Exoneura Explained

Exoneura (also called the Reed bee) is a genus of social bees belonging to the taxonomic family Apidae.[1] This genus has glossy black head and thorax with a black or red-orange abdomen. The species of this genus are found only in Australia, often in small burrows they dig up themselves. Members of this genus are generally 8 millimeters (mm) in length.[2] This species is parasitized by members of the genus Inquilina. This relationship with Inquilina has been going on for approximately 15 million years.[3]

Burrows

This species are often found in small burrows which two or more adult Exoneura can be found in. They put pollen and nectar inside their burrows which they lay their eggs on. Their nest can contain many young at several stages of life.[4]

Behavior

Behavioral plasticity

The Exoneura genus exhibits notable behavioral plasticity observed in many of its species including E. robusta and E. bicolor. Environmental factors experienced by this species that impact its behavior include nesting substrate, predation and parasitization, and resource availability.[5] Focused substrate preferences have been show to create localized nest aggregations which impact behaviors such as task specializations.[6] Task specialization in one species of Exoneura, E. bicolor, expresses as altruistic behaviors seen as guarding and nest absenters who face an increased individual risk for the health and success of the colony.[7]

Species

Species:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Exoneura Smith, 1854 . www.gbif.org . 10 May 2021 . en.
  2. Web site: Reed Bees (Exoneura) . 2023-11-10 . www.aussiebee.com.au.
  3. Shokri Bousjein . Nahid . Tierney . Simon M. . Gardner . Michael G. . Schwarz . Michael P. . February 2022 . Does effective population size affect rates of molecular evolution: Mitochondrial data for host/parasite species pairs in bees suggests not . Ecology and Evolution . en . 12 . 2 . e8562 . 10.1002/ece3.8562 . 35154650 . 8820120 . 2022EcoEv..12E8562S . 2045-7758.
  4. Web site: Exoneura species, f, australia, side U.S. Geological Survey . 2023-11-10 . www.usgs.gov.
  5. Silberbauer . L. X. . Schwarz . M. P. . June 1995 . Life cycle and social behavior in a heathland population of the allodapine bee,Exoneura bicolor (Hymenoptera: Apidae) . Insectes Sociaux . en . 42 . 2 . 201–218 . 10.1007/BF01242455 . 0020-1812.
  6. Schwarz . Michael P. . December 1987 . Intra-colony relatedness and sociality in the allodapine bee Exoneura bicolor . Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology . en . 21 . 6 . 387–392 . 10.1007/BF00299933 . 1987BEcoS..21..387S . 0340-5443.
  7. Melna . P. A. . Schwarz . M. P. . March 1994 . Behavioural specialization in pre-reproductive colonies of the allodapine beeExoneura bicolor (Hymenoptera: Anthophoridae) . Insectes Sociaux . en . 41 . 1 . 1–18 . 10.1007/BF01240569 . 0020-1812.

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