Light intensity improves the copulating behavior and colony initiation of bumblebee, Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

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Research Paper 01/08/2015
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Light intensity improves the copulating behavior and colony initiation of bumblebee, Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Muhammad Nasir, Munir Ahmad, Ata Ul Mohsin, Shafqat Saeed, Muhammad Asif Aziz, Munir Ahmad, Muhammad Imran, Umer Ayyaz Aslam Sheikh
Int. J. Biosci.7( 2), 56-64, August 2015.
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Abstract

Impact of mating tendency was investigated for Bombus terrestris under different light intensities (400, 800 and 1200 lux) with different age groups of daughter queens and males (3DQ-5DM, 5DQ-7DM, 7DQ-9DM, 9DQ-11DM) under controlled laboratory standard conditions. Percent mating, queens’ survival after diapause and successful colony initiation were observed. Mating rate was more at light intensity of 1200 lux with more than 83%. However, it was around 56% at 400 lux and 68% at 800 lux suggesting 1200 lux light intensity to be the best light intensity condition for improving success rate of mating. Mating tendency of more than 80% was achieved with 7-days old queens with 9-days old males with constant dark-treated queens. Among light intensity of 400, 800 and 1200 lux average copulation duration was highest (24.05 ±1.51 min) at 400 lux. Among mating of 3,5, 7 and 9 days old queen with 5,7,9 and 11 days old males average copulation duration was highest (24.4±1.62 min) when mating of 7 days old queen with 9 days old male was done. These results represent the positive influence of light intensity to mating success rate, age-group for maximum copulating pairs and their possible impact on future generations.

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