Social behaviour exists in numerous bee species (Hymenoptera Apoidea); it evolved on several occasions and in different phyletic lines, reaching different organization levels. In fact, besides solitary species, there are some species nesting in more or less wide aggregations and others forming parasocial or eusocial colonies. In the years 1997-2000 a census was made of the solitary bee species present in an area of about 25 km2 in the territory of the municipality of Cherasco (province of Cuneo), bordering on that of Marene (province of Cuneo), and representative of the high terraced Piedmontese plains for geomorphological and vegetational features and for the typology of land occupation and exploitation. Altogether almost 600 specimens belonging to the six families of the Italian fauna were collected on wild and cultivated flowers. Among these the Andrenidae prevail for the number of species, many of which nesting in aggregations, then the Halictidae, among which all social organizations are represented, from solitary to primitively eusocial, the Megachilidae, with prevalently solitary species, and Apidae, in which, besides solitary species, there are the well-known eusocial bumblebees.
Sociality levels in solitary bees in a sample area of the piedmontese plain
MANINO, Aulo;PATETTA, Augusto;PORPORATO, Marco
2004-01-01
Abstract
Social behaviour exists in numerous bee species (Hymenoptera Apoidea); it evolved on several occasions and in different phyletic lines, reaching different organization levels. In fact, besides solitary species, there are some species nesting in more or less wide aggregations and others forming parasocial or eusocial colonies. In the years 1997-2000 a census was made of the solitary bee species present in an area of about 25 km2 in the territory of the municipality of Cherasco (province of Cuneo), bordering on that of Marene (province of Cuneo), and representative of the high terraced Piedmontese plains for geomorphological and vegetational features and for the typology of land occupation and exploitation. Altogether almost 600 specimens belonging to the six families of the Italian fauna were collected on wild and cultivated flowers. Among these the Andrenidae prevail for the number of species, many of which nesting in aggregations, then the Halictidae, among which all social organizations are represented, from solitary to primitively eusocial, the Megachilidae, with prevalently solitary species, and Apidae, in which, besides solitary species, there are the well-known eusocial bumblebees.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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