Nesting of Ceratina nigrolabiata, a biparental bee.

ABSTRACT: Biparental care is very rare in insects, and it was well-documented in only one bee species to this date - Ceratina nigrolabiata. However, biparental care was only recently discovered in this species, and detailed description of natural history of this species is missing. Here, we describe the nesting cycle of C. nigrolabiata. Pairs of C. nigrolabiata are established before female starts offspring provisioning. After provisioning is finished (when youngest offspring reached larval stage), the male abandons the nest. Males which are present in nests where female already finished provisioning brood cells, are probably mainly temporary visitors. The female can perform long-time offspring guarding, but only 22% of completely provisioned nests are guarded by a female. Most nests (54%) are close

SUBMITTER: Mikat M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7930280 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature