Free Access
| Issue |
Apidologie
Volume 31, Number 1, January-Febuary 2000
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 47 - 54 | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2000105 | |
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2000105
Apidologie 31 (2000) 47-54
Observations on gynes and drones around nuptial flights in the stingless bees Tetragonisca angustula and Melipona beecheii (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponinae)
Johan Wilhelm van Veen, Marinus Jan Sommeijer
Department of Social Insects, Ethology and Socio-ecology, Laboratory of Comparative Physiology, Utrecht
University, P.O. Box 80.086, NL-3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands
(Received 29 January 1999; accepted 5 September 1999)
Abstract:
The nuptial flight of gynes of Tetragonisca angustula and Melipona beecheii was studied. The
moment of nuptial flight was found to be related to the ambient temperature, and the duration of the
nuptial flight for M. beecheii was longer in November (rainy season) than in March (dry season). A
repeated mating flight was recorded for two gynes of T. angustula. Three of five T.
angustula queens and all six M. beecheii queens were mated successfully. Behavioural data of
drones and gynes shortly before and after the nuptial flight are presented. Drones of T. angustula
participated in a congregation for up to three days. The importance of pheromones for the attraction of
drones and gynes is discussed. An hypothesis explaining the observed seasonal occurrence of male
congregations near nests of T. angustula is presented.
mating / drone congregation / Melipona beecheii / Tetragonisca angustula / stingless bees
Correspondence and reprints: Johan Wilhelm van Veen
Present address: P.O. Box 475-3000, Heredia, Costa Rica
E-mail: jvanveen@una.ac.cr
Copyright INRA/DIB/AGIB/EDP Sciences