Floral resources used by insects in a grassland community in Southern Brazil

The goal of the present study was to identify plant species used as food source, the floral resources utilized, and the insects that visit flowers in a grassland community in southern Brazil. The study was carried out in an area of one hectare, located in a grassland formation in the Parque Estadual de Itapuã, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The flowering pattern was seasonal, and richness and abundance of insects was higher during the period of high resource availability. Flowers of 106 species of angiosperms (73 genera and 34 families) were used as source of floral resources for 219 species (2,767 specimens) of insects. A total of 91.5% of plant species were visited by bees, 53.8% by flies, 34.9% by wasps, 22.6% by butterflies, and 12.3% by beetles. Nectar was the main resource consumed by the visitors (41.1%). Asteraceae was the richest (38 spp.) and most visited family, with 63.1% of the species and 49.5% of all specimens of recorded insects. Bees were the most representative insects (33.2% spp., 65% indiv.), followed by flies (26.9% spp., 16.5% indiv.), wasps, butterflies and beetles. 40 plant species were considered important resources for the floral visitors' community, due to high number of, both, species and individuals recorded in their flowers. The family Asteraceae as a species set was the main floral resource used by insect visitors through the year and has great importance for the maintenance of populations of many species of bees, flies, wasps and butterflies in the studied area.

Pollination biology in Jacaranda copaia (Aubl.) D. Don. (Bignoniaceae) at the "Floresta Nacional do Tapajós", Central Amazon, Brazil

Jacaranda copaia (Aubl.) D. Don is a pioneer tree widespread in the Brazilian Amazon, usually found colonizing forest gaps and altered areas, and the forest fragment edges. This study investigated aspects of the floral biology, breeding system and pollinators of J. copaia trees. Flowering lasts from August to November, during the low rainfall period extending up to four weeks per tree and 3-4 months for the population as a whole, characterizing a cornucopia flowering pattern. The fruit set ends in the beginning of the rainy season, with wind dispersed winged seeds. Fruit set from open pollination was 1.06% (n = 6,932). Hand pollination using self-pollen (n = 2,099) did not set fruits. Cross-pollination resulted in 6.54% fruit set (n = 2,524), representing six times more than the natural pollination rate (1.06%, n = 6,932). Flowers excluded from insect visitation (automatic self-pollination) did not set fruits (n = 5,372). Pollen tube growth down to ovary was detected under fluorescence microcoscopy in cross-pollinated and selfed pistils. The species is an obligate allogamous plant, with late-acting self-incompatibility system. Approximately 40 species of native bees visited the flowers, but the main pollinators were medium-sized solitary bees as Euglossa and Centris species due to the compatibility between their body sizes with the corolla tube, direct contact with the reproductive structures and high frequency of visits.

Extraction of genomic DNA from Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponinae)

The objective of the present study was to test three different procedures for DNA extraction of Melipona quadrifasciata based on existing methods for DNA extraction of Apis, plants and fungi. These methods differ in the concentrations of specific substances in the extraction buffer. The results demonstrate that the method used for Apis is not adequate for DNA extraction from M. quadrifasciata. On the other hand, with minor modifications this method and the methods for plants and fungi were adequate for DNA extraction of this stingless bee, both for adults and larvae

Insect juvenile hormone: from "status quo" to high society

Juvenile hormone (JH) exerts pleiotropic functions during insect life cycles. The regulation of JH biosynthesis by neuropeptides and biogenic amines, as well as the transport of JH by specific binding proteins is now well understood. In contrast, comprehending its mode of action on target organs is still hampered by the difficulties in isolating specific receptors. In concert with ecdysteroids, JH orchestrates molting and metamorphosis, and its modulatory function in molting processes has gained it the attribute "status quo" hormone. Whereas the metamorphic role of JH appears to have been widely conserved, its role in reproduction has been subject to many modifications. In many species, JH stimulates vitellogenin synthesis and uptake. In mosquitoes, however, this function has been transferred to ecdysteroids, and JH primes the ecdysteroid response of developing follicles. As reproduction includes a variety of specific behaviors, including migration and diapause, JH has come to function as a master regulator in insect reproduction. The peak of pleiotropy was definitely reached in insects exhibiting facultative polymorphisms. In wing-dimorphic crickets, differential activation of JH esterase determines wing length. The evolution of sociality in Isoptera and Hymenoptera has also extensively relied on JH. In primitively social wasps and bumble bees, JH integrates dominance position with reproductive status. In highly social insects, such as the honey bee, JH has lost its gonadotropic role and now regulates division of labor in the worker caste. Its metamorphic role has been extensively explored in the morphological differentiation of queens and workers, and in the generation of worker polymorphism, such as observed in ants.

Néctar de caju adoçado com mel de abelha: desenvolvimento e estabilidade

Os alimentos e bebidas desenvolvidos atualmente buscam cada vez mais associar sabor agradável com alegações funcionais, oferecendo aos consumidores produtos mais saudáveis. Neste sentido, o objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver um néctar de caju adoçado com mel de abelha em substituição à sacarose, estudando também sua estabilidade química, físico-química, sensorial e microbiológica durante 180 dias de armazenamento à temperatura de 28 ± 2 °C. No desenvolvimento do produto avaliaram-se, através de testes afetivos de sabor e aceitação global, quatro formulações (A, B, C e D) com diferentes quantidades de suco de caju (15 e 20%) associadas a diferentes quantidades de mel em sólidos solúveis (10 e 11 °Brix). A formulação mais aceita foi processada e avaliada após o processamento e a cada 45 dias até o final do período de armazenamento. Dentre as formulações testadas, a preferida pelos provadores foi a formulação D com 20% de suco de caju e 11 °Brix. No estudo de estabilidade o produto manteve boa aceitação sensorial até o final do armazenamento em relação aos atributos: cor, sabor, avaliação global e intenção de compra. O produto manteve padrões microbiológicos satisfatórios de acordo com a legislação durante o armazenamento. As alterações químicas e físico-químicas ocorridas não caracterizaram instabilidade do produto, com exceção da vitamina C que ao final da armazenagem teve um decréscimo acentuado. Trata-se, portanto, de uma alternativa viável ao mercado de bebidas.

Risk management in transportation companies: Russian and Finnish practices

Development of risk management practices became significant part of transportation companies’ strategy. Evolution from insurance management into enterprise risk management (ERM) led to development of risk management tools and methods. The purpose of this thesis is to design technique for evaluation of risk management practices of national transportation companies. The empirical research is made on the example of Russian and Finnish transportation companies. The required data was conducted with a help of survey. The result of the thesis is designed technique for risk management practices evaluation that allows to compare practices of different countries and organizations with different characteristics. The Master thesis has novelty in theoretical and practical contribution. It was designed new technique based on realization of the method of APIS. Moreover, it has practical implication as managers can utilize this method for comparison of practices between different countries, different organization and even different units within particular organization.

Recueil de chants royaux, ballades, rondeaux, épigrammes.

Contient : Chants royaux. Refrains ; 1 « Logis de Dieu signé du bel ymaige ». « OSMONT » ; 2 « Le lict d'honneur rempli de toute grace ». « BRASMETOT » ; 3 « Lampe illustrant l'eglise militante ». « OSMONT » ; 4 « Mer qui receoit et donne toute grace ». « OSMONT » ; 5 « Cloche sonnant le salut des humains ». « BRASMETOT » ; 6 « Parc virginal exempte de vermine ». « MAROT » ; 7 « Le val plaisant où Dieu voulut descendre ». « LESCARRE » ; 8 « Secours des cieulx, la pucelle Marie ». « BRASMETOT » ; 9 « Temple construict par divin artiffice ». « CRETHIN » ; 10 « Le noble corps de la belle Susanne ». « LESCARRE » ; 11 « Court sans erreur, sur toutes souveraine ». « BRASMETOT » ; 12 « Pour traicter paix salutaire aux humains ». « AVRIL » ; 13 « Cloistre de paix, sans envye et murmure ». « LESCARRE » ; 14 « Car ce qu'il veult, il le peult et le faict ». « BERTOULT » ; 15 « Le chois d'honneur où ne fut oncques blasme ». « BRASMETOT » ; 16 « La terre saincte où Dieu print sa naissance ». « OSMONT » ; 17 « De ung filz tout beau la mere toute belle ». « OSMONT » ; 18 « Mont distillant paix, salut, grace et gloire ». « LESCARRE » ; 19 « Le seau royal donnant grace aux humains ». « BRASMETOT » ; 20 « De tout impost et de suscite exempte ». « TURBOT » ; 21 « De tout peché par grace preservée ». « BRASMETOT » ; 22 « Le doulx myel aux humains salutaire ». « OSMONT » ; 23 « Pure en concept oultre loy de nature ». « MAROT » ; 24 « Le bien d'amour et le moyen de grace ». « PARMENTIER » ; 25 « La saincte paix du doy de Dieu signée ». « THYBAULT » ; 26 « Pure lycorne expellant tout venyn ». « LESCARRE » ; 27 « Sans vice aucun, toute belle conceue ». « BRASMETOT » ; 28 « La forte nef toute plaine de grace » ; 29 « Seule sans sy, divinement tyssue ». « CRETIN » ; 30 « Nom substantif rendant suppost au verbe ». « LESCARRE » ; 31 « Du bon pasteur le sacré tabernacle ». « CRIGNON » ; 32 « Pourpre excellent pour vestir le grant roy ». « CRIGNON » ; 33 « La saincte Bible où verité repose ». « THYBAULT » ; 34 « La main de grace aux pecheurs estendue ». « LESCARRE » ; 35 « Pour le tout beau conceue toute belle ». « THYBAULT » ; 36 « Au chois d'honneur l'honneur de la victoire ». « BRASMETOT » ; 37 « Beigle infaillible en tous caz approuvée ». « CRETIN » ; 38 « Le doctrinal, sans macule imprimé ». « LESCARRE » ; 39 « Le chariot du fort geant celeste ». « LESCARRE » ; 40 « En ung subject quatre pars concordantes ». « LEVESTU » ; 41 « L'ame parfaicte en forme raisonnable ». « LEPREVOST » ; 42 « La fille Adam, pelerine de grace ». « BRASMETOT » ; 43 « Ung aultre Adam et une Eve seconde ». « ALYNE » ; 44 « Harnoys d'espreuve au puissant roy de glore » ; 45 « Le regne franc de la loy tributaire ». « THYBAULT ; 46 « Sans lesion a passé par les picques ». « AUBER » ; 47 « L'oeil cler et nect, plain de grace et lumiere ». « BRASMETOT » ; 48 « D'un pouvre ver triumphante vesture ». « BRASMETOT » ; 49 « Le hault solleil qui luict sur tout le monde ». « TYBAULT » ; 50 « Sans estre assise en la chaire de peste ». « LESCARRE » ; Ballades. Refrains ; 1 « Des jardins la clere fontaine ». « AVRIL » ; 2 « Fontaine de paix et de grace ». « LESCARRE » ; 3 « La fontenelle de salut ». « BRASMETOT » ; 4 « Le blanc habit de purité ». « LESCARRE » ; 5 « La droicte eschelle d'innocence ». « LESCARRE » ; 6 « Mere, vierge et fille à son filz ». « BRASMETOT » ; 7 « Pomme sans ver et pourriture ». « LESCARRE » ; 8 « Marie, la mere de grace ». « THYBAULT » ; 9 « Croyre ce que l'Eglise en tient ». « LEBECIN » ; 10 « Exempte de tous infectz faictz ». « BRASMETOT » ; 11 « Pierre portant huyle et myel ». « LESCARRE » ; 12 « Beaulté excellente et parfaicte ». « CRIGNON » ; 13 « Dieu le peult, le fist et voulut ». « DEVAUX » ; 14 « Du cler solleil environnée ». « AVRIL » ; 15 « Le vray escusson de noblesse ». « BERTIN » ; 16 « La rose en Hierico plantée ». « LESCARRE » ; 17 « Franche du tribut general ». « CRETHIN » ; 18 « Exempte du premier peché ». « LESCARRE » ; 19 « Toute belle en ame et corps nect ». « BRASMETOT » ; 20 « La dame à l'aigneau sans macule ». « THYBAULT » ; 21 « La bouche adnonçant verité ». « THYBAULT » ; 22 « Le coeur, vray principe de vie ». « AVRIL » ; 23 « En ce concept tout parfaict faict ». « DOUBLET » ; 24 « Le samedi sainct et beni ». « LESCARRE » ; 25 « La haulte tour de fortitude ». « LESCARRE » ; 26 « La benoiste Vierge Marie ». « THYBAULT » ; 27 « Pour humains lyez deslyer ». « BRASMETOT » ; 28 « La franche terre du grand roy ». « PARMENTIER » ; 29 « Mouche rendant myel et cire ». « LESCARRE » ; 30 « Chandelle illuminant le monde ». « ALLIX » ; Rondeaux. Refrains ; 1 « Pour son plaisir ». « BRASMETOT » ; 2 « Qui qu'en parle ». « BRASMETOT » ; 3 « Par le meffait ». « TURBOT » ; 4 « Par la vertu ». « LESCARRE » ; 5 « Peuple devot ». « BRASMETOT » ; 6 « Pour traicter ». « AVRIL » ; 7 « Au son du cor ». « DOUBLET » ; 8 « Comme la rose ». « MAROT » ; 9 « Le dieu d'amours ». « LESCARRE » ; 10 « L'accord est faict ». « ALLYNE » ; 11 « Où penses tu » ; 12 « Royne des cieulx ». « TURBOT » ; 13 « Pan et Phebus ». « DOUBLET » ; 14 « Faulx detracteurs ». « LESCARRE » ; 15 « Povres humains ». « DAVAL » ; 16 « Pour donner fruict ». « LESCARRE » ; 17 « Est ce bien faict ». « S. WANDRILLE » ; 18 « Des imparfaictz ». « DESVAULX » ; 19 « Le jour sacré ». « BRASMETOT » ; 20 « Je suis sans sequente ». « AVRIL » ; 21 « Je mercy Dieu ». « AVRIL » ; 22 « Bien le sçavez ». « TURBOT » ; 23 « En mon concept ». « BRASMETOT » ; 24 « Pour posseder ». « LE VESTU » ; 25 « De mon cher filz ». « LESCARRE » ; 26 « Preux roy Françoys ». « LESCARRE » ; 27 « Mon seul plaisir ». « PARMENTIER » ; 28 « Sans vice aucun ». « BRASMETOT » ; 29 « C'est mal pensé ». « CRETHIN » ; 30 « Ne pensez pas ». « THYBAULT » ; 31 « Contre Sathan ». « AVRIL » ; 32 « Mere de Dieu ». « THYBAULT » ; 33 « Le fier serpent ». « BRASMETOT » ; 34 « Mon cher enfant ». « THYBAULT » ; 35 « Hors paradis ». « BRASMETOT » ; 36 « Par mon cher filz ». « THYBAULT » ; 37 « Grace nous vient ». « LESCARRE » ; 38 « Seule sans sy ». « BRASMETOT » ; 39 « S'esbahit on ». « LE PREVOST » ; 40 « A ung chacun ». « AVRIL » ; Epigrammata. Premiers vers ; 1 « Nox erat, et Phebus radios agitare per orbem ». « CHAPPERON » ; 2 « Ecquis in electa genialem virgine sordem ». « BELLENGUES » ; 3 « Frigidus Argestes, glaciali pulsus ab Arcto ». « BELLENGUES » ; 4 « O meritis dignata novis, quo numine salvos ». « DEQUERCU » ; 5 « Dum tua sublimi contemplor numina sensu ». « BELLENGUES » ; 6 « Torva fronte minax, scelerumque acerrimus ultor ». « DEQUERCU » ; 7 « Vidimus Eoo qua Titani surgit ab ortu ». « MARC » ; 8 « Si violenta lues nigrique voragine Ditis ». « JEMBLES » ; 9 « Post operum curas lassis cum festa puellis ». « DEQUERCU » ; 10 « Venerat insultans latebras venator agrestes ». « THEOBALDUS » ; 11 « Urbs fuit eterno quondam delecta parenti ». « LECLERC » ; 12 « Lurida sacrilego qui toxica concipis ore ». « DEBEAUVAIS » ; 13 « Hostis atrox quondam magni tabularia regis ». « LECLERC » ; 14 « Post gemitus longos veterum cum nulla parentum ». « THEOBALDUS » ; 15 « Ordior empyreum mundum quem mole rotunda ». « LECLERC » ; 16 « Concipitur gelide sacro sub viscere matris ». « BELLENGUES » ; 17 « Fecit apis, quondam celesti egressa vireto ». « THEOBALDUS » ; 18 « Nullus originea Mariam rubigine lesam ». « CELESTINUS » ; 19 « Non colit obscenas divina potentia mentes ». « CELESTINUS » ; 20 « Orta mari magno, falsi tamen inscia limi ». « THEOBALDUS » ; 21 « Nondum Romulei renovarant secla Quirites ». « GEMELLUS » ; 22 « Duxit ab antiquo candentem farre farinam ». « THEOBALDUS » ; 23 « Flevimus a magna domitam Babylone Syonem ». « LAIR » ; 24 « Fulsit ab Eoo quadrata fenestra recessu ». « THEOBALDUS » ; 25 « Impia perpendens phrigii perjuria pacti ». « JO. « LIGARIUS » ; 26 « Nil rabidas voces, nil agmina livida pendit ». « THEOBALDUS » ; 27 « Duxit ab obscura radiosam nube columnam ». « TEXTOR » ; 28 « Nuper idumeo solvens a littore puppis ». « THEOBALDUS » ; 29 « Post nimios estus tellus cum torrida fruges » « JO. LIGARIUS » ; 30 « Audite, edomiti populi, quos martius horror ». « LAIR »

Behaviour and life history of a large carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica) in the northern extent of its range

Large carpenter bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylocopa) have traditionally been thought of as exhibiting solitary or occasionally communal colony social organization. However, studies have demonstrated more complex fonns of social behaviour in this genus. In this document, I examine elements ofbehaviour and life history in a North American species at the northern extreme of its range. Xylocopa virginica was found to be socially polymorphic with both solitary and meta-social or semi-social nests in the same population. In social nests, there is no apparent benefit from additional females which do not perfonn significant work or guarding. I found that the timing of life-history events varies between years, yet foraging effort only differed in the coldest and wettest year of2004 the study. Finally, I that male X virginica exhibit female defence polygyny, with resident and satellite males. Resident males maintain their territories through greater aggression relative to satellites.

Nestmate recognition in the large carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica /

Abstract Many species of social insects have the ability to recognize their nestmates. In bees, sociality is maintained by bees that recognize which individuals should be helped and which should be hanned in order to maximize fitness (either inclusive or individual) (Hamilton 1964; Lin and Michener 1972). Since female bees generally lay eggs in a single nest, it is highly likely that bees found cohabitating in the same nest are siblings. According to the kin selection hypothesis, individuals should cooperate and avoid aggression with same sex nestmates (Hamilton 1964). However, in opposite sex pairs that are likely kin, aggression should increase among nestmates as an expression of inbreeding avoidance (Lihoreau et al. 2007). Female bees often guard nest entrances, recognizing and excluding foreign conspecific females that threaten to steal nest resources (Breed and Page 1991). Conversely, males that aggressively guard territories should avoid aggression towards other males that are likely kin (Shellman-Reeve and Gamboa 1984). In order to test whether Xy/ocopa virginica can distinguish nestmates from non-nestmates, circle tube testing arenas were used. Measures of aggression, cooperation and tolerance were evaluated to detennine the presence of nestmate recognition in this species. The results of this study indicate that male and female X virginica have the ability to distinguish nestmates from non-nestmates. Individuals in same sex pairs demonstrated increased pushing, biting, and C-posturing when faced with non-nestmates. Males in same sex pairs also attempted to pass (unsuccessfully) nOIl-nestmates more often than ncstmates, suggesting that this behaviour may be an cxpression of dominancc in males. Increased cooperation exemplified by successful passes was not observed among nestmates. However, incrcased tolerance in the [onn of head-to-head touching was observed for nestmates in female same sex and opposite sex pairs. These results supported the kin selection hypothesis. Moreover, increased tolerance among opposite sex non-nestmates suggested that X virginica do not demonstrate inbreeding avoidance among nestmates. 3 The second part of this study was conducted to establish the presence and extent of drifting, or travelling to different nests, in a Xylocopa virgillica population. Drifting in flying Hymenoptera is reported to be the result of navigation error and guard bees erroneously admitting novel individuals into the nest (Michener 1966). Since bees in this study were individually marked and captured at nest entrances, the locations where individuals were caught allowed me to determine where and how often bees travelled from nest to nest. Ifbees were captured near their home nests, changing nests may have been deliberate or explained by navigational error. However, ifbees were found in nests further away from their homes, this provides stronger evidence that flying towards a novel nest may have been deliberate. Female bees are often faithful to their own nests (Kasuya 1981) and no drifting was expected in female X virginica because they raise brood and contribute to nest maintenance activities. Contrary to females, males were not expected to remain faithful to a single nest. Results showed that many more females drifted than expected and that they were most often recaptured in a single nest, either their home nest or a novel nest. There were some females that were never caught in the same nest twice. In addition, females drifted to further nests when population density was low (in 2007), suggesting they seek out and claim nesting spaces when they are available. Males, as expected, showed the opposite pattern and most males drifted from nest to nest, never recaptured in the same location. This pattern indicates that males may be nesting wherever space is available, or nesting in benches nearest to their territories. This study reveals that both female and male X virginica are capable of nestmate recognition and use this ability in a dynamic environment, where nest membership is not as stable as once thought.

