Osmia bicolor, the two-coloured mason-bee, is a Palearctic species of bee in the genus Osmia. It is outstanding amongst other megachilid bees in that it nests in empty snail shells.[2]
Osmia bicolor females are small bees, 12 mm in length, with a black head and thorax and an abdomen covered in bright ginger hair. In the males the ginger colour of the abdomen is less intense.[3]
Distribution and habitatedit
Osmia bicolor is found in Europe and western Asia from southern Great Britain in the west east to Turkestan, it is found as far north as southern Scandinavia and Finland, and south as far as Spain and Romania.[2][1] It occurs in grasslands and open deciduous woodland over calcareous soils underlain by rocks such as limestone and chalk.[1]
Biologyedit
Osmia bicolor is univoltine in western Europe and is among the first bees to emerge in the spring, males can be seen as early as February,[4] although the normal flight period is from April to July. The females emerge a few weeks after the males and are quickly mated.[5] Compared to females the males have a very short life.[1] Once mated the female O. bicolor seeks out the empty shells of snails, In Britain it has been recorded using the shells of Helix pomatia, Cepaea nemoralis, Cepaea hortensis and Monacha cantiana.[1] While in Europe it has also been recorded using the shells of species in the genera Arianta, Crepidula, Fruticicola and Helicella.[2] Once the female has selected a shell she moves into her preferred position before depositing balls consisting of chewed up masticated pollen and nectar to provision the nest. One egg is laid on each ball and the female then builds a cell around the egg and food provision.[4]
Camouflaging a clutch in a snail shell with blades of grass
Depending on the size of the shell there will be four to five cells per shell and the shell will be sealed with the same type of chewed up leaf material, leaf mastic, as used to create the cells, as well as being speckled on the outside of the shell as camouflage.[5] The female will also deposit sand, gravel and soil between the last cell and the plug as an anti-predator barrier. The shell is then manipulated by the female so that the entrance is facing towards the ground.[5] Once the nest is complete the female covers the shell in a canopy of grass stems, small twigs or leaves to camouflage it.[1] She uses her saliva to bind the canopy materials together. The females are often seen carrying these materials which can be many times the length of the bee.[4] If the soil is soft enough the female may also partially bury the shell.[4] Male O bicolor have been recorded using empty snail shells as shelters during periods of cold or wet weather and at night.[1] The female will make up to six or seven nests in the breeding season.[4] The cuckoo waspChrysura refulgens has been recorded as a parasite in the nests of O. bicornis in Italy.[6]
^"Two-coloured Mason Bee - Osmia bicolor". Recording the Wildlife of Leicestershire and Rurland. NatureSpot. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
^ abcdeGwen Pearson (2014-04-18). "Adorable bees that live inside snail shells". Wired.com. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
^ abcJohn Walters (2014-04-20). "Osmia bicolor the snail thatching bee". JohnWalters.co.uk. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
^" Chrysura refulgens Spinola, 1806". Chrysis.net. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
^Ana Nieto; Stuart P.M. Roberts; James Kemp; et al. (2014). "European Red List of Bees" (PDF). European Commission. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
External linksedit
BBC Radio 4 The Living World Programme on Osmia bicolor
April 12, 2024
osmia, bicolor, coloured, mason, palearctic, species, genus, osmia, outstanding, amongst, other, megachilid, bees, that, nests, empty, snail, shells, scientific, classificationdomain, eukaryotakingdom, animaliaphylum, arthropodaclass, insectaorder, hymenoptera. Osmia bicolor the two coloured mason bee is a Palearctic species of bee in the genus Osmia It is outstanding amongst other megachilid bees in that it nests in empty snail shells 2 Osmia bicolorScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ArthropodaClass InsectaOrder HymenopteraFamily MegachilidaeGenus OsmiaSpecies O bicolorBinomial nameOsmia bicolor Schrank 1781 SynonymsList Apis rustica Geoffroy 1785 Apis fusca Christ 1791 Apis fuscescens Villers 1789 Apis hirundinaria Christ 1791 Osmia pyrenaea Lepeletier 1841 Osmia fusca Christ 1791 Osmia