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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Insect Genetics and Biochemistry Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #225565
Title: Relationship between body size and homing ability in the genus Osmia (Hymenoptera; Megachilidae)

Author
item GUEDOT, CHRISTELLE - UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
item BORSCH, JORDI - CREAF
item Kemp, William - Bill

Submitted to: Ecological Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/16/2008
Publication Date: 2/1/2009
Citation: Guedot, C., Borsch, J., Kemp, W.P. 2009. Relationship between body size and homing ability in the genus Osmia (Hymenoptera; Megachilidae). Ecological Entomology. 34:158-161. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2311.2008.01054.x.

Interpretive Summary: The maximum ability of female bees to return to the nest after being displaced a certain distance is considered an estimate of their maximum foraging distance. We provide data on homing ability and body weight for Osmia lignaria and combine it with data for 5 other Osmia species O. rufa, O. cornuta, O. pedcornis, O. cornifrons, and O. emarginata for analysis. These species are important pollinators of spring and summer flowering plants, and some have been developed as commercial crop pollinoartors. We show that homing ability is positively correlated to body weight. The ecological implications of our results in relation to pollen dispersal in agricultural ecosystems are discussed.

Technical Abstract: The maximum homing ability of female bees, that is, their capacity to return to the nest after being displaced a certain distance, is considered an estimate of their maximum foraging distance. We provide data on homing ability and body weight for Osmia lignaria and combine it with data for 5 other congenerics O. rufa, O., cornuta, O. pedicornis, O. cornifrons, and O. emarginata for analysis. These species are important pollinators of spring-flowering plants, and some have been developed as commercial crop pollinators. We show that homing ability is positively and linearly related to body weight (r² = 0.81; P = 0.01). We discuss the ecological implications of our results in relation to pollen dispersal in agricultural ecosystems.