Education, sport and myth in the community of Glengarry, Ontario : the athletic career of Roderick R. McLennan. 260 St. Catharines, Ont. : Faculty of Education, Brock University ;

This study examined how the athletic career of Roderick R. McLennan contributed to the popularization and subsequent development of Caledonian games in Ontario during the latter nineteenth century. Initially, the development of Caledonian games during the 1800s was examined to provide a contextual framework for McLennan's career. This investigation revealed that the games emerged from rural athletic events at pioneer working bees in the first quarter of the nineteenth century to regional sporting events by the mid-1800s, and finally into annual federated Caledonian games in 1870. Noteworthy primary source material for this chapter included the John MacGillivray Papers at the National Archives of Canada, the Scottish American Journal (NY) and the files retained by the Glengarry Sport Hall of Fame in Maxville, Ontario. Following the investigation of Caledonian games, McLennan's early athletic career was studied. Analysis of the Roderick and Farquhar McLennan Papers at the Archives of Ontario and the newspapers from the period revealed that McLennan rose to popularity in 1865 through a "Championship of the World" hammer throwing match in Cornwall and two "Starring Tours". The next chapter examined the height of McLennan's career through an investigation of the Roderick McLennan versus Donald Dinnie rivalry of the early .. n 1870s. It was detennined that the rivalry between McLennan and Dinnie, the champion athlete of Highland games in Scotland, was a popular attraction and had an impact on the Toronto and Montreal games of 1870 and the Toronto games of 1872. Finally, the athletic records established by McLennan during the 1860s and 1870s were investigated. These records were examined through the context of a media controversy over McLennan's feats that developed in the early 1880s between two newspapers. This controversy erupted between the Toronto Mail and the Spirit of the Times. Caledonian games in Canada have only been briefly examined and a thorough examination of prominent Canadian figures in this context has yet to be undertaken. This study unearths a prominent Canadian athlete of Scottish decent and details his involvement in the Caledonian games of nineteenth century Ontario.

Intraspecific and interspecific social variation in the sweat bee Lasioglossum Malachurum and other members of the subgenus Evylaeus

