NOTES ON THE NEST HABITS AND HOST RANGE OF CLEPTOBIOTIC LESTRIMELITTA NIITKIB (AYALA 1999) (HYMENOPTERA: MELIPONINI) FROM THE YUCATAN PENINSULA, MEXICO

Lestrimelitta niitkib is the only cleptobiotic stingless bee species reported for the Yucatán Peninsula. Very little is known about its biology and host range although it is recognised that its role may be crucial in the ecology of stingless bee populations. In this note we present preliminary information on the nest characteristics of this species, its host range and behaviour during nest raids

Onset of foraging and lifespan of Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera) infected with different levels of Nosema ceranae spores in Neotropical Mexico

International audienceAbstractNosema ceranae is a microsporidium pathogen widely spread around the world. Negative effects on foraging behavior and longevity of EHB colonies have been associated with this pathogen as well as possible population losses, but its effects have not been studied in tropical adapted honey bees. We studied the interaction between this pathogen and Africanized honey bees (AHB) in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico where N. ceranae has only been detected since 2008. Non-infected and artificially infected workers with two different spore concentrations were introduced in observation hives to evaluate the onset and duration of foraging and longevity. The results showed precocious foraging, a reduction of the duration of foraging and a decrease in the longevity of infected bees compared with non-infected ones. However, the results indicate that although negative effects can be caused by N. ceranae in AHB, these were of a moderate magnitude compared with similar reports on EHB in temperate areas. Further research is necessary to evaluate the long-term effect of N. ceranae on AHBs in relation to colony dynamics to better understand the absence of significant colony losses associated with this pathogen in tropical and subtropical Mexico

Stock composition of northern neotropical honey bees: mitotype and morphotype diversity in Mexico (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

International audienceAbstractThe stock of honey bees in the northern neotropics is likely a composite of European and African lineages, but the genetic makeup of most populations in this region has remained unstudied. We analyzed the genetic composition of honey bees across temperate and tropical regions of Mexico using mitochondrial and morphometric analyses. The results showed that honey bees from Mexico are descendent almost in similar proportion from matrilines of African and European origins. However, morphometrics indicate that most colonies are the result of extensive introgressive hybridization with Africanized bees. While large-scale displacement of European honey bees seems to have occurred in the tropical regions, higher frequencies of colonies with a mixed range of African-European markers were identified in the temperate areas. Our results suggest that the outcome of the hybridization between Africanized and European honey bees in Mexico has been significantly associated with climate

Biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation

Pollinators underpin sustainable livelihoods that link ecosystems, spiritual and cultural values, and customary governance systems with indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLC) across the world. Biocultural diversity is a short-hand term for this great variety of people-nature interlinkages that have developed over time in specific ecosystems. Biocultural approaches to conservation explicitly build on the conservation practices inherent in sustaining these livelihoods. We used the Conceptual Framework of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services to analyse the biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation by indigenous peoples and local communities globally. The analysis identified biocultural approaches to pollinators across all six elements of the Conceptual Framework, with conservation-related practices occurring in sixty countries, in all continents except Antarctica. Practices of IPLC that are significant for biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation can be grouped into three categories: the practice of valuing diversity and fostering biocultural diversity; landscape management practices; and diversified farming systems. Particular IPLCs may use some or all of these practices. Policies that recognise customary tenure over traditional lands, strengthen Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas, promote heritage listing and support diversified farming within a food sovereignty approach, are among several identified that strengthen biocultural approaches to pollinator conservation, and thereby deliver mutual benefits for pollinators and people

Hybridization between European and Africanized honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) in tropical Yucatan, Mexico. I. Morphometric changes in feral and managed colonies

Morphometrics of feral and managed honeybee colonies collected from tropical Yucatan, Mexico between 1986 and 1996, were analysed for changes in body size as an indicator of gene exchange between them. Twelve morphometric characters were analysed at the univariate level (ANOVA of single morphometric characters across years) and with a multivariate technique (principal component analysis, PCA ). The results from both types of approach give evidence for: 1) an initial increase in body size of feral honeybees due to a flow of genes from the large resident European population; 2) a subsequent constant reduction in body size in both types of honeybees as Africanization has progressed probably due to a disappearance of colonies with European morphometrics in both populations; and 3) the existence of European genes in both the managed and feral populations of Yucatecan honeybees 10 years after the report of the first Africanized swarm in the area. Bi-directional gene flow resulting in a convergence in quantitative traits towards an intermediate body size seems to better explain the morphological changes that have occurred between managed and feral populations of honeybees during the process of Africanization in Yucatan. However, the persistence of European genes in both populations across time needs to be further studied. © Inra/DIB/AGIB/Elsevier, Pari

Cuantificación de la emergencia y distribución de individuos en Melipona colimana (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) en clima templado

