
ENT 532 (2024) - observations of a bee hotel at the Arboretum at Penn State
USA: Pennsylvania: Centre Co.: University Park: The Arboretum at Penn State, pollinator garden. 27.viii.2024 A. R. Deans
Are bee hotels ecological traps? This question bounces around in my brain everytime I see one of these structures, especially large hotels. I wonder: do these bee nests exist in higher-than-nature density, and, if so, do they attract more parasitoids and kleptoparasites than natural nests would? Are we doing more harm than good by setting up these bee hotels? To gather preliminary data I carefully observed a bee hotel at the Arboretum at Penn State (40.805528, -77.868667; WGS84) for 10 minutes (2024-08-27T13:26:00/2024-08-27T13:36:00), during hot, sunny weather (approximately 30ºC, calm winds, partly cloudy). I recorded approximately 5 apoid insects (1 Sphecidae with caterpillar prey, 4 Anthophila), who were provisioning nests. I also saw at least 3 parasitoids (Leucospidae (Figs 1-5) and an unidentified chalcidoid (Video 1)), 1 kleptoparasite (Sarcophagidae), and 1 possible kleptoparasite (Phoridae). One leucospid wasp was actively searching for a host cell to oviposit into, and I watched it antennate several plugged holes (Videos 2-3). I also watched it drag the ventral side of its metasoma across the substrate (Video 3). Was it marking it? Perhaps to remind herself that this nest was already examined by her? One unidentified chalcidoid was bouncing her abdomen on the substrate, seemingly engaged in percussion (Video 1). Was she establishing territory, calling mates (like some Plecoptera), or something else? I wonder what’s known about percussion behavior in parasitoid wasps. The habitus of these leucospid wasps is effectively vespid-like, and its cuticle is clearly heavy sclerotized. Is this a defense against vertebrate predators or against the host bees? I don’t know that I can answer the ecological trap question from these observations, but a more rigorous and longer-term observations might record more parasitoids and usurpers than apoid provisioners. I did see, after all, as many parasitoids as provisioners. (Maybe the end of the season, though.) I did not collect voucher specimens for these observations, but if I did I would list the catalog numbers here.
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Work Title | ENT 532 (2024) - observations of a bee hotel at the Arboretum at Penn State |
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License | CC BY 4.0 (Attribution) |
Work Type | Video |
Publication Date | August 29, 2024 |
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DOI | doi:10.26207/7qr8-kf88 |
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Deposited | August 28, 2024 |
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