Reproductive potential and nesting effects of Osmia rufa (syn. bicornis) female (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)
Journal: Journal of Apicultural Science
Year: 2016

Abstract The red mason bee Osmia rufa is a solitary bee belonging to the family Megachilidae, and is prone to nest in aggregations. Each female builds a nest separately in pre-existing cavities such as holes in wood and walls or empty plant stems. This is done by successively setting the cells in a linear series. In this study, we elucidate the nesting behavior and the reproductive potential of a single O. rufa female. The reproductive potential of nesting females was evaluated after the offspri