rufitarsis Smith 1879 Osmia monachiensis Strand 1917 Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Biology 4 Conservation 5 References 6 External linksDescription edit nbsp Osmia bicolorOsmia bicolor females are small bees 12 mm in length with a black head and thorax and an abdomen covered in bright ginger hair In the males the ginger colour of the abdomen is less intense 3 Distribution and habitat editOsmia bicolor is found in Europe and western Asia from southern Great Britain in the west east to Turkestan it is found as far north as southern Scandinavia and Finland and south as far as Spain and Romania 2 1 It occurs in grasslands and open deciduous woodland over calcareous soils underlain by rocks such as limestone and chalk 1 Biology editOsmia bicolor is univoltine in western Europe and is among the first bees to emerge in the spring males can be seen as early as February 4 although the normal flight period is from April to July The females emerge a few weeks after the males and are quickly mated 5 Compared to females the males have a very short life 1 Once mated the female O bicolor seeks out the empty shells of snails In Britain it has been recorded using the shells of Helix pomatia Cepaea nemoralis Cepaea hortensis and Monacha cantiana 1 While in Europe it has also been recorded using the shells of species in the genera Arianta Crepidula Fruticicola and Helicella 2 Once the female has selected a shell she moves into her preferred position before depositing balls consisting of chewed up masticated pollen and nectar to provision the nest One egg is laid on each ball and the female then builds a cell around the egg and food provision 4 nbsp Camouflaging a clutch in a snail shell with blades of grassDepending on the size of the shell there will be four to five cells per shell and the shell will be sealed with the same type of chewed up leaf material leaf mastic as used to create the cells as well as being speckled on the outside of the shell as camouflage 5 The female will also deposit sand gravel and soil between the last cell and the plug as an anti predator barrier The shell is then manipulated by the female so that the entrance is facing towards the ground 5 Once the nest is complete the female covers the shell in a canopy of grass stems small twigs or leaves to camouflage it 1 She uses her saliva to bind the canopy materials together The females are often seen carrying these materials which can be many times the length of the bee 4 If the soil is soft enough the female may also partially bury the shell 4 Male O bicolor have been recorded using empty snail shells as shelters during periods of cold or wet weather and at night 1 The female will make up to six or seven nests in the breeding season 4 The cuckoo wasp Chrysura refulgens has been recorded as a parasite in the nests of O bicornis in Italy 6 Osmia bicolor is polylectic and uses a wide variety of wildflowers to feed on and to collect pollen and nectar from In Britain it has been recorded as feeding on wood anemone Anemonoides nemorosa common bluebell Hyacinthoides non scripta heath dog violet Viola canina bird s foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus horseshoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa sainfoin Onobrychis viciifolia willow Salix spp ground ivy Glechoma hederacea daisy Bellis perennis and dandelion Taraxacum sp 1 Conservation editOsmia bicolor is classified as a nationally notable species in Britain 1 although it is classified a Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and European Commission 7 References edit a b c d e f g h i G R Else 1998 Osmia bicolor Schrank 1781 Bees Wasps and Ants Recording Society Retrieved 14 May 2017 a b c Palaearctic Osmiine Bees Subgenus Neosmia Blogs ethz ch Retrieved 2011 11 21 Two coloured Mason Bee Osmia bicolor Recording the Wildlife of Leicestershire and Rurland NatureSpot Retrieved 3 July 2017 a b c d e Gwen Pearson 2014 04 18 Adorable bees that live inside snail shells Wired com Retrieved 3 July 2017 a b c John Walters 2014 04 20 Osmia bicolor the snail thatching bee JohnWalters co uk Retrieved 3 July 2017 Chrysura refulgens Spinola 1806 Chrysis net Retrieved 3 July 2017 Ana Nieto Stuart P M Roberts James Kemp et al 2014 European Red List of Bees PDF European Commission Retrieved 4 July 2017 External links editBBC Radio 4 The Living World Programme on Osmia bicolor Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Osmia bicolor amp oldid 1124603402, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
