Growth Characteristics of Commercial Bumblebee Colonies in Open Field Conditions May Be Evidence for Their Invasion Potential

Year 2021, Volume: 13 Issue: 1, 5 - 8, 28.07.2021

Ayhan Gösterit , Cengiz Erkan

https://doi.org/10.51458/BSTD.2021.11

Abstract

Colony parameters of laboratory reared Bombus terrestris L. colonies that placed to the field at the beginning of the social phase were observed. Founder queen of these field colonies was reared in commercially produced colonies. When the colony population reached about ten workers, they were transferred to the open field. No sugar syrup or pollen was supplied to colonies and was checked twice a week. The time of the first young queen and male observing, switch point, competition point and number of individuals produced in colonies were recorded during the colony controls. The first male and young queen emerging time after the end of the diapause were calculated as 85.00±3.21 and 62.33±2.67 days respectively. Competition point time was 40.50±1.32 days, while switch point time was 16.00±3.70 days in the social phase of colonies. Colonies produced 9.67±5.93 young queens (gynes) and 39.50±14.20 males during their life cycle. Results of this study revealed that commercially produced B. terrestris colonies can survive and produce sexuals in the native habitat.

Keywords

Bombus terrestris, Commercial colonies, Invasion potential, Sex production

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