Sweat bees exhibit a range of social behaviours, from solitary nesting, in which no workers are produced, to strong eusociality, in which workers exhibit a high degree of altruism, behaviour that is measured by the degree of personal reproductive sacrifice. Field studies were carried out for seven weeks during May-June 2000 in southern Greece in order to investigate intraspecific social variation, and test the hypothesis of a north-south cline of decreasing eusociality in the obligately eusocial sweat bee L. (E.) malachurum. A comparative study, using principal components analysis, was performed to determine if patterns of intraspecific social variation in L. malachurum reflect the patterns of social variation within the subgenus, Evylaeus, as a whole. The results of the field study reveal that, in Greece, two worker broods were produced followed by a third brood consisting of gynes, males and some workers, indicating that there was an overlap in worker and gyne production. There was strong caste distinction between queens and workers. Workers actively foraged and participated in nest construction as most workers (58%, n=303) had a high degree of mandibular wear. Workers did not participate in the oviposition of Brood 3 gynes since only 0.7% (n=278) of workers were mated. Furthermore, queen survival until the end of Brood 3 and a substantial size differential of 10.6% between queens and workers suggested that queen domination over worker behaviour during the early to mid-part of the colony cycle was plausible. Male production in Brood 3 by some workers was likely, since the timing of worker ovarian development corresponded with the timing of male production. These findings suggest that workers of the first two broods were primarily altruistic, but some (28%) Brood 1 (9%) and Brood 2 (19%) workers produced males, indicating that the degree of altruistic behaviour declined during the lifetime of the colony. In comparison with other L. malachurum populations in Europe, the Greek population of L. malachurum had a weaker social level as a result of the higher proportion of workers potentially involved in male production, thus 3 supporting the hypothesis of a southerly cline of decreasing eusociality. Furthermore, intraspecific variation in social level across Europe appears to be due to longer breeding seasons in more southerly locations that would promote the production of larger colonies and provide opportunities for workers to evade queen control. The comparative study using principal components analysis on 20 solitary (of the subgenera Evylaeus and Lasioglossum), eusocial and socially polymorphic Evylaeus species and populations reveals that six traits are closely associated with stronger eusociality in Evylaeus. These traits are: (1) a reduction in the proportion of males in the early brood(s); (2) a reduction in the proportion of females that mate; (3) an increase in the mean number of first brood workers; (4) a reduction in the proportion of females with developed ovaries; (5) an increase in size dimorphism between castes, and (6) nest guarding. These are traits that most significantly define principal component one and therefore distinguish social type as indicated by a clear separation of the eusocial and the solitary populations, with a socially polymorphic species falling in between. Furthermore, most of these traits are under foundress control and may suggest that the evolutionary loss or gain of eusociality is based on selection pressures on a founding female. Colony size and female ovarian development are common factors distinguishing social variation in L. malachurum and within the subgenus as a whole. The principal components analysis excluding the solitary species and the socially aberrant L. marginatum populations show the L. malachurum populations separated based on an increasing proportion of workers with developed ovaries as populations are found more south, lending further support to the hypothesis of a north-south cline of decreasing eusociality.

The nesting biology of Ceratina (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the Niagara Region : new species, nest site selection and parasitism

One of the most common bee genera in the Niagara Region, the genus Ceratina (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is composed of four species, C. dupla, C. calcarata, the very rare C. strenua, and a previously unknown species provisionally named C. near dupla. The primary goal of this thesis was to investigate how these closely related species coexist with one another in the Niagara ~ee community. The first necessary step was to describe and compare the nesting biologies and life histories of the three most common species, C. dupla, C. calcarata and the new C. near dupla, which was conducted in 2008 via nest collections and pan trapping. Ceratina dupla and C. calcarata were common, each comprising 49% of the population, while C. near dupla was rare, comprising only 2% of the population. Ceratina dupla and C. near dupla both nested more commonly in teasel (Dipsacus sp.) in the sun, occasionally in raspberry (Rubus sp.) in the shade, and never in shady sumac (Rhus sp.), while C. calcarata nested most commonly in raspberry and sumac (shaded) and occasionally in teasel (sunny). Ceratina near dupla differed from both C. dupla and C. calcarata in that it appeared to be partially bivoltine, with some females founding nests very early and then again very late in the season. To examine the interactions and possible competition for nests that may be taking place between C. dupla and C. calcarata, a nest choice experiment was conducted in 2009. This experiment allowed both species to choose among twigs from all three substrates in the sun and in the shade. I then compared the results from 2008 (where bees chose from what was available), to where they nested when given all options (2009 experiment). Both C. dupla and C. calcarata had the same preferences for microhabitat and nest substrate in 2009, that being raspberry and sumac twigs in the sun. As that microhabitat and nest substrate combination is extremely rare in nature, both species must make a choice. In nature Ceratina dupla nests more often in the preferred microhabitat (sun), while C. calcarata nests in the preferred substrate (raspberry). Nesting in the shade also leads to smaller clutch sizes, higher parasitism and lower numbers of live brood in C. calcarata, suggesting that C. dupla may be outcompeting C. calcarata for the sunny nesting sites. The development and host preferences of Ceratina parasitoids were also examined. Ceratina species in Niagara were parasitized by no less than eight species of arthropod. Six of these were wasps from the superfamily Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera), one was a wasp from the family Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) and one was a physogastric mite from the family Pyemotidae (Acari). Parasites shared a wide range of developmental strategies, from ichneumonid larvae that needed to consume multiple Ceratina immatures to complete development, to the species from the Eulophidae (Baryscapus) and Encyrtidae (Coelopencyrtus), in which multiple individuals completed development inside a single Ceratina host. Biological data on parasitoids is scarce in the scientific literature, and this Chapter documents these interactions for future research.

Annual Variation in Bee Community Structure in the Context of Disturbance (Niagara Region, South-Western Ontario)

This study examined annual variation in phenology, abundance and diversity of a bee community during 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2008 in recovered landscapes at the southern end of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Overall, 8139 individuals were collected from 26 genera and sub-genera and at least 57 species. These individuals belonged to the 5 families found in eastern North America (Andrenidae, Apidae, Colletidae, Halictidae and Megachilidae). The bee community was characterized by three distinct periods of flight activity over the four years studied (early spring, late spring/early summer, and late summer). The number of bees collected in spring was significantly higher than those collected in summer. In 2003 and 2006 abundance was higher, seasons started earlier and lasted longer than in 2004 and 2008, as a result of annual rainfall fluctuations. Differences in abundance for low and high disturbance sites decreased with years. Annual trends of generic richness resembled those detected for species. Likewise, similarity in genus and species composition decreased with time. Abundant and common taxa (13 genera and 18 species) were more persistent than rarer taxa being largely responsible for the annual fluctuations of the overall community. Numerous species were sporadic or newly introduced. The invasive species Anthidium oblongatum was first recorded in Niagara in 2006 and 2008. Previously detected seasonal variation patterns were confirmed. Furthermore, this study contributed to improve our knowledge of temporal dynamics of bee communities. Understanding temporal variation in bee communities is relevant to assessing impacts caused on their habitats by diverse disturbances.

The Implications of Forager Behaviour for Social Organisation in a Socially Polymorphic Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica)

In social Hymenoptera, the division of labour is a major step in the evolution of sociality. Bees, which express many different kinds of sociality, can be classified according to how individuals share or do not share foraging and reproductive activities (Michener, 1974). The large carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica, lives in populations with both solitary and social nests. In social nests, reproduction is controlled by the dominant female, who does all of her own foraging and egg-laying, while the subordinates guard the nest only. This study examined foraging behaviour as a way to classify the social hierarchy. Individual females were marked, measured and intensely observed for the foraging season. It was found that a large number of subordinates forage and likely obtain more reproductive fitness than previously thought. The dominance hierarchy is very likely a social queue, in which bees take turns foraging and egg-laying.

Bee Communities in Restored Landfill Sites of Niagara Region

This study examined the impact of habitat restoration on bee communities (Hymenoptera: Apidae) of the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. Bee abundance and diversity was studied in three restored landfill sites: the Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site (GQNS) in St. Catharines, Elm Street Naturalization Site in Port Colborne, and Station Road Naturalization Site in Wainfleet during 2011 and 2012. GQNS represented older sites restored from 2001-2003. Elm and Station sites represented newly restored landfills as of 2011. These sites were compared to control sites at Brock University where bee communities are well established and again to other landfills where no stable habitat was available before restoration. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of restoration level on bee abundance and diversity in restored landfill sites of the Niagara Region. Based on the increased disturbance hypothesis (InDH) and the intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH), I hypothesized that bee abundance and diversity will follow two patterns. First pattern according to InDH suggest that as the disturbance decrease the bee abundance and diversity will increased. Second pattern according to the IDH bee abundance and diversity will be the highest at the intermediate level of disturbance. A total of 7 173 bees were collected using pan traps and flower collections, from May to October 2011 and 2012. Bees were classified to five families, 21 genera and sub-genera, containing at least 78 species. In 2011 bee abundance was not significantly different among restoration levels while in 2012 bee abundance was significant difference among restoration level. According to family there were no significant difference in Halictidae and Apidae abundance among restoration level while Colletidae and Megachilidae abundance were varied among restoration levels. The bee species richness was highest in the newly restored sites followed by restored control sites, and then the control site. The current study demonstrates that habitat restoration results in rapid increases in bee abundance and diversity for newly restored sites, and, further, that it takes only 2-3 years for bee assemblages in newly restored sites to arrive at the same levels of abundance and diversity as in nearby control sites where bee communities are well established.