Environmentally acquired gut-associated bacteria are not critical for growth and survival in a solitary bee, Megachile rotundata.

ABSTRACT: Social bees have been extensively studied for their gut microbial functions, but the significance of the gut microbiota in solitary bees remains less explored. Solitary bee, Megachile rotundata females provision their offspring with pollen from various plant species, harboring a diverse microbial community that colonizes larvae guts. The Apilactobacillus is the most abundant microbe, but evidence concerning the effects of Apilactobacillus and other provision microbes on growth and survival are lacking. We hypothesized that the presence of Apilactobacillus in abundance would enhance larval and prepupal development, weight, and survival, while the absence of intact microbial communities was expected to have a negative impact on bee fitness. We reared larvae on pol

SUBMITTER: Brar G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11409666 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature