Individual Scent-Marks of Nest Entrances in the Solitary Bee, Osmia cornuta (Hymenoptera: Apoidea).

ABSTRACT: The ability to recognize the own nest is a basic skill in nest constructing solitary bees. Osmia cornuta females use a dual mechanism of visual orientation to approach a nest and olfactory verification of the tube when entering it. Occupied tubular cavities were steadily marked by the resident female. Nest marking substances originate from Dufour's gland and cuticle, enriched by external volatiles. Scent tags were dominated by alkanes and alkenes in a species-specific mixture enriched by small amounts of fatty acid esters, alcohols, and aldehydes. The individual nest tags are sufficiently variable but do not match perfectly with the nesting female. Furthermore, tags are not consistent over time, although females continue in marking. Besides the correct position of the entrance in space, be

SUBMITTER: Frahnert KS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8466334 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature