Jha, Björn K Klatt, David Kleijn, Alexandra-Maria Klein, Anikó Kovács-Hostyánszki, Jochen Krauss, Michael Kuhlmann, Patricia Landaverde-González, Tanya Latty, Misha Leong, Susannah B Lerman, Yunhui Liu, Ana Carolina Pereira Machado, Anson Main, Rachel Mallinger, Yael Mandelik, Bruno Ferreira Marques, Kevin Matteson, Frédéric Mccune, Ling-Zeng Meng, Jean Paul Metzger, Paula María Montoya-Pfeiffer, Carolina Morales, Lora Morandin, Jane Morrison, Sonja Mudri-Stojnić, Pakorn Nalinrachatakan, Olivia Norfolk, Mark Otieno, Mia G Park, Stacy M Philpott, Gideon Pisanty, Montserrat Plascencia, Simon G Potts, Eileen F Power, Kit Prendergast, Robyn D Quistberg, Davi De Lacerda Ramos, André Rodrigo Rech, Victoria Reynolds, Miriam H Richards, Stuart P M Roberts, Malena Sabatino, Ulrika Samnegård, Hillary Sardiñas, Karina Sánchez-Echeverría, Fernanda Teixeira Saturni, Jeroen Scheper, Amber R Sciligo, C Sheena Sidhu, Brian J Spiesman, Tuanjit Sritongchuay, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter, Katharina Stein, Alyssa B Stewart, Jane C Stout, Hisatomo Taki, Pornpimon Tangtorwongsakul, Caragh G Threlfall, Carla Faleiro Tinoco, Teja Tscharntke, Katherine J Turo, Chatura Vaidya, Rémy Vandame, Carlos H Vergara, Blandina F Viana, Eric Vides-Borrell, Natapot Warrit, Elisabeth Webb, Catrin Westphal, Jennifer B Wickens, Neal M Williams, Nicholas S G Williams, Caleb J Wilson, Panlong Wu, Elsa Youngsteadt, Yi Zou, Lauren C Ponisio, Timothy C Bonebrake

Entomology Faculty Publications

Land use change threatens global biodiversity and compromises ecosystem functions, including pollination and food production. Reduced taxonomic α-diversity is often reported under land use change, yet the impacts could be different at larger spatial scales (i.e., γ-diversity), either due to reduced β-diversity amplifying diversity loss or increased β-diversity dampening diversity loss. Additionally, studies often focus on taxonomic diversity, while other important biodiversity components, including phylogenetic diversity, can exhibit differential responses. Here, we evaluated how agricultural and urban land use alters the taxonomic and phylogenetic α-, β-, and γ-diversity of an important pollinator taxon-bees. Using a multicontinental dataset of 3117 bee …

Repeated Shifts In Sociality Are Associated With Fine-Tuning Of Highly Conserved And Lineage-Specific Enhancers In A Socially Flexible Bee, Beryl M. Jones, Andrew E. Webb, Scott M. Geib, Sheina Sim, Rena M. Schweizer, Michael G. Branstetter, Jay D. Evans, Sarah D. Kocher

Entomology Faculty Publications

Comparative genomic studies of social insects suggest that changes in gene regulation are associated with evolutionary transitions in social behavior, but the activity of predicted regulatory regions has not been tested empirically. We used self-transcribing active regulatory region sequencing, a high-throughput enhancer discovery tool, to identify and measure the activity of enhancers in the socially variable sweat bee, Lasioglossum albipes. We identified over 36,000 enhancers in the L. albipes genome from 3 social and 3 solitary populations. Many enhancers were identified in only a subset of L. albipes populations, revealing rapid divergence in regulatory regions within this species. Population-specific enhancers …

Assessing Health Implications Of Monarch Butterfly Populations And Behaviors, Kira Goldman, Kelsey E. Fisher Dr.

Honors Scholar Theses

Pollinator populations have seen massive declines over the past decade due to anthropogenic activity and climate change posing serious threats to the health of humans and ecosystems (Ulyshen & Horn, 2023). As agents responsible for the production of about 35% of micronutrient rich food crops necessary for adequate nutrition to lead healthful lives and prevent nutrition associated diseases, pollinator decline is a public health concern (Aizen et al., 2009). Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) serve as bio indicators for the health of pollinator populations because of their analogous habitat and food resources shared with many other pollinator species, including bees and …

The Genus Centris Fabricius In Cuba, With A New Record And The Description Of A New Species (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila), Julio A. Genaro, Dayron Breto

Insecta Mundi

Members of the genus Centris Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) constitute a significant component of the Neotropical (including insular) bee fauna, exhibiting high species richness, a moderate to large body size, and extensive interactions with various important plant groups. Females of most species possess specialized morphology adapted for collecting oils from flowers. This study documents the presence of the genus in Cuba, recognizing six species: C. aethiops Cresson, C. cornuta Cresson, C. fulviventris Cresson, C. poecila Lepeletier, C. taina Genaro and Breto new species, and C. tarsata F. Smith. Detailed information is provided for …

Beginner's Guide To Common Native Bees, Cody Zesiger, Elizabeth Cohen, Hannah Jarvis, Lori R. Spears, Ricardo Ramirez

All Current Publications

Utah is a superb place for beginning bee enthusiasts. Over 1,000 species of native bees exist in Utah (Cane, 2015). Southern Utah alone has approximately the same number of bee species as the entire eastern U.S. coast. There are many reasons for appreciating bees and encouraging their presence in the landscape. Specifically, bees are key to a sustainable environment as they are essential pollinators of food and fiber crops. Bees can also be appreciated for their striking diversity in color and size. This fact sheet highlights the different bee species that you may see in Utah.

Insect Floral Visitors Of Red Maple And Tree-Of-Heaven At Potential Risk Of Neonicotinoid Residue Exposure From Spotted Lanternfly Control, Jonathan Elmquist, Kelli Hoover, David Biddinger

The Great Lakes Entomologist

To manage spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula (White)), an invasive planthopper recently introduced to the United States, governmental agencies, homeowners, and landscape professionals may treat its host plants with systemic neonicotinoid insecticides. Neonicotinoids can be harmful to non-target insect floral visitors collecting pollen or nectar. The insect floral visitors of red maple (Acer rubrum L.) or tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.), which are two of the preferred hosts of L. delicatula in Pennsylvania, are often targeted with neonicotinoid applications for control of this pest. To identify the floral visitors of these tree species, we conducted observations and collections of …

Making And Managing Wild Bee Hotels, Ann Mull, Lori R. Spears, Sheriden M. Hansen, Andree' Walker Bravo, Ricardo Ramirez, Jaydee Gunnell

All Current Publications

Bee hotels (also called "bee boxes" and "bee blocks") are popular additions to Utah backyards and commercial agriculture alike, adding nesting habitat to aid local pollination efforts and address native pollinator declines. This fact sheet provides information about the construction, placement, and maintenance of bee hotels. It also addresses monitoring of bee enemies.

Bee Brains: Dissecting Pollinator Behavior And The Importance Of Plasticity In The Face Of Changing Environments, Rachel Brant

Dissertations

All organisms face environmental variability, and much of contemporary biological research aims to understand the mechanisms allowing organisms to adapt and survive in the face of change. Animals residing in urban habitats face particularly high levels of unpredictability and environmental fluctuation due to changes based upon human desire. Though urban areas are considered relatively novel habitats, numerous species have adapted to city life, mediated through behavioral and physiological plasticity. Native bee species show particularly high species richness and abundance in urban settings, but the mechanisms driving this pattern are poorly understood. In this dissertation, I explore how bees employ plasticity …

Descripción De Dos Especies Nuevas De Mesoplia Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apidae) Para Cuba Y Las Bahamas, Con Notas Sobre Taxonomía Y Distribución Del Género En Las Antillas, Julio A. Genaro, Dayron Breto

Insecta Mundi

Se describen e ilustran dos especies nuevas de Mesoplia Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Api­dae) para las Antillas: M. bahamensis Genaro y Breto, nueva especie, conocida solamente del cayo Castaway, Las Bahamas y M. cubensis Genaro y Breto, nueva especie, bien distribuida en toda Cuba e Isla de La Juven­tud. Mesoplia cubensis nueva especie fue una especie multivoltina, que se relacionó con el área de nidos de especies de Centris Fabricius (Apidae), su posible hospedero. Se presentan las características taxonómicas diferenciales y la distribución de las otras cuatro especies antillanas conocidas: Mesoplia sp., no descrita, M. azurea (Lepeletier y Serville), …

Developing Regional Extension Programs And Research Tools For Beekeepers, Sheldon Brummel

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The body of work presented in this thesis describes the development and structure of the Regional Great Plains Master Beekeeping training program, which started in 2019, serves 1500+ beekeepers across five Midwest states (IA, KS, MO, NE, WY), and is supported through local partnerships and beekeepers. This chapter also discusses the leadership structure and aspects I developed for program advancement and long-term sustainability, such as incorporating mentorship and volunteer service goals as well as requiring independent projects to become a certified Master beekeeper. Independent projects may focus on research or teaching goals but must illustrate the candidate’s ability to apply …

Factors Contributing To Bee Decline, Ann Mull, Jaydee Gunnell, Sheriden M. Hansen, Ricardo Ramirez, Andree' Walker Bravo, Cody Zesiger, Lori R. Spears

All Current Publications

Bees provide an important ecosystem service by contributing to the pollination of crop and wild plant species. Many factors have been attributed to bee declines, including habitat loss, improper apiary management, pesticide usage, climate change, pests and pathogens, competition among native and introduced bee species, poor nutrition, and other factors (Koh et al., 2016; Goulson et al., 2015; Graves et al., 2020; Soroye et al., 2020). Acting together, these factors intensify the pressure for survival beyond the adaptability of many species. This fact sheet reviews the factors contributing to decline in bee populations and what can be done to protect …

Effects Of Drought On Habitat Quality For Native Bees In Residential Gardens Of Claremont, Ca, Max Proctor

CMC Senior Theses

Over 1,500 of the 4000 bee species found in North America inhabit California. Native bees are declining however, largely due to climate change and agricultural intensification. Previous research shows that cities can sustain diverse bee communities, due to the diversity of ornamental flowers. Urban green space represents an opportunity for native bee conservation. Residential gardens provide lots of green space and are urban pollinator hotspots. Managing yards for increased floral resources and nesting habitat can benefit native bee communities. Turfgrass provides few floral or nesting resources and negatively correlates with bee diversity. The 2011-2017 California drought caused many homeowners to …

Insect Flower-Visitors Of African Oil Palm Elaeis Guineensis At Different Sites And Distances From Natural Vegetation In Uganda, James Peter Egonyu, Stephen Erisa Sisye, John Baguma, Milton Otema, Gabriel Ddamulira

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

This survey aimed at generating information to guide improvement of oil palm fruit-set in Uganda by testing the hypothesis that diversity and abundance of oil palm insect flower-visitors were influenced by sampling site, distance from natural vegetation and flower sex. Sampling was done on male and female oil palm flowers from (i) five oil palm experimental fields in different districts and (ii) oil palm plantations on Bugala Island on Lake Victoria. The plantations on Bugala Island were subdivided into near (0–15 m) and far (100–200 m) from natural vegetation. We recorded 162,677 insects in 23 morpho-species, dominated by weevils in …

Editorial: Invertebrate Neuroscience: Contributions From Model And Non-Model Species, Maria P. Fernandez, Clare C. Rittschof, Jimena A. Sierralta

Entomology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Establishment Of Pollinator Habitat Within A Livestock Pasture Ecosystem, Roshani Sharma Acharya

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pollinators are important for fertilization, setting fruits, and seed development of more than 78% of the flowering plants that provide food for human beings and other species. Use of pollinators to maximize crop production is a proven agricultural practice; however, it has been less explored in livestock forage production systems. This study investigated pollinator abundance and diversity in pastures using different sampling methods and determined the impact of different pasture management practices on insect pollinators in a livestock pasture ecosystem. In Chapter 2, utility of four different colors of pan trap (blue, green, yellow, and purple) for sampling bees in …

Especies Nuevas De Lasioglossum Curtis De Las Altas Montañas De Las Antillas Mayores Y Estado Actual Del Conocimiento Del Taxon Habralictellus Moure Y Hurd (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Halictidae), Julio A. Genaro

Insecta Mundi

Resumen. Se describen para las Antillas cuatro especies nuevas de Lasioglossum Curtis pertenecientes al taxon Habralictellus Moure y Hurd (Hymenoptera: Halictidae): Lasioglossum (Habralictellus) cuba, Lasio­glossum (Habralictellus) darlingtoni, Lasioglossum (Habralictellus) jagibbsi y Lasioglossum (Habralictellus) laupackeri. Se utiliza como subgénero para mantener la estabilidad taxonómica. Se presenta la historia y el estado actual del conocimiento de Habralictellus, que aún no ha encontrado un lugar justificado y aceptado, al unísono por los especialistas, en la nomenclatura zoológica. Se ofrece un listado de las especies conocidas, sexo y distribución.

Abstract. Four new species of Lasioglossum …

Suitability Of Native Milkweed (Asclepias) Species Versus Cultivars For Supporting Monarch Butterflies And Bees In Urban Gardens [Research Data], Daniel A. Potter

Entomology Research Data

Public interest in ecological landscaping and gardening is fueling a robust market for native plants. Most plants available to consumers through the horticulture trade are cultivated forms that have been selected for modified flowers or foliage, compactness, or other ornamental characteristics. Depending on their traits, some native plant cultivars seem to support pollinators, specialist insect folivores, and insect-based vertebrate food webs as effectively as native plant species, whereas others do not. There is particular need for information on whether native cultivars can be as effective as true or “wild-type” native species for supporting specialist native insects of conservation concern. Herein …

First Records Of Megachile Apicalis (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) For Illinois Found In Heavily Urbanized Areas Within The City Of Chicago, Andrea M. Gruver, Paul J. Caradonna

The Great Lakes Entomologist

We provide the first record of the non-native Megachile apicalis Spinola (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in Illinois. Thirty Megachile apicalis specimens were collected in the summer of 2018 in a highly urban area of Chicago, IL, USA. Our findings suggest that the range of Megachile apicalis appears to be rapidly expanding across North America, inward from both the East and Western Coasts. Megachile apicalis in Chicago has a broad activity period, can take advantage of abundant non-native floral food resources, and has competitive nesting behavior, all of which may facilitate its successful establishment in disturbed urban environments, as well as its continued …

Suitability Of Native Milkweed (Asclepias) Species Versus Cultivars For Supporting Monarch Butterflies And Bees In Urban Gardens, Adam M. Baker, Carl T. Redmond, Stephen B. Malcolm, Daniel A. Potter

Entomology Faculty Publications

Public interest in ecological landscaping and gardening is fueling a robust market for native plants. Most plants available to consumers through the horticulture trade are cultivated forms that have been selected for modified flowers or foliage, compactness, or other ornamental characteristics. Depending on their traits, some native plant cultivars seem to support pollinators, specialist insect folivores, and insect-based vertebrate food webs as effectively as native plant species, whereas others do not. There is particular need for information on whether native cultivars can be as effective as true or “wild-type” native species for supporting specialist native insects of conservation concern. Herein …

The Importance Of Surface Mining As A Landscape Variable In Shaping Wild Bee Communities In Central Appalachian Forests, Amanda Sheryl Dunaway

Online Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic disturbance has led to widespread losses in biodiversity. Native bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) provide essential pollination services and have been declining in abundance dramatically in recent years. One potential cause of these declines is anthropogenic disturbance. Eleven sites were established in Southeastern Kentucky, U.S.A. where surface mining for coal is common. Data was analyzed using generalized linear mixed-effect models to detect the most important landscape scale variables, including mining, in shaping bee communities. Bee species richness was significantly lower on sites that contained surface mines, but abundance was similar between mined and unmined sites. The proportion of each nesting group …

The Effects Of Urbanization On Bee Communities Depends On Floral Resource Availability And Bee Functional Traits., Caleb J Wilson, Mary A Jamieson

Entomology Faculty Publications

Wild bees are important pollinators in many ecosystems threatened by anthropogenic disturbance. Urban development can reduce and degrade natural habitat for bees and other pollinators. However, some researchers suggest that cities could also provide refuge for bees, given that agricultural intensification may pose a greater risk. In this study, we surveyed bee communities at 15 farms and gardens across an urban-rural gradient in southeastern Michigan, USA to evaluate the effect of urbanization on bees. We examined how floral resources, bee functional traits, temperature, farm size, and the spatial scale of analysis influence bee response to urbanization. We found that urbanization …

Host-Plant Specialization And Nesting Biology Of Anthidium Placitum (Megachilidae) In Northwest California, Christopher Pow

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Premise of the study: Although the study of bees and their pollination services has grown immensely in recent years, the natural history of most solitary bee species is still largely unknown. The goal of this study was to contribute to the natural history dossier of a late-season wool carder bee, Anthidium placitum Cresson (Megachilidae), by establishing which plants it uses as sources of nectar and pollen as well as documenting details of its flower-handling behavior, mating behavior, and nesting biology in northwestern California.

• Methods: Field observations were made at five sites in Del Norte, Humboldt, Siskiyou, and Trinity counties. …

Upper Thermal Limits Vary Among And Within Native Bee Species In Relation To Season, Voltinism, And Nest Type, Kálmán K. Csigi Xiv

Theses and Dissertations

Native bees are only recently gaining attention for the extent to which they aid in pollination and ecosystem services. These services are threatened by predictions of warming temperatures if bees are not able to respond. Voltinism - the number of generations produced annually- can strongly influence thermal conditions experienced by both developing and adult bees based on emergence strategies for each voltinism type. Differences in experienced thermal conditions brought on by climate change could therefore affect upper thermal limits (UTL) in bees. This study observes UTLs across a foraging season within and among native bee species vi to elucidate the …

Phylogeny And Population Genetic Analyses Reveals Cryptic Speciation In The Bombus Fervidus Species Complex (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Jonathan B. Koch, Juanita Rodriguez, James P. Pitts, James P. Strange

Ecology Center Publications

Bumble bees (Bombus Latrielle) are significant pollinators of flowering plants due to their large body size, abundant setae, and generalist foraging strategies. However, shared setal coloration patterns among closely and distantly related bumble bee species makes identification notoriously difficult. The advent of molecular genetic techniques has increased our understanding of bumble bee evolution and taxonomy, and enables effective conservation policy and management. Individuals belonging to the North American Bombus fervidus species-complex (SC) are homogenous in body structure but exhibit significant body color phenotype variation across their geographic distribution. Given the uncertainty of the genealogical boundaries within the SC, some …

South American Leaf-Cutter Bees (Genus Megachile) Of The Subgenera Rhyssomegachile And Zonomegachile, With Two New Subgenera (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Víctor H. González, Terry Griswold, Michael S. Engel

All PIRU Publications

Leaf-cutter bees (genus Megachile Latreille) are among the most common and diverse group of bees. However, the identity and taxonomic placement of many species are problematic and species identification is often difficult. Some species are known only from a single specimen or from one of the sexes, and identification keys are not available for many groups. We address these taxonomic issues for the subgenera Rhyssomegachile Mitchell and Zonomegachile Mitchell, two poorly known South American lineages of leaf-cutter bees. We provide comparative diagnoses, redescriptions, illustrated identification keys, new geographical records, and designate needed neotypes for Megachile cara Mitchell, M. gigas Schrottky, …