title: Influence of rough handling on Osmia lignaria (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) nest establishment in commercial orchards.
abstract: Osmia lignaria Say (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) can be used to pollinate fruit trees. Populations are sometimes difficult to sustain because some female bees fail to establish at provided nesting sites. We address the hypothesis that rough handling of overwintered O. lignaria results in decreased establishment. We tested this by shaking (200 rpm for 2 min) overwintering bees as a proxy for rough handling. Bees were then released in an orchard, and nest establishment of shaken and unshaken bees was recorded. There was no significant difference in the proportion of shaken and unshaken females that nested, indicating that rough handling of overwintering bees does not discourage nest establishment.
authors: Department of Biology, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-5305, USA. cory.vorel@usu.edu
authors: Cory A
authors: CA
authors: Stanley
authors: Theresa L
authors: TL
authors: Pitts-Singer
authors: Jordi
authors: J
authors: Bosch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009425:Nesting Behavior; D014589:Utah