ICE Network Fargo

Microclimate Temperatures Impact Nesting Preference in Megachile rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Elisabeth Wilson, Claire Murphy, Joseph Rinehart, George Yocum, Julia Bowsher Abstract The temperature of the nest influences fitness in cavity-nesting bees. Females may choose nest cavities that mitigate their offspring’s exposure to stressful temperatures. This study aims to understand how cavity temperature impacts the nesting preference of the solitary bee Megachile rotundata (Fabricius) under field…

Cryopreservation of seminal vesicle derived spermatozoa from Bombus impatiens and Apis mellifera – Implications for artificial insemination of bumble bees

Campion, Claire; Rajamohan, Arun; Rinehart, Joseph P. Abstract This study evaluates the efficacy of a cryopreservation protocol for spermatozoa derived from the accessory testis of male Bombus impatiens. It is also the first report of successful cryopreservation of bumble bee spermatozoa. The spermatozoa viability was compared with the similarly treated honey bee spermatozoa derived from…

Anoxia hormesis improves performance and longevity at the expense of fitness in a classic life history trade-off.

De La Torre, Alyssa; López-Martínez, Giancarlo Abstract Hormesis occurs as a result of biphasic dose relationship resulting in stimulatory responses at low doses and inhibitory ones at high doses. In this framework, environmental factors are often studied to understand how this exposure benefits the animal. In the current study we used anoxia, the total absence…

Effects of Temperature and Wildflower Strips on Survival and Macronutrient Stores of the Alfalfa Leafcutting Bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) Under Extended Cold Storage

Mia G Park, Casey M Delphia, Cassandra Prince, George D Yocum, Joseph P Rinehart, Kevin M O’Neill, Laura A Burkle, Julia H Bowsher, Kendra J Greenlee Abstract Megachile rotundata (F.) is an important pollinator of alfalfa in the United States. Enhancing landscapes with wildflowers is a primary strategy for conserving pollinators and may improve the…

Sperm can’t take the heat: Short-term temperature exposures compromise fertility of male bumble bees (Bombus impatiens)

Campion, Claire; Rajamohan, Arun; Dillon, Michael E. Abstract Bumble bee (genus Bombus) populations are increasingly under threat from habitat fragmentation, pesticides, pathogens, and climate change. Climate change is likely a prime driver of bumble bee declines but the mechanisms by which changing climates alter local abundance, leading to shifts in geographic range are unclear. Heat…

Upcoming Talk by Sarah Waybright

Entomological Society of America On-Demand 10-Minute Session Available Wednesday, November 11, 2020 Click HERE and search for ‘Waybright’ to access the session on November 11th Effects of ground temperature on survival and energy usage of overwintering queen bumblebees Bumble bees are critical pollinators in serious decline, in part due to changing climate. Changes in growing…

Upcoming Talk by Ellen C. Keaveny

Entomological Society of America On-Demand 10-Minute Session Available Wednesday, November 11, 2020 Click HERE and search for ‘Keaveny’ to access the session on November 11th How does brood mass and worker number influence brood thermoregulation in the cold? Bumble bees generate heat with their flight muscles and shunt that heat from the thorax to the…

Upcoming Talk by Shayne Dodge

Entomological Society of America On-Demand 10-Minute Session Available Wednesday, November 11, 2020 Click HERE and search for ‘Dodge’ to access the session on November 11th Not just cold: Evidence of metabolic suppression during diapause in the bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) Bumble bees have an annual cycle in which colonies produce males and new queens in fall….

Upcoming Talk by Liz Cambron

Entomological Society of America On-Demand 10-Minute Poster Session Available Wednesday, November 11, 2020 Click HERE and search for ‘Cambron’ to access the session on November 11th Environmental impact on the insulin signaling pathway during overwintering: Part One early season diapausers Solitary bees like the alfalfa leafcutting bee (ALCB), Megachile rotundata, are agriculturally relevant pollinators of…