Free Access
Issue
Apidologie
Volume 25, Number 3, 1994
Page(s) 265 - 277
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:19940301
Apidologie 25 (1994) 265-277
DOI: 10.1051/apido:19940301

Effect of over-wintering and incubation temperatures on adult emergence in Osmia cornuta Latr (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae)

J. Bosch and M. Blas

Dept Biologia Animal, Fac Biologia, Univ Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain

Abstract - Cocoons of the potential orchard pollinator Osmia cornuta were exposed to different over-wintering and incubation temperatures to see if adult emergence could be manipulated and bees could be induced to emerge in synchrony with almond bloom. Bees over-wintered in a warehouse in an almond-growing area emerged over a period of time longer than the blooming period of commercial almond orchards. Conversely, bees over-wintered in refrigerators completed emergence in less than a week. Longer over-wintering periods yielded shorter emergence periods, but lower over-wintering temperatures did not. Incubation of over-wintered cocoons for 24 h failed to consistently accelerate emergence. The shortest emergence periods were obtained when bees were over-wintered at 3°C for 120 d.


Key words: Osmia cornuta / over-wintering-temperature / emergence / pollination / Prunus amygdalus