Natural history and social organization of the small carpenter bee, Braunsapis cupulifera (Vachal) Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylicopinae: Allodapini)
2003
Samala, S.R. (Philippines Univ. Los Banos, College, Laguna (Philippines). Dept. of Entomology)
Allodapine bees exhibit a wide range of social behavior, from subsocial to primitively eusocial. Reproductivity per female (RPF) was used to assess colony efficiency of Braunsapis cupulifera (Vachal). The assumption is that social colonies produce more broods than soletary ones. There is a significant relationship between number of females in the colony and the number of broods produced. The optimal number of females in the colony of B. cupulifera (Vachal) is four females per nest for maximum efficiency. In general, multi-female nests produced significantly more broods than single-female nests. There is continuous brood production throughout the year but relatively more broods are present in the nests from September to March. The peak of daily foraging activity occurs between 10:00 am and 10:30 am. Nesting substraits utilized by B. cupulifera include: Mussaenda sp., Pseuderanthemum purpureum, Pseuderanthemum sp., Chromolaena odorata, Bougainvilla sp. and Allamanda sp. There is no significant relationship between the number of females and host plants utilized as nesting substrates. It was also observed that nests of B. cupulifera are attacked by ants and by a spider, Oxyopes javanus Thorell, of the family Oxyopidae
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