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Osmia3DNest - Novel designed 3D printed artificial nest for solitary cavity‐nesting bees
Abstract The availability and appropriateness of nesting sites significantly influence the reproductive success and overall welfare of wild bees. Human‐induced factors contribute to the destruction of natural nesting habitats. To address these limitations, innovative solutions such as the development of artificial nests, offer alternative nest sites to support wild bee populations. We designed the Osmia3DNest, a 3D printed standardized nest tube for solitary cavity‐nesting bees, aiming to provide a safe for the environment, long‐life, time‐saving and biodegradable product that anyone can print. We proudly present the two Osmia3DNest models for mason bees—closed and open—using polylactic acid filament. We demonstrate the effectiveness of Osmia3DNest on mason bee reproduction parameters compared with traditional reed nests. Osmia3DNest can be an alternative to the other artificial nests, which people can customize for their necessity depending on their place of living (rural or urban area), and they can also be washed and reused several times and then decomposed. Osmia3DNest holds potential for wildlife biologists, management of pollinators, and educational outreach, offering adaptability for different bee species and experimental needs.
Methoprene, a Juvenile Hormone Analog, Causes Winter Diapause Elimination in Univoltine Bee Species Osmia bicornis L.
Osmia bicornis syn. O. rufa is a univoltine bee species in which adults fly in spring and the offspring overwinter as cocooned imagoes. The flight period of solitary bees is short, so methods of control for development and emergence time are needed to synchronize the activity of managed pollinators with blooming. In our study, we tested the effectiveness of a juvenile hormone analog for the prevention of winter diapause. Bees developed in settled nests outdoors or in the laboratory (22 °C) until the end of the pre-pupa stage, then cocoons were removed from the nest cells and treated with a JH analog—methoprene—during the pupa and young imago stages. Then, bees were activated at 25 °C until the adults left the cocoons. Topical application of methoprene to the cocoon at the pupa or imago stage induced the emergence of some adult bees in the pre-diapause period, while no adults emerged when the bees were not treated with methoprene. Most adults emerged (about 50%) when treated with methoprene on 3-week-old cocooned imagoes. Bees treated in the pupal stage had a lower emergence rate (20–30%), but adult bees emerged earlier. The emergence time of adults for the laboratory group was, on average, from 70 to 91 days, and that for outdoor groups was from 57 to 72 days.
Optimizing pear orchard productivity through managed Osmia bicornis L.: A study on pollination efficiency and its role in geitonogamy
AbstractMost pear cultivars require cross‐pollination to enhance yields in both self‐fertile and partially self‐fertile cultivars. Due to the deficit of wild bees and the limited pollination efficiency of honey bees, alternative commercial pollinators should be considered. This study examined the pollination efficiency of the managed bee Osmia bicornis in a pear orchard containing three cultivars: ‘Conference’, ‘Deyonne du Comice’, and ‘Alexander Lucas’. The introduction of O. bicornis into the pear orchard proved effective, with this species comprising up to one‐fifth of the total pollinator population when nesting sites were located within 60 m of the trees. The management of O. bicornis improved fruit set in self‐sterile cultivars but did not affect parthenocarpic cultivars. The higher number of fruits per inflorescence, as well as greater fruit weight and diameter, when flowers were pollinated by red mason bees rather than self‐pollination, predict an improvement in the total yield. compared to self‐pollination. The pollen bag method employed in the study highlighted the vital role of O. bicornis in geitonogamy in pears. The findings demonstrate that the use of these managed bees can enhance yields in single‐cultivar orchards, including self‐pollinating and parthenocarpic cultivars.