Does Seasonality Affect the Nest Productivity, Body Size, and Food Niche of Tetrapedia curvitarsis Friese (Apidae, Tetrapediini)?

• Main Authors: Eliza Siqueira Campos, Thayane Nogueira Araujo, Laíce Souza Rabelo, Esther Margarida Alves Bastos, Solange Cristina Augusto
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana 2018-10-01
• Series: Sociobiology
• Subjects: Pollen sources; bee; trap-nest; Brazilian savanna
• Online Access: http://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/3395

Tetrapedia curvitarsis Friese is a widely distributed species, frequently attracted by trap-nests. Previous studies have revealed a higher frequency of nesting in the wet season and dimorphism between the sexes, with females exhibiting larger body size than males. We evaluated the effects of seasonality on the production of nests, food niche, and body size of T. curvitarsis. The study was conducted from April 2009 to March 2010 and from April 2012 to March 2013 at the Água Limpa Experimental Station, located in the Triângulo Mineiro, Minas Gerais State. The number of cells was positively correlated with length and diameter of trap-nests. However, the number of nests and the number of cells produced did not differed between the seasons. The females demonstrated a larger head width than males and both presented greater body size in the wet season. However, there was no interaction between sex and season. A higher food niche breadth was observed in the wet season and low similarity in the use of pollen sources between seasons (PS=39.05%). Thus, it is concluded that the season has no effect on the production of nests or cells, but rather on the body size of males and females and food niche breadth. The production of smaller individuals in the dry season could be related not only to the quantity but also the quality of food offered to immature bees.