Melipona colimana es una abeja sin aguijón endémica de México que habita las regiones de clima templado del sur del estado de Jalisco. Se hicieron observaciones durante el otoño para contabilizar la emergencia de los individuos e inferir la posible participación de las obreras en la producción de machos. Se analizó el comportamiento de las obreras y la reina en el proceso de aprovisionamiento y oviposición (POP), se obtuvo la proporción de individuos en los panales de cría y su distribución espacial para detectar aglomeraciones de machos. En los análisis de los POP no se observaron evidencias de la actividad de obreras reproductivas. En los panales, el 65.9 % de los individuos que emergieron fueron obreras, el 22.4 % machos (sin registrarse aglomeraciones) y el 11.5 % resultaron reinas vírgenes. Se observó que la producción de individuos sexuados (machos y reinas) fue más alta que las especies tropicales, lo que pudiera ser una estrategia de esta especie para garantizar su reproducción en climas templados. El no tener evidencias visuales de la actividad de obreras reproductivas, junto con el hecho de que no se registraron aglomeraciones de machos en los panales de cría, sugiere que en esta especie y en esta temporada del año todos los huevos que se desarrollaron como machos provienen de la reina. Con los resultados de este trabajo se amplía el conocimiento de la biología particular de esta especie de clima templado y se hace una comparación con las especies de distribución tropical

Pollination service provided by honey bees to buzz-pollinated crops in the Neotropics.

Generalist honey bees grant significant pollination services worldwide. Although honey bees can provide compensatory pollination services, their service to buzz-pollinated crops, compared to specialized pollinators, is not clear. In this study, we assessed the contribution of Africanized honey bees (AHB) and native sonicating bees (NBZ) to the pollination of eggplant (Solanum melongena) and annatto (Bixa orellana) in Yucatan, Mexico, one of the largest producers of these crops in the Americas and a region with one of the largest densities of honey bees in the world. We first compared the relative frequency and abundance of both bee types on flowers of both crops. Secondly, we controlled access to flowers to compare the number and weight of fruit and number of seed produced after single visits of AHB and native bees. For a better assessment of pollination services, we evaluated the productivity of individual flowers multiply visited by AHB. The results were compared against treatments using pollinator-excluded flowers and flowers that were supplied with additional pollen, which allowed an overall measure of pollination service provision (PSP). Our results showed that AHB were the predominant flower visitors in both crops and that were poorly efficient on individual visits. Notably, fruit quantity and seed number increased concomitantly with the number of AHB visits per flower on eggplant, but not on annatto. Estimation of PSP revealed no pollination deficit on eggplant but that a deficit existed on the pollination services to annatto. We found that AHB numerical predominance compensates their poor individual performance and can complement the services of native bees on eggplant, but not on annatto. We discuss possible explanations and implications of these results for buzz-pollinated crops in the neotropics an area with little assessment of pollination services and a high density of honey bees

Caste ontogeny and the distribution of reproductive cells on the combs of Melipona beecheii (Apidae: Meliponini)

The duration of the development phases of workers, males and gynes was studied in Melipona beecheii, an economically important stingless bee species in southern Mexico. We also determined if gynes and male cells were distributed in clusters on the combs as in other Melipona where laying workers exist. The results showed that the total length of development for the workers was 52.72 ± 1.28 days. In the case of the gynes and males, it was 50.80 (± 1.52) and 53.43 (± 1.12) days, respectively. We found that clustering of male cells in M. beecheii was an uncommon occurrence. We suggest that the main factor explaining the reduced frequency of male cell clusters is that males are not worker-produced in this species, compared to other species of Melipona in which males are worker-produced. Factors related to pollen availability could determine the presence of clustered males in some colonies of this species

Seven new species of Lasioglossum (Dialictus) Robertson, 1902 (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Halictini) from the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Lasioglossum is a large genus of halictid bees with high species diversity in morphologically rather cryptic species groups. With more than 1900 described species, the taxonomy of the genus is complex and largely unresolved in many regions. For practical reasons, systematic reviews are restricted in scope either geographically or to particular species groups. In this study we focus on the subgenus Dialictus of the genus Lasioglossum from the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. In previous studies we identified members of the genus as important pollinators of cash crops in the region, and genetic analyses suggested the existence of seven molecular taxonomic units (mOTU). Based on additional morphological differences, we here describe these mOTUs as novel species, Lasioglossum (Dialictus) yucatanense Landaverde-González sp. nov., L. (D.) paxtoni Landaverde-González sp. nov., L. (D.) ameshoferi Landaverde-González sp. nov., L. (D.) aureoviride Landaverde-González & Husemann sp. nov., L. (D.) paralepidii Gardner sp. nov., L. (D.) milpa Landaverde-González sp. nov. and L. (D.) nanotegula Landaverde-González & Husemann sp. nov., and provide keys and images to assist